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Welcome to "Bridge Basics," the podcast that makes learning bridge easy and fun. Each episode breaks down strategies, game dynamics, and teaching tips for beginners. Whether you're new to card games or looking to improve your skills, you'll find valuable insights to enhance your bridge experience.
Entry management in bridge is all about planning and using your winning cards, or entries, effectively. This helps you control which hand, either the declarer's or the dummy's, will be on lead at crucial moments during the game.
An entry is a card that lets you win a trick in a specific hand. For instance, if you want to play a winning card from the dummy, you need an entry in that hand to gain the lead. Entries are vital because many bridge strategies depend on accessing specific hands at the right time. You might need to reach the dummy to take a finesse or cash in on established winners in a long suit. If you don’t manage your entries well, you could miss out on using those established tricks.
One common mistake players make is using up their entries too early. This can leave you unable to reach the hand with established winners later in the game. For example, if you have the ace in one hand and the king in another, it’s often better to keep the entry in the hand with the long suit until that suit is fully established.
Creating entries can be done through careful play. Sometimes, you might choose to duck a trick early. This preserves a higher card as a future entry. Unblocking suits is another technique that allows lower cards to become entries later on.
Let’s say you want to finesse in hearts, but you’ve just won a trick in your own hand. You first need to enter the dummy, perhaps by playing a spade to the dummy's ace, before you can lead a heart from the dummy to take the finesse.
A good rule to follow is to keep entries to the hand with potential tricks until those winners are established. If you’re trying to establish a long suit in dummy, it’s wise to preserve those entries until you can cash in on the suit.
Planning ahead is crucial. Visualize the order of play to ensure you can access both hands as needed. Avoid stranding your winners by making sure you can reach established winners in both hands.
In practice, mastering entry management is essential for both the declarer and the defender. It’s a fundamental skill that can significantly improve your bridge play.
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