Daily Challenge Recap

Hearts Wins by 18, Clubs Wins by 52, and the 50 Run Is the Reason

The Ace, 10 and Jack of hearts is a decent call, and it wins. It just does not win by much, because the other side is holding a five-card run in diamonds.

The hand

Your first six cards are the Ace and 10 of hearts, the 8 of diamonds, the 8 and 7 of clubs, and the King of spades. The kitty is the 10 of spades, the Jack of hearts and the 10 of clubs.

Your six cards are the ace and 10 of hearts, the 8 of diamonds, the 8 and 7 of clubs and the king of spades. The kitty is the jack of hearts, the 10 of clubs and the 10 of spades. Trump is clubs.
Your first six cards, then the kitty you pick up after calling clubs.

The decision

Hearts: Ace, 10, Jack. It wins, 115 to 97, after Opponent 2's run of 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King of diamonds, worth 50, is counted against you. Diamonds loses 24 to 208. Spades loses 85 to 127.

Clubs is the better call. You hold only the 8, 7 and 10, but your Partner holds the Jack, Queen and King. The King and Queen are a Bella, and the call wins 142 to 90. Hearts is safe and thin. Clubs is bigger, and you can only see half of why.

The line that wins

The hard AI, playing all four seats with the cards face up, won seven of nine tricks with clubs as trump.

Trick 5: Partner's Jack beats the Nine

You lead the Jack of hearts. Opponent 1 follows with the 9 of clubs and your Partner cuts with the Jack of clubs. The trick is worth 36.

Trick 9: your 10 beats Partner's King

Your Partner leads the King of clubs and your 10 goes over it. The trick is worth 37 with the bonus. A 10 outranks a King in trump.

Nine tricks with clubs as trump. You win tricks 2, 4, 7 and 9; your Partner wins tricks 5, 6 and 8; Opponent 1 wins trick 3; Opponent 2 wins trick 1.
Every trick in order. A gold outline marks the winner.

The takeaway

Do not stop at the first call that wins. Ask how much each one wins by, and what the other side is holding. A five-card run is worth 50 on its own, so it matters when the margin is thin. See runs and Bella.

Think you can beat it?

Today's Daily Challenge is a new hand.