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Improve Your Game
Playing bridge over many years, you learn that there are many hand situations that come around time and time again. To improve your results at the table, it really helps to recognize these situations and know the best way to handle them when they come up. Select one from the drop down list to the right to learn about many of these. Methods to improve your game here are strong recommendations.. but as we all know, in Bridge, there are very few absolutes. "It depends"

After all that said, in general there are some Cardinal Rules:
As Declarer:
  • In Suit Contracts, 1st count your losers. In No Trump Contracts: 1st count your winners .. and before playing to the 1st lead, formulate a plan.
  • In a suit contract, if you have singles or voids, first consider cross ruffing
  • Take advantage of opportunities to cross ruff.
  • Play a loser on a loser (lose 1 trick instead of 2).
On Defence:
  • As LHO, never lead a suit to an opponent's game contract from K or Q empty.
  • Against an opponent's suit contract, always lead trumps at every opportunity if they will be cross ruffing.
  • Never break (make a lead to) a new suit (if it can be helped), unless you are certain of your partner's holdings in that suit.
  • Never give your opponent a ruff and a sluff (if it can be helped).
  • Never give your opponent a chance to play a loser on a loser.

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14 Lessons..