Lesson 5 of 10

How tricks are played

The rules are simple: lead one card, play clockwise, follow suit when possible and determine which card wins.

One trick, step by step

One player leads. For the first trick this is declarer's left-hand opponent. Later, the winner of each trick leads.

Three players follow clockwise. Each contributes one card, creating a four-card trick.

Players follow suit. If clubs were led, anyone holding a club must play one.

The winning card is identified. Without a trump, the highest card of the suit led wins. With trumps, the highest trump played wins.

The winner leads next. That player may choose any suit for the new trick.

Following suit is compulsory

You may not discard from another suit or play a trump while you still hold a card in the suit led. If you have no card in that suit, you may play any card. Playing a different suit without trumping cannot win that trick.

Example without trumps: North leads ♣6. East plays ♣K, South ♣A and West ♣3. South wins with the ace and chooses the lead to trick two.

The suit led controls the trick

Suppose diamonds are led in a No Trump contract. A spade ace played by somebody who has no diamonds does not beat even a low diamond, because only cards in the led suit are eligible to win. The spade ace is simply discarded.

Basic card-play habits

Pause before playing

At trick one, declarer should count likely winners and losers before calling a card from dummy.

Watch every card

Notice which suits players cannot follow. A shown void can explain where remaining cards are located.

Keep entries

A winning card can be valuable because it lets you reach the other hand later, not only because it wins now.

Think as a partnership

Defenders should consider why partner selected a particular suit or card.

The essential rule: follow the suit led whenever you can. Everything else in card play builds on that foundation.

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