Third Hand High for Beginners: When to Win, When to Hold Up (Beginner Defence)

Third Hand High for Beginners: When to Win, When to Hold Up

Third hand high is a brilliant bridge rule, and you will never outgrow it. But to keep improving, you need one extra layer:

Quick recap

Default:

• In third hand, play high (typically your highest card in the suit).

Upgrade:

• There is a common reason we do not play our highest card. Sometimes we play our second highest card.

Imagine dummy is on your right and dummy has the King of hearts. You are sitting over the King with the Ace. There is nothing more natural than playing your Ace at the moment declarer plays the King, or in other words, covering the King with the Ace.

So lets put this into a picture. Dummy on your right has:

Dummy (right): K42
You (third hand): A105
Partner leads 3, dummy plays 2.
Play 10 now, keep A to capture dummy's K.

This is the same if dummy has the Queen. Aces are great for capturing Queens too.

Now change the example: dummy has only low cards. In that case there is no reason to hold out with the Ace. Take it right away, because it is not sitting over the King.

Where to next

• -> Next: Third Hand High for Beginners: Why Partner Wants Your Best Card
• -> Related: Opening Leads for Beginners: Lead Your Longest Suit in No-Trump
• -> Back to Beginner Defence Articles Hub