Three Strategies For Declarer Play
The first thing we're supposed to do when dummy comes down is make a plan. Often the first thing we do instead is to panic. Let's see if we can simplify things and give you some simple ideas to think about when you first see dummy.
There are three main ways to go about winning extra tricks as declarer.
Tricks From Length
The first thing we might choose to do is establish a long suit.
If we've got a long suit and we keep on playing it, our idea is that eventually the opposition will run out, we'll be the only player left with tricks in that suit and they will all win us. That's option one.
Finesse
The second thing we might choose to do is to take a finesse. Lots of different types of finesses, but let's just lump all those into one basic idea.
Ruffing
The third thing we might do is choose to ruff. Ruff just means to trump.
Planning The Play
Here's a hand to try. Don't worry about the bidding, just imagine that we're in 7♠!
How To Play This Hand
Ruff clubs? We've already counted our trump tricks as winners.
Finesse clubs? Might work.
Establish clubs? Will probably work
Suit Establishment
So we do ruff clubs! But not to get extra tricks by ruffing, we're simply aiming to play 4 rounds of clubs, exhausting our opponents of that suit. Our fifth club becomes a winner.
On my fifth club I can discard a heart, and we're good to go.
Establishing a long suit for our extra tricks is the one thing that players tend to overlook. Pick a plan. Go for it.
When I started playing I thought the bidding wasn't too hard but deciding how to play as declarer was, well, tricky. It took me a while to realise that I don't need to plan how to play every single card and having a general strategy was ok.