Third Hand Play by Matthias Huberschwiller

This week, your partner has led and you are the third hand playing to the first trick.

You'll have to choose which card to play.

Third-hand-high is a good way to start, but is it always right?

Good luck.

Question 1

Dummy's Hand:
♠ 4 3
♥ A 6 2
♦ K 9 5 3
♣ Q 10 8 7

Your Hand
♠ K 5 2
♥ 9 8 5 4
♦ J 6
♣ 6 4 3 2

Q: 1 - Your partner leads the ♠7.

Dummy plays the ♠3.

Which card do you play as East?

South	West	North	East
1 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

A: ♠K - There is no reason not to play your highest card here. Don't let declarer make a cheap trick with a spot card.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Dummy's Hand:
♠ A 6
♥ J 8 6
♦ K 7 4 2
♣ Q J 6 5

Your Hand
♠ 8 7 5 4
♥ Q 10 3
♦ 10 6
♣ K 4 3 2

Q: 2 - Your partner leads the ♥4.

Dummy plays the ♥6.

Which card do you play as East?

South	West	North	East
1 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

A: ♥10 - You need to play a high card, but look at your holding. You have a tenace, so you need to finesse against dummy's Jack.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Dummy's Hand:
♠ 8 5 3
♥ J 8 2
♦ K 9 6
♣ A J 6 2

Your Hand
♠ K Q 6
♥ 9 7 5 4 3
♦ J 5 4
♣ 7 3

Q: 3 - Your partner leads the ♠4.

Dummy plays the ♠3.

Which card do you play as East?

South	West	North	East
1 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

A: ♠Q - You need to play an honor, of course, but which one?

With touching honors, you need to play the lowest one. This will help your partner figure out what you have. If you play the King, you would be denying the Queen.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Dummy's Hand:
♠ 9 2
♥ J 8 6
♦ K 7 4 3
♣ A 5 4 2

Your Hand
♠ Q 8 7 5
♥ 5 2
♦ A J 9 6 5
♣ 9 3

Q: 4 - Your partner leads the ♦2.

Dummy plays the ♦3.

Which card do you play as East?

South	West	North	East
1♥	Pass	2♥	Pass
4♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

A: ♦A - You need to take the trick with the Ace. Finessing dummy's King would be pointless, since the Queen must lie in declarer's hand.

Look at all those Diamonds. You can be confident that your partner has led a singleton.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Dummy's Hand:
♠ A 5
♥ K 9 6 2
♦ 6 5
♣ Q J 10 9 8

Your Hand
♠ J 4 3
♥ 8 3
♦ A 9 8 7
♣ K 5 3 2

Q: 5 - Your partner leads the ♣7.

Dummy plays the ♣Q.

Which card do you play as East?

South	West	North	East
1 NT	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♥	Pass	4♥	Pass
Pass	Pass

A: ♣2 - You need to play a low Club. There is no point in playing the King, since you know declarer has the Ace. Don't set up all the Clubs for him.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Overall Results

Your results: out of Average:

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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