December - 2014

Welcome to Samantha's articles!

Each month on the 15th and the 1st, I will make a post with two articles. The first article will be the Spade discussion.

This discussion is designed for newer bridge players (though more experienced players may also benefit from reading them.)

The second article will be the Diamond article and it will feature content for more experienced bridge players. Newer players may benefit from reading these articles but may also be overwhelmed by them.

If you like, try to read them. If they confuse you, don't worry! All bridge concepts confuse everyone the first time they hear them. It's just a matter of hearing them over and over again.

We must plant the seeds in order for our skills to flourish.

If you find yourself too confused, don't read them. After some practice and experience, you will be ready to read them.

What is the true value of a card? - Diamond article

What is the true value of a card? When we first begin playing bridge, we naturally assume that the value in a card is how high it is. The higher the card, the more valuable it is. Later, we learn that consecutive cards have equal value. Our 9 can be just as powerful as our A, if we have all the cards between them. We move away from our original thinking of a card’s value is strictly in how high it is and shift to realizing that a card’s strength is in its ability to take a tr

Counting Winners - Part 1 Spade article

Counting Winners – Part 1 Playing a hand can be overwhelming for any level of player, but particularly for newer players. Declarer (the player on the side that won the auction who bid the final contract first) has to come up with a strategy to take enough tricks to make their contract. One of the most effective ways to begin planning the play of the hand is to count winners (in no trump) or losers (in a trump contract). These techniques help you assess where you are in your