One of the places where I find the most room for improvement amongst beginner, improving, intermediate, and even advancing players is in the declarer play of a 1NT contract. The play in a 1NT contract is one of the places where experience often leads to a different line of play. Because I’ve seen so many players struggle to take tricks in 1NT, I decided to write a series about some of the “fun” ways that experienced players play 1NT.
One of the key things I see players doing is going after their immediate and other high-card tricks too soon. Often, a better technique is to be patient and to work to slowly develop tricks that are going to take a while to produce winners.
When we are declaring the hand in 1NT and have a suit where we have length but no strength, this suit often gets overlooked.
When we are playing a 1NT contract, we usually have about half the high-card points (HCP) in the deck (plus or minus a little). If we have a suit like this, then all our HCP are in the other suits. That means we have lots of stoppers in the suit the opponent is likely to attack. These stoppers give us time to work on developing winners of our own.
Example - Attack this suit
This means we have time to work on this suit before the opponents run winners in a lot of other suits. If this suit splits 3-2 (most likely), then we can develop an additional trick. It takes time and patience to develop these winners.
Example - Attack this suit?
We can also go after this suit when looking to develop tricks. This suit is less likely to produce a trick for our side (we need a 3-3 split), but it may. It is often best to invest our time to develop this trick—keep leading it over and over again. Playing this suit has other advantages. It usually persuades them to lead another suit, which could help us win tricks there. Leading this suit, even if it splits 4-2, may cut communication between the opponents and make it hard for them to take their 4 tricks.
If we lead this suit and LHO wins the first trick with the ♦Q, then the suit is blocked. If we decide to abandon this suit and look elsewhere for tricks, then the opponents will have a hard time taking their 4 winners.
When we attack suits using our length, we work to develop tricks but do not help the opponents develop tricks of their own. Each of the tricks that we give to the opponents here are ones they could have taken themselves—immediate winners. If we work on developing tricks in other suits, we may develop other winners for the opponents, and this may help defeat our contract.
Long weak suits can develop tricks for our side, but they require good luck (good splits) and a lot of time to develop. We can often combine this technique with some strength and use promotion and length to help us develop tricks.
Example - Length and Control
This suit can be developed into a second trick if the suit splits 3-3. Because we have the Ace, we can keep control of the suit. Attack the suit by playing small from both hands on the first round and the second round of this suit. Then, on the third round, play up to the ♠A and find out if the suit is 3-3, and be in dummy ready to take our extra spade trick if the spades divide well.
Example - Length and Strength
This suit can develop tricks for us if the suit is 3-3 and even more if the honors (Ace and King) are split or LHO has both. This suit gives us more ways of developing winners. But, in the process of playing this, we may help the opponents develop their 10 and 9 into winners. So, playing this suit has downsides as well—it develops winners for the other side.
When you are playing 1NT, strive to be patient and develop tricks slowly. Do not rush to take your immediate winners. If you adopt this strategy, you will frequently see yourself taking more tricks than your peers!
Read the second part of this series here.
About the Author
Robert Todd is a professional player and teacher who you’ll find all over North America (and the world). He's the founder of Adventures in Bridge and you'll find him hosting events, either virtual or in-person, almost every week of the year! Robert's also the president of the ACBL Educational Foundation where he's working to build an institution to shepherd the long term good of bridge!
I have learned a lot from this article.
Thanks
I well understand it. I can help with the question decision.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
rent car ouarzazate https://drivelity-morocco.com/car-rental-ouarzazate-morocco
Would this work better in a 1NT or 3 NT contract? Do you ever bid 2NT if not transferring to diamonds
Great straightforward advice - thank you! When are you going to write your Book of Bridge?
👍
Great insight. I try to do this.
Thanks for your approval!
Rena
Good examples, and concept. Might be better in the context of the entire layout of all hands. (Just keep in mind how best to get your 7 winners before they can get theirs).
Grazie, molto interessante, il bridge non finisce mai di stupire! Francesca
Good techniq, will be useful in practice.
I will certainly use it .
Very simplified explanation. Easy to comprehend.
Thks Robert.
A really helpful and useful article pointing out things we tend not to pay attention to & therefore don't improve! Made me think & can't wait ti put it into practise. Thank you.
Agree totally!
This is something have been hoping for to find for when I have declared 1 NT or my partner has the opponent’s nearly always pass. Your insight has made me feel more confident thank you
ottimo e di facile comprensione
Explained very well
How much does Tibert Todd charge for lessons. I live in the Philippines. I’m 77. Retired 7 years European trained dermatologist (Universities of London n of Cambridge n of Hamburg, acquiring Diplomate of Dermatology n Ph.D. Immunology aside from M.D. I was introduced to bridge in Germany by a banker’s wife 45 years ago! n I’ve read a ton of books plus bought ‘Autobridge’ the aid n special bridge computers. I consider myself just above beginner! As my experience playing bridge has been spotty. I hope my tangled up bridge knowledge n experience can be ironed out. After not playing since pre pandemic I rejoined the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association n re-started playing bridge now for less than a year. I hope Mt Todd can untangle or organize my bridge strategies or lack thereof!
Great lesson! Thanks
Thank s for this. very helpful!
These are a little over-simplified. Good for novice and begginers I suppose.
Would rather see some example of more difficul to declare entire 1nt hands where the highest probability winning lines may be counter-intuitive.
Aka have a mix of different levels in the article not just the novice/begginer section.
thank you for the clarity of your explanation
I find in 1nt contracts you often don’t have time to get your winners if you wait too long especially if opponents have a long suit! 3nt I usually do as you suggest.
Please explain how what is meant ththe suit is blocked after LHO wins the first trick with Queen of Diamonds.
When the DQ is won, the LHO has only the DA left and RHO has DKJT. That means the opponents can not take their three more Diamond tricks without RHO having an entry in another suit.
When the DQ is won, the LHO has only the DA left and RHO has DKJT. That means the opponents can not take their three more Diamond tricks without RHO having an entry in another suit.
The suit is blocked because West also holds the Ace of diamonds and no other diamonds to lead back to partner.
Excellent lesson thank you Robert
Thanks for taking time to teach us,
Your explanations is a bit confusing if we cant see the other hand.
Thanks Robert. I much enjoy playing 1NT and especially after 2 passes may open with only 11 points. It is interesting that to defeat you the opposition must themselves make the contract and if you are not vulnerable their measly reward still leaves you on top.
Having read "Bridge in a Menagerie" I like the expression, "Rectifiying the Count" to talk about making slow tricks and I am surprised this term is not more widely use.
Thank you very interesting artical
Thank you very interesting artical
I am interested in improving my playing skills and have found Robert Todd's advice to be excellent. Developing tricks is a constant that looms important in the often tricky 1NT game. Thank you Robert!
thank you
I learned from the article.
Good advice - thanks
Useful tip, makes sense.
Found this very interesting. Giving me something to think about.
M
Thanks for your instructive column
Nice article.
This is a poor quality article
There's always someone...
I would love to read other articles about play.
1 no is fun to play if u aren’t afraid to lose tricks to make tricks; those who play through the easy tricks, but can’t make one more, do not understand the nuance of bridge. Your comments should be helpful to remind players to count cards.
I enjoyed this aryicle
J’adore cette maxime pour jouer à SA
“Establish before cash”
Elle exprime tout ce que vous venez d’exprimer avec tant de clarté
Thank you. It is very helpful and interesting tutorial.
Very useful, has made me think more about the control in 1NT
Thanks for the tips Robert! Very useful
Thanks for the excellent tips that others never revealed to us. Apparently, they were overlooked as well.
Talk about turning crapola into a golden needed trick. I also feel 1NT is scary because we never expect to be stuck there !!
important 1nt lesson from Robert
WE NEED MORE SUCH TIPS FROM YOU SIR FOR BETTER PLAY
Tx, let’s be patient to make our 1 S/A
Wow this is really interesting and it can greatly in improvement of style of play
Thanks. I generally try to establish my long suit when playing in NTs. I find it harder if you don’t have an 8 card suit. If you have multiple 7 card suits how do you decide which to try and develop first?
Am a beginner in the art of bridge, I found this information very interesting and will definitely improve my ability to develop my game further.
Many thanks
Mike J
Excellent and useful column
Cierpliwość przy rozgrywaniu kontraktu na często popłaca. Grałem kiedyś z kolegami turniej na kilka stolików. Jedno z rozdań - otwarcie 2ba i 3x pas . W ręce 7 lew, na stole 0 PC. Na wszystkich stołach zapisano wpadkę bez 1 lewy. Ja zrobiłem swoje. Koledzy pytali po meczu : Jak to zrobiłeś? Długo myślałem po wyłożeniu kartDziadka. Nie przebiłem pierwszych 4 lew. Po wiście do 5 lewy zomaczyłem brakującą lewę i ZROBIŁEM Swoje. Polecam cierpliwość 🙂
Yes. Think to yourself to play your losers first.
Thank you. I’m terrible at 1NT, starting everyday doing the 7 trick challenge and losing miserably. I’ll see if this helps!
Great advice
Great suggestions
Thank you for an easy-to-understand article. I would like to think I do this and now I will certainly do it more often.
You were playing in Daytona several years ago and I admired your treatment of your partner and us too.
Good advice. Thx
Love this Robert.