[DJNeill]

Hi all,
I have a friend who is learning bridge at a late age, and practices a lot with the robots, which is good. The problem is they have some difficulty playing a particular kind of suit - a very common situation.

Kxx

xx

With a King in one hand, and nothing in the other hand, they have a tendency to want to play the King first. This loses to the Ace (offside/onside) and they get no tricks from the suit. Similarly

QTx

xx

They will play from the honor towards the weak holding, and lose any chance of a trick.

I suggested they play "low to high" or "weak to strong". But it is not helping.

Has anyone ever advised others on this problem, and what did you do to help?

Thanks,
Dan

[gwnn]

Third hand high.

[han]

English becomes very hard with them hiding their gender.

[y66]

Chapter 1. The Power of Honors and Chapter 2. The Positional Value of Honors in Watson's The Play of the Hand may help.

[S2000magic]

Lead a high card only when you would be happy to have an opponent cover it with a higher card. If you wouldn't be happy, lead toward the high card.

In the first example, you won't be happy to have the king covered by the ace, so don't lead the king; lead toward the king.

In the second example, you won't be happy to have the queen covered by the ace or the king, or the ten covered by the jack, so don't lead the queen or the ten; lead toward the queen-ten.

It's all about your friend's happiness.

[markyears]

Some people (like my dad) always prefer practicing all the time to reading a book. Did your friend ever read any fundamental bridge tutorial carefully? If not, please try to persuade him/her to do so. If yes, but he/she still made this kind of mistakes, just leave it, and let he/she be happy!

DJNeill, on 2011-December-31, 09:25, said:

Hi all,
I have a friend who is learning bridge at a late age, and practices a lot with the robots, which is good. The problem is they have some difficulty playing a particular kind of suit - a very common situation.

Kxx

xx

With a King in one hand, and nothing in the other hand, they have a tendency to want to play the King first. This loses to the Ace (offside/onside) and they get no tricks from the suit. Similarly

QTx

xx

They will play from the honor towards the weak holding, and lose any chance of a trick.

I suggested they play "low to high" or "weak to strong". But it is not helping.

Has anyone ever advised others on this problem, and what did you do to help?

Thanks,
Dan

[Phil]

Teach - lead toward high cards first. An extension of '3rd hand high'.

Only later do they learn the importance of 'breaking' the rule when they have certain intermediate cards or when they want to stay in the same hand to repeat a finesse.

[Zelandakh]

A very long time ago I remember reading a B/I book whose emphasis was on becoming "luckier" at bridge. The first chapter started with the concept of a basic finesse and showing how if you led up to the AQ you might be lucky (50%) or unlucky (50%) whereas if you led away from it you were (almost) always unlucky. It then extended this concept to other holdings such as Kx before reaching the conclusion that leading towards your high cards was generally the way to increase your "luck". Perhaps this way of visualising things would appeal to your friend better than starting with the rules themselves. I think it is quite a good method for beginners because it gets them used to thinking of possible layouts early which (hopefully) will stay with them even after these basic positions are second nature.

[DJNeill]

Hi all,
Thanks for the good suggestions. I found another one after brainstorming: a bowling alley. You bowl the ball (little card) towards the pins (honors).

Later,
Dan

[masse24]

DJNeill, on 2012-January-07, 16:00, said:

Hi all,
Thanks for the good suggestions. I found another one after brainstorming: a bowling alley. You bowl the ball (little card) towards the pins (honors).

Later,
Dan

Dan,
Isn't there a ball return that sends the ball (little card) back the other way, away from the pins (honors)?

Just kidding!
Actually I have someone in mind and think I will use your analogy. Thanks!