Master Covering Honors in Bridge Strategy

Master the art of covering honors in bridge to enhance your defensive strategy and promote winning tricks for your side. Learn when to cover an honor and when to hold back, ensuring you make the most strategic decisions at the table. Tune in now for expert insights!

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Covering an honor with an honor in bridge is a key defensive strategy, but it requires careful consideration. You should cover an honor only when it can promote a trick for your side, either in your hand or your partner's hand.

For instance, if the dummy leads a queen and you hold the king, covering that queen might force the declarer to play the ace, which could make your partner's jack a winner. This is a classic example of promoting a trick.

If the honor led is part of a sequence, like a queen followed by a jack, don’t cover the first honor. Instead, wait until the last honor is played before covering. For example, if the dummy leads the queen from QJ10, hold off until the ten comes out before you cover.

On the other hand, if an unsupported honor is led, like a jack without a ten, you should cover it. If you have the queen, playing it can prevent the declarer from winning multiple tricks.

If you have two honors above the one led, you should cover with the higher honor. If the ten is led and you have king-jack, play the king.

When it comes to the trump suit, it’s almost never a good idea to cover an honor. This rarely helps promote a trick for your side.

If you assess the situation and realize that covering won’t gain a trick for you or your partner, then don’t cover. For example, if you know the declarer has all the higher honors, just play low.

Always think strategically when deciding whether to cover an honor with an honor. The goal is to promote a trick for your side, so avoid automatic reactions and consider the specific situation at the table.

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