Playing a hand in No Trumps

As mentioned previously, Bridge hands can either be played either using a trump suit or without any trumps. Unsurprisingly these are known as No Trump contracts. Most bridge players say that playing in no trumps is more difficult than playing in a trump suit contract but the rewards are higher as you only need to take nine tricks, (three no trumps), to make a game contract.

The hand shown is a typical no trump contract. The first thing a declarer should do when playing a no trump contract is to look at the opening lead and calculate how many tricks s/he can take without loosing the lead.

Let's assume on the hand shown that a spade has been led to the contract. The declarer looks at his/her own hand and dummy and counts as follows: Ace of hearts, Ace of clubs, Ace and King of spades. That's only four tricks! having established that, the declarer now works out how to get the rest that are needed bearing in mind that if the opponents get the lead again they can lead anything they like because declarer can't trump it.

Assuming the queen of spades was led to the above contract, declarer should NOT take it but wait until the spades are led again. That way, the east hand will have run out of spades and when they get the lead they will be unable to lead them back to their partner. This technique is known as ducking.

Having taken the second spade lead declarer should now attack his/her longest suit. On the hand shown this is clubs and so that is the suit that is led by declarer. Note that the ace of spades would be used to take the preceding trick so that the lead was from dummy towards the strong clubs in the declarer's own hand. This way declarer could try to finesse the ace, queen of clubs. (A finesse is a very common playing technique). On this occasion the finesse won't work because West has the King. The opponents will continue with their strong suit, Spades, but declarer still has a master Spade. Having taken this trick declarer will continue with the strong club suit before leading a low diamond that East will take with the Ace. Whatever East leads back, declarer will take all the rest of the tricks.

Once four rounds of clubs have gone with declarer winning some of them, the two of clubs would be a master and would provide an extra trick.

By using techniques like those described, i.e. ducking, finessing and playing long suits, the declarer should, hopefully make the contract.

This has only been a brief look at playing a no trump hand just to convey the idea and real practice is needed to learn all of the techniques needed. Also please take the time out to read about he rule of eleven and finesses in bridge as they are very useful techniques.

Playing in a suit contract | Finesses in bridge | Rule of eleven defence to a no trump contract