Play Some BishDaily Challenge Recap
A Weak Hand and a Lost Start
This is the kind of forced call that makes people groan. No Ace, no Nine, one Jack. You still win it, but only just.
The hand
You are dealt the Queen, Jack and 8 of diamonds, the 6 of hearts, the 6 of clubs and the 10 of spades. There is not a single ace in your first six. You call diamonds because that is where the Jack is. The game's own bid score for this hand is low, which tells you how thin it is.
The kitty brings the Queen of spades, the King of clubs and the 7 of diamonds. That is another trump, and not much else.
The line that wins
The hard AI, playing all four seats with the cards face up, won six of nine tricks and finished 93 to 69. You give up 42 points in the first two tricks, because Opponent 1 leads the Ace of hearts and then the Ace of clubs.
Tricks 1 and 2: throw your lowest cards
You cannot win either trick, so you play the 6 of hearts and then the 6 of clubs. They cost nothing. It hurts, and it is the right play.
Trick 4: lead the Jack
After the Aces of hearts and clubs are gone, lead the Jack of diamonds. It takes the King, your Partner feeds the Ace on top, and the trick wins 35 points. That one trick pulls the hand back.
Trick 9: the Queen wins the last trick
Keep the Queen of diamonds for the end. It wins the last trick and 20 points.
Where it's easy to go wrong
Calling hearts on a six of hearts loses 59 to 103. Spades loses 27 to 135. Clubs actually wins this deal, 93 to 69, but you hold one club in your first six. You could never see it coming.
The bigger danger is panic. After 42 points go the wrong way, a nervous player leads the Jack too early.
The takeaway
A bait costs you the whole hand, so the margin matters. This one finished 93 to 69, a win by 24. Read bait and half-bait for what happens when it goes the other way.