The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (21 page)

First trick trump In some schools, the first trick of a non-royal

abundance is played with the turned suit as trump, the announced

suit not taking ef ect until the second. In others, the trump is not

announced until the first card has been led to the first trick.

Trump slam Some players al ow a slam bid in trumps as an

alternative to, or overcal of, the no trump slam. This makes sense

only if you ignore the rule al owing the slam bidder to lead, since,

if the slam is safe with a trump suit, it is equal y safe without.

Notes on play

You are best placed to make a positive (non-misére) bid when

sit ing eldest hand, as you have the opening lead. With a possible

game you should at least propose, because you can always raise it

to a solo if the others admit weakness by passing. As dealer, you are

wel placed for any sort of bid, as you wil have heard the others

and been able to gauge the possible opposition. Three passes might

encourage you to bid solo on somewhat weaker cards than would

be advisable for second or third hand. As second hand, you are

worst placed for a positive bid, as you wil be playing second to the

first trick and have no idea what to expect from third hand and

dealer. For misére, dealer is best positioned, and eldest worst, as

such hands need to be led up to.

But position can also be af ected by the shape of the hand. For

example, assuming spades turned:

1. AKQT2 J8 JT9 J43

2. SAQ2 AQ2 AQ2 A964

Hand 1 of ers a solo if you are eldest, as you can lead trumps and

probably drop the Jack for five tricks straight of . But it doesn’t

favour you as dealer: no one leads trumps against a solo, and by the