Bridge Tips for Play of the Hand in a Notrump Contract

Due to the way bridge is scored, more hands end up being played at notrump (no cards are designated as wild, or trump) than in any other denomination. Try these tips on playing a notrump contract:

• Count your sure tricks — the number of tricks you can take without giving up the lead.

• If you have enough sure tricks to make your contract, take them!

• If you don’t have enough sure tricks to make your contract, attack suits in which you may be missing the ace, the king, or both the ace and the king — tricks you have to lose anyway.

• Long suits can provide extra tricks. Just keep playing them until both opponents are void in the suit; the remaining cards are all winners.

• When taking or establishing tricks in unequally divided suits with equal honor cards, start by playing the high card from the short side. With Kx (the x stands for a small card) facing the AQJx or QJ10x, start with the king.