Third Hand Play

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

Skillful play at the bridge table is partly dependent on basic logic.

But often more important is reliance on standard agreements of what cards to play based on your hand, the dummy, and who has led the suit. In this section, we will explore and practice those standard agreements.

After partner's spot card opening lead at notrump...

The low spot card lead is presumed to be a fourth-best lead, and usually means partner holds at least one honor in this suit, otherwise she leads top-of-nothing – a high spot card.

The general guideline for what to play is Third Hand High. That means you make your best attempt to win the trick.

example 1

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ J 5 4
	You ♥ A Q 8

Partner leads the ♥3 and Dummy plays low.

What card do you play?

Play your ♥A – Third Hand High.

There are two main exceptions to Third Hand High.

Exceptions to Third Hand High

1. You hold a finessing position over dummy's unplayed honor card.

2. You cannot beat the card dummy plays.

example 2

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ K 5 4
	You ♦ A Q 8

Partner leads the ♦3 and Dummy plays low.

What card do you play?

Finesse with the ♦Q. You know this will win because declarer cannot play the ♦K or the ♦A. He doesn't have either of those cards.

example 3

	Partner ♠ 3
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ Q 5 4
	You ♠ K J 8

Partner leads the ♠3 and Dummy plays low.

What card do you play?

Finesse with your ♠J. You are finessing against Dummy's unplayed honor, the ♠Q.

If Declarer wins this trick with the ♠A, you will still hold your ♠K over Dummy's ♠Q.

And if Declarer doesn't have the ♠A, Dummy's ♠Q will now fall in two more rounds under your ♠K and partner's ♠A.

Had you made the mistake of playing your ♠K on the first round, the ♠Q would have become a third round winner, playing after Partner's ♠A.

example 4

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ K 5 4
	You ♣ A J 9

Partner leads the ♣3 and Dummy plays low.

What card do you play?

Finesse with your ♣J. You are finessing against Dummy's unplayed honor, the ♣K.

If your finesse loses to Declarer's ♣Q, you still retain your ♣A ready to squish Dummy's ♣K. Had you played your ace on the first round, Declarer would make TWO future tricks with his two honors.

And if it turns out that Partner has the missing honor (as she should), your finesse will win while you retain your well placed ♣A over the ♣K. Declarer may get no club tricks at all.

example 5

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ Q 5 4
	You ♥ K T 2

Partner leads the ♥3 and Dummy plays low.

What card do you play?

Finesse with your ♥T.

Keep your ♥K sitting over Dummy's ♥Q.

You are hoping to later play your ♥K on top of the ♥Q.

If you play your ♥K on the opening lead, there will be no hope of preventing the ♥Q from scoring a future trick. Even if partner holds all the missing honors, her ♥A plays ahead of Dummy's ♥Q.

Showing attitude

The second of the two main exceptions to Third Hand High is when you cannot beat the card Dummy plays.

Your play will be a spot card, telling partner if you have a high card ("something good") in this suit or not.

low spot card = no
high spot card = yes

example 6

	Partner ♠ 3
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ K 5 4
	You ♠ Q 8 2

Dummy plays the ♠K.

What card do you play?

You play the ♠8, a high spot card, to show Partner that you have "something good" in this suit.

"Something good" usually means the honor right below the one played by Dummy.

The Q is also "something good" when Dummy plays the A.

example 7

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ K 5 4
	You ♦ T 8 2

Dummy plays the ♦K.

What do you play this time?

You play the ♦2, a low spot card, to show Partner that you do not have a high card in this suit.

example 8

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ K 5 4
	You ♣ J 8 2

Dummy plays the ♣K.

What card do you play?

You play the ♣2, a low spot card, to show Partner that you do not have a high card in this suit.

example 9

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ Q 5 4
	You ♥ J 8 2

Dummy plays the ♥Q.

What card do you play?

You play the ♥8, a high spot card, to show Partner that you have something good in this suit.

Partner will know that your "something good" is lower than the ♥Q. If it were higher, you would play it on top of dummy's ♥Q (Third Hand High).

example 10

	Partner ♠ 3
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ A 5 4
	You ♠ Q 9 2

Dummy plays the ♠A.

What do you play?

Play the ♠9.

Your ♠Q is high enough to tell partner that you have something good in this suit.

One of the top three honors is always "something good" when partner's spot card lead also promises an honor. You expect partner to hold the ♠K, and your ♠Q is the most important card she is wondering about.

example 11

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ A 5 4
	You ♦ J 9 2

This is almost the same as example 10.

What do you play this time?

Play the ♦2.

Your ♦J is not quite high enough to claim you have "something good" in this suit.

Don't claim the ♦J when Partner might assume it's the ♦K or ♦Q.

example 12

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ A K 4
	You ♣ J 9 2

Dummy has both the ♣A and the ♣K. Is your ♣J "something good"?

What do you play?

Play the ♣9. Partner will know what you have.

Partner's low spot card lead promises a high honor, and she can see the ♣AK in the Dummy as well as you can. So the ♣J is the highest card you can have. Tell Partner you do indeed have it. Play an encouraging spot card.

example 13

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ A Q 4
	You ♥ J 9 2

Dummy plays the ♥Q, which looks like a finesse.

What do you play?

Play the ♥9.

The ♥J is the highest card you can have, so tell partner the good news.

Partner knows you cannot hold the ♥K because you failed to play it on top of Dummy's ♥Q. And besides, she's got the ♥K, or she wouldn't have led a low spot card.

Little Bear says, "My head feels like there's a swarm of bees buzzing around it. Isn't there a way to figure all this out at the table instead of trying to remember it all?"

Yes, Little Bear. This is how you do it. First assume Partner has the highest missing honor. Then ask yourself if it's possible for Declarer to have an honor higher than yours. If yes, don't encourage. Don't claim "something good."

You wouldn't want Partner to lead a low card up to Declarer's marginal honor, promoting it through The Advantage of Playing Last.

Playing the lowest of equals

When following suit, different than when leading, you play the lowest of equals.

example 14

	Partner ♠ 3
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ 8 5 4
	You ♠ Q J 2

What card do you play?

Play the ♠J, not the ♠Q – lowest of equals.

example 15

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ Q 5 4
	You ♦ A J T 2

Dummy plays low on partner's lead.

What card do you play?

Play the ♦T.

You are finessing.

The ♦J and the ♦T are equals. Play the lowest of equals.

example 16

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ Q T 4
	You ♣ K J 9 8

Dummy plays low on the opening lead.

You're going to finesse. Which card is the lowest of equals for this trick?

Surprisingly, it's the ♣8. You can see all the club cards from the ♣8 through the ♣K.

Can Declarer win this trick?

No!

Partner's opening lead promised an honor. The only honor not in full view is the ♣A, which Declarer doesn't have.

Partner will be surprised to see your ♣8 win the trick.

Returning Partner's suit

Assuming you win the trick after Partner's low spot card lead, what card do you play back?

Returning Partner's suit

With two cards remaining in partner's suit, play back the higher one, whether it's an honor or not.
If you have three or more cards remaining...
- play back the top of an honor sequence, if you have it, otherwise...
- play back your original fourth best spot card (third remaining)

example 17

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ Q 5 4
	You ♥ K J 8

Dummy plays low on the opening lead.

You finesse with your ♥J, which wins the trick.

Which card do you play back?

You have only two cards remaining in this suit, so you play back the higher one, the ♥K.

Partner's low spot card promises an honor, and the only one missing is the ♥A. So your ♥K will win the second trick. Then you'll lead to Partner's ♥A, giving her the lead to cash her heart skaters.

If you had not returned the ♥K at trick two, the suit would be blocked.

example 18

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 5 4
	You ♣ K 8 6

What card do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♣K. Third Hand High.

Your ♣K wins the trick. What card do you play back?

You have only two cards remaining, so play the ♣8, your higher one.

example 19

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ J 7 4
	You ♦ K T 6 5

What card do you play on the opening lead?

Finesse the ♦T, which wins.

After winning the first trick, what card do you play back?

Play back your original fourth best, the ♦5.

example 20

	Partner ♠ 3
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ J 7 4
	You ♠ K 6 5 2

What card do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♠K: Third Hand High.

Your ♠K wins the trick. What card do you play back?

Play back your original fourth best, the ♠2.

Unlike on opening leads, your fourth best spot card does not promise an honor. It simply tells how many cards you have in the suit, helping partner judge how to establish and cash skaters.

example 21

	Partner ♥ 3
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ J 6 4
	You ♥ K 9 8 7

What card do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♥K: Third Hand High.

Your ♥K wins the trick. What card do you play back?

Play back your original fourth best, ♥7.

When you have nothing but spot cards, don't play back the top of a sequence. It's more important to tell partner that you started with four of them. Play back the ♥7, not the ♥9.

Little Bear asks, "What happens if I don't win the first trick? How do I tell Partner what I've got in her suit?"

Well, Little Bear, there's nothing you can do unless you win a future trick. Then the card you return is the same one you would have chosen if you had won the first trick.

example 22

	Partner ♣ 3
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 5 4
	You ♣ K 6 5 2

You play the ♣K on the opening lead, but Declarer plays the ♣A. So sad.

Later you win a trick in another suit and decide to play back a club.

Which one?

Play the ♣2, your original fourth best – the same as you would if your ♣K had won the first trick.

example 23

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 5 4
	You ♦ Q T 9 6

What do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♦Q: Third Hand High.

Declarer wins the trick with the ♦K.
Later you win a trick in another suit.

Which diamond do you lead?

Lead the ♦T: Top of a sequence.

The ♦T also wins the trick.

You will have the ♦96 remaining. Which one do you lead now?

Lead the ♦9: Top of any doubleton.

After Partner's honor card lead at notrump...

When Partner leads an honor at notrump, she holds a sequence of three honors, such as:

♠QJTxx
or ♠KQTxx
or KJTxx.

She would lead a low spot card from only one or two honors.

When Partner leads an honor at notrump...

1) unblock a doubleton honor (play it on the first trick)

2) play a spot card to show partner if you have an equal honor:

low spot card = no
high spot card = yes

3) use partner's honor to finesse against the Dummy

4) play Third Hand High

example 24

	Partner ♠ K
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ 7 4
	You ♠ A 5

Partner leads the ♠K at a notrump contract.

What do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♠A.

Unblock a doubleton honor.

When you return the ♠5, you hope Partner can cash a boatload of skaters.

example 25

	Partner ♥ J
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ 9 7 4
	You ♥ Q 8 2

Partner leads the ♥J at a notrump contract.

What do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♥8. The ♥Q is a filling honor.

Your high spot card encourages Partner to continue leading hearts. What do you play if Partner leads the ♥T next?

Play the ♥Q. Unblock a doubleton honor.

example 26

	Partner ♦ J
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 8 7 4
	You ♦ 9 6 2

Partner leads the ♦J at a notrump contract. What do you play?

Play the ♦2.

You do not have a filling honor.

Partner promises the ♦T for her lead of the ♦J, so your ♦9 sort of fills in her sequence, but it isn't an honor. Honors are the Ten and higher.

example 27

	Partner ♣ J
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 5 4
	You ♣ A 7 6

What do you play?

Play the ♣A: Third Hand High.

Partner may have led from ♣KJTx, and playing the ♣A prevents Declarer's ♣Q from ever winning a trick.

What do you return?

Return the ♣7.

The higher of two remaining.

example 28

	Partner ♦ J
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 8 6 2
	You ♦ K 7 3

You know Declarer has the ♦Q, so...

What do you play?

Play the ♦K: Third Hand High.

This is similar to the previous diagram. Partner may have led from ♦AJTx, and you don't want Declarer to win a cleap trick with his ♦Q. Play your ♦K, and the ♦Q will be finessed by Partner's ♦A-T.

example 29

	Partner ♠ J
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ Q 8 4
	You ♠ K 7 3

What do you play?

Play the ♠7, a high spot card.

You are using Partner's ♠J to finesse.

If you held both the ♠K and the ♠J over Dummy's ♠Q, you would finesse.

You can do the same thing when Partner leads the ♠J. Your high spot card helps Partner figure out what's happening.

example 30

	Partner ♥ 5
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ Q 8 4
	You ♥ A T 3 2

What do you play?

Play the ♥T, finessing against Dummy's ♥Q.

You win the first trick.

What do you return?

Return your original fourth best, the ♥2.

Aces are special

Leading an ACE...

Many partnerships have a special agreement for leading an ace at notrump. It requests that you drop your highest card under the ace, or tell if you have an even or an odd number of spot cards in the suit. I DO NOT recommend this agreement.

Beginners should have NO special agreements that require them to play and think differently – at least not until they have become thoroughly at ease with basic carding signals. So...

I recommend that you treat leads of aces at both no-trump and suit contracts the same as all other honor leads. In other words, it shows the top of an honor sequence, 3 honors for notrump (AKQ or AKJ or AKT), and 2+ honors for suit contracts (at least AKx).

Warning... Clear this suggested agreement with Partner. You cannot have an "agreement" unless Partner agrees.

example 31

	Partner ♣ A
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 7 4
	You ♣ 6 5 2

The most important card Partner is wondering about is the ♣Q.

What do you play?

Play the ♣2 to show that you do not hold the ♣Q.

example 32

	Partner ♦ A
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 7 4 2
	You ♦ Q J 5

There is a special play for this situation.

Playing the ♦Q under the ♦A, promises the ♦J.

Partner will then lead low to your ♦J and you will return your last spot card so she can play as many winners in this suit as she was dealt.

When Partner leads an ACE at notrump...

1) play the Q to promise the J

2) play a spot card to show partner if you have the Q

low spot card = no
high spot card = yes

example 33

	Partner ♠ A
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ 7 4 2
	You ♠ Q 5

You would like to be able to tell Partner that you hold the ♠Q. But...

Play the ♠5. You do not have a choice of spot cards, so you cannot choose a high one to promise the ♠Q.

You must not play the ♠Q because that would promise the ♠J.

example 34

	Partner ♥ A
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ 5 4
	You ♥ 7 6 3

What card do you play?

Play the ♥3, denying the ♥Q.

If Partner abandons the suit, it's because she needs YOU to lead through Declarer's ♥Q.

Perhaps she holds ♥AKJxx.

If you later gain the lead, be quick to table the ♥7. Then sit back and watch Partner set the contract by cashing her heart skaters.

example 35

	Partner ♣ A
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 7 4
	You ♣ Q 5 2

Which spot card do you play?

Play the ♣5, to show that you hold the ♣Q.

You would like to have a bigger spot card to signal with, but you have to make do with what you were dealt.

Suppose Partner abandons the suit. What must she have been thinking?

She thought your ♣5 was a low spot card, denying the ♣Q.

If you win a future trick in another suit, which club should you lead?

Lead the ♣Q, the top of your remaining ♣Q2 doubleton.

If Partner allows the ♣Q to hold the trick, is she asking you to switch to a different suit?

No, continue with the ♣2.

She promised the ♣K when she led the ♣A, and she's still got it. She may also have some club skaters.

Trump contracts are different

After an opening lead of a spot card at a trump contract....

Most standard carding is the same for notrump and suit contracts. Third Hand High and finessing against the Dummy are still the main procedures. When you can't beat the Dummy's card, low and high spot cards when following suit also retain the same meaning.

There are however differences in how Partner LEADS for suit contracts.

Partner does not lead low cards from suits headed by the A.
Partner does not lead low from an unsupported J or T. She leads second highest.
Partner does not lead low from three honors.
Partner does not lead low from two touching honors. With that she leads the higher honor.
Therefore the honor Partner usually holds when leading low is the K or Q.
Partner may have two non-touching honors – KJ or QT, though she tries to avoid such leads.

Sometimes these general observations will enable you to figure out exactly which honors each player holds. Like this...

example 36

	Partner ♦ 3
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 8 7 4
	You ♦ K T 6 5

Partner leads a low spot card against a trump contract.

Who holds the ♦A?

Declarer holds the ♦A.

Partner would not lead low from a suit headed by the ♦A.

Who holds the ♦Q?

Partner holds the ♦Q.

She would not lead low without a high honor.

Who holds the ♦J?

Declarer holds the ♦J.

Partner would not lead low if she held both the ♦Q and the ♦J.

You can also figure out that Partner holds the ♦9 because she needs it for the ♦3 to be low from 3 or 4 to an honor. And Declarer has the ♦2, because Partner would have led it (fourth best) if she had it.

Sometimes it seems almost magical that you can place the cards so early in the play!

What do you play on the opening lead?

Play the ♦K: Third Hand High.

You can't stop Declarer from scoring a trick with his ♦A. But you can prevent his ♦J from ever making a trick. Partner's ♦Q will squish the ♦J.

Just make sure you don't make the mistake of failing to put up your ♦K on the first trick. You know it will get squished, but it's the only play to stop Declarer from making TWO diamond tricks.

That was a lot of analysis leading to the same recommended play as the simple guideline, Third Hand High.

After an opening lead of an ACE at a trump contract...

There is one change to Third Hand carding for trump contracts compared to notrump contracts. Sometimes you can win a future trick by trumping, and it's good to alert Partner to the possibility.

Remember our recommended agreement that leading the Ace promises the King...

When Partner leads an ACE at a suit contract...

1) play the Q to promise the J

2) play a spot card to show partner if you can win the third round of the suit, either with the Q or by trumping the third round

low spot card = no
high spot card = yes

example 37

	Partner ♠ A
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ 8 7 4
	You ♠ 9 6 2

Partner leads ♠A against a trump contract.

What do you play?

Play the ♠2.

You cannot win the third round of this suit.

example 38

	Partner ♥ A
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ 5 4 2
	You ♥ Q 8 3

Partner leads ♥A against a trump contract.

What do you play?

Play the ♥8. Your ♥Q can win the third round of this suit.

example 39

	Partner ♣ A
Declarer ♣ ?		Dummy ♣ 7 4 2
	You ♣ 9 5

Partner leads ♣A against a trump contract.

What do you play?

Play the ♣9.

Your can win the third round of this suit by trumping.

Partner will continue with the ♣K, and another one for you to trump.

If you don't take your three club tricks right away, Declarer may find a way to stop you. He could pull your trumps or discard one of his clubs on a winner in another suit.

So it's good that your play of a high spot card alerts Partner to what's going on.

example 40

	Partner ♦ A
Declarer ♦ ?		Dummy ♦ 5 4 2
	You ♦ Q 3

Partner leads ♦A against a trump contract.

What do you play?

Play the ♦3.

Your cannot play the ♦Q because that promises the ♦J, which you do not have.

You have only one other card in this suit, which you must play, so you cannot send partner the signal you would like.

example 41

	Partner ♠ A
Declarer ♠ ?		Dummy ♠ Q 4 2
	You ♠ 9 5

Partner leads ♠A against a trump contract.

What do you play?

Play the ♠9.

Your high spot card does not promise that you hold the ♠Q, as it would in a notrump contract.

It says that you can win the third round of the suit.

Partner will continue with the ♠K and another spade. You will ruff the third round, killing Dummy's ♠Q.

Notice that this must be done quickly, before Declarer pulls trump.

example 42

	Partner ♥ A
Declarer ♥ ?		Dummy ♥ 7 2
	You ♥ Q J 5

Partner leads ♥A against a trump contract.

The defense can only get two heart tricks because Dummy has a doubleton and can trump the third round.

What do you play?

Play the ♥Q, promising the ♥J.

Now that partner knows you hold the ♥J, she can choose who gets to lead after cashing the second heart trick. Maybe Partner has a marginal holding in a side suit and wants you to lead through Declarer. If so, she'll underlead her ♥K and you will win with your ♥J. Then you can look at the dummy and figure out which suit Partner wants you to play back.

In the next section we will practice the standard plays we have been studying. You may be surprised at how much you can figure out about a hand because you and Partner know what cards to play.

plush toy bear Go to the next topic:

How to Place the Honors

Bridge Bears is run by a retired teacher and ACBL life master who has 35 years teaching experience and who's been playing bridge for over 50 years. I don't claim to be one of the top players, but I do understand how slowly beginners need to go when they are trying to learn how to play bridge.