Learn · Lesson 6
Keeping an entry
Play the high card from the short hand first, so you finish in the hand with the winners.
Step 1
The idea
When you run a long suit, you must end up in the hand that holds the winners. If the other hand still has a high card in the suit, it can win a trick at the wrong moment and leave the winners stranded.
So cash the high card in the short hand first, then cross to the long hand with your small card. This is called unblocking.
- Use it when
- One hand has a long suit and no other way in, and the other hand has a high card in that suit.
- How
- Play the short hand’s high card first, then lead its small card across to the long hand.
- Watch for
- Whether you can afford to: count the suit, and make sure the winners are really winners.
Step 2
Plan the hand
You are South in 3NT. West leads the Q♠. Before you play a card, work through the checklist: try each question, then check your answer.
1NT – Pass – 3NT
Lead: Q♠
Step 3
Watch it done
Before you play it yourself, see the whole hand played: the plan first, then one trick at a time. Nothing moves on until you tap Next.
Step 4
Play it yourself
Now it is your turn. Play the hand yourself, every card, against defenders who never make a mistake. It is a practice hand: no clock, no score, nothing on the ladder.
Use Hint if you are stuck and Take back to try again. If you play a card that loses the contract, you will be told why.
Tip: on a phone, turn it sideways to play. When you finish, Back to the lesson brings you back here to finish the lesson.
Remember
- Count: Nine tricks: the ♠A-K, the ♦A and six hearts, if you can reach them.
- The danger: Your ♥A can block the suit and strand dummy's winners.
- The plan: Cash the ♥A first, then lead your small heart to dummy and run the suit.
Now try it for real
Hand 2 of Challenge 23 in Declarer Challenge uses the same idea, with new cards. It is timed and scored, and goes on the ladder.