Hearts strategy Flashcards
Passing: Ace, King, Queen, and Jack of hearts, plus more maybe
Hold and try for slam
If you have lots of spades but no Queen, don’t do what?
Cash high cards of other suits early out of danger of eating the Queen
If the Queen of spades is poorly guarded, what is a good tactic?
Control the hands
Passing: Queen and two lower of hearts
Don’t pass
Passing: Ace, King and two lower spades, no Queen
Pass the Ace only and then try to void clubs
Passing: King of spades and two lower
Pass the King
Passing: dealt control cards of any particular suit
Consider passing cards of other suits
Passing: Ace of clubs
Passing to the left, pass; passing across, hold it; passing to the right, hold it.
If someone takes the Queen of spades early, assume what?
They are trying for a slam and they don’t have a losing heart, so don’t worry about saving high hearts. Instead save high clubs or diamonds.
Passing: King and one lower of hearts
Don’t pass
Passing: clubs or diamonds have three cards or less
Void
Do what as soon as possible unless you have an absolutely safe hand?
Dump the Queen of spades
Never pass what two cards to the left?
Queen of spades; 2 of clubs
After passing: what two signs of slam
They passed you all low cards; They play low on first hand
After passing: play which cards as soon as possible?
The cards passed to you
If you have a high spade but no Queen, what is a good tactic?
Get your left hand opponent in control and duck
Passing: Ace, Queen and two or less lower spades
If passing to the left, pass both the Ace and Queen; If passing across, pass both the Ace and Queen; If passing to the right, pass the Queen only.
Passing: Ace, King and one or less of spades, no Queen
Pass both Ace and King
Never lead __ before the Queen of spades is out, unless you hold the Queen
Ace
Never pass what 4 cards?
A single Ace of hearts; your highest heart; your highest club; your last club
Passing: Ace of spades and one lower
Pass the Ace
Passing: Jack and three lower of hearts
Don’t pass
Passing: King, Queen and two or less lower spades
If passing to the left, pass both the King and Queen; If passing across, pass both the King and Queen; If passing to the right, pass the Queen only.
After passing: typically take what two hands
The first trick. The first hearts.
Passing: two of clubs
Passing to the left, hold it; passing across, always pass; passing to the right, always pass.
If you have the Queen of spades and are at a risk of eating it…
Keep your highest spade for last to try to exhaust every one of spades. Don’t forget to count.
Passing: Queen and three or less of lower spades
If passing to the left, keep the Queen and pass Ace of clubs and other highest cards; If passing across, pass the Queen; If passing to the right, pass the Queen.
After passing: you hold both high and low cards of a suit…
Play higher early and save low for later
Never try to slam if you have what?
A losing heart
After passing: you don’t have the Q. The player who wins first trick doesn’t play spades…
Assume they have a spade problem. They will lead with their shortest suit. Lead spades to smoke out the Queen.
Passing: King and three or more of spades, no Queen
keep all
Which cards should you count?
All spades and especially Ace and King; the control cards of each suit as they change; whichever suit you have the most of to start
Passing: hearts suit has only higher cards and no lower
Pass two or three of the highest
Passing: clubs or diamonds only higher cards and no lower
Pass two or three of the highest
What card should you always try to have throughout each hand?
One control card: keep in mind it changes
Passing: Ace and three or more of spades, no Queen
keep all
If you have an ugly hand, what is a good tactic?
Try to play on the fear of a slam, including taking hearts. Keep an escape card before eating the Queen of spades.
If someone takes the first point and then leads with another point…
Take it if you can to stop a slam.
After passing: have Queen and only one lower of spades
Hopeless to take Queen
1. Duck the first club keeping highest club
2. Someone then leads spades and you should give up the Queen
3. Lead high club
4. Lead other spade
5. Plan to unload hearts so as not to take any other points
Passing: King of spades and one lower
Pass the King
Passing: Ace, King and three or more of spades, no Queen
keep all
Avoid doing what early, unless you see someone discarding low cards?
Breaking hearts
Passing: Ace of spades and two lower
Pass the Ace
