Setting up tricks

Long suits are often the most fruitful way to set up tricks. Train your eyes to go straight to the 5+ card suits and think: can I set that suit up? Even 4-card suits (4-3 fits) can create extra winners if the suit breaks 4-3-3-3.

Being aware of these long suits is the first step to making a lot more tricks. From there we develop strategies to handle them well. The guiding principle is often "set up long suits as a priority, before drawing trumps."

Practise setting up tricks in the trainer
Interactive practice hands

Work through it

  1. 1
    Playing Long Suits: Build Extra Winners EarlyFundamentals
  2. 2
    Establishing Side-Suit Winners: Honor Sequences Like KQJ10Fundamentals
  3. 3
    No-Trump Basics: Build Your Long Suit and Cash WinnersFundamentals
  4. 4
    Finesses: Single, Double, and Leading Low Toward HonorsFundamentals
  5. 5
    Duck to Preserve Communication: Set Up Your Long SuitAdvanced
  6. 6
    Setting Up Side Suits as DeclarerAdvanced
  7. 7
    Finding and Building Trick SourcesAdvanced
  8. 8
    Use Entries Well: Reach the Right Hand at the Right TimeAdvanced
More declarer topics