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Counting Habit #1

Reel 47 of 51
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Always count the opening suit - Even if it seems irrelevant. It doesn't have to be the first thing you do - you can come up with a plan for the full hand, but just make sure you don't play past trick 1 before at least making an attempt at the opening lead - For example this could be the suit. Lets assume the opponents play 4th highest leads.

The inner dialogue needs to acknowledge and remember the led card, the 3. You can see the 2 is missing - it is possible it is from a 5 card suit (if the 2 was led, it would be 4 at most), but could be 3. Also it is from the J since East played the Q, denying the Jack.

Recommendation: Assume the most "normal" layout for the suit. a 4-4 is the most normal break, so I assume the lead is from Jxxx and east started with Qxxx. I know the 3 was led. (That is the final product you need before moving to trick 2. If it takes you a while to begin with, take that time - build the habit.) You know you are playing good bridge when you do this every hand, not only because of how much it will help you, but because it means you are concentrating well.

In contrast, we all know the feeling of moving to trick 2 and forgetting pieces of trick 1, that feeling will mean the rest of your game won't perform well either.

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