If you can't trust Eddie Kantar...

[Badmonster]

Kantar instructs that when you hold a sequence in opps trump suit the correct way to follow is play your highest first and lowest second.

 

Is this still the norm? Why is it the best way to play?

[han]

What are your goals when declarer is pulling trumps?

 

-You may want to show partner which trumps you have. If declarer plays the ace and you drop the king, and you win the next trick with the jack, partner will know that you have the queen (right?). If you have discussed Kantar's rule then partner will also know that you don't have the 9.

 

When you have a sequence partner will often be short (otherwise the opponents are not in a good spot :) ). So declarer will usually find out quickly who has which trumps. Falsecarding is not useful, and you should try to make things as clear as possible for partner.

 

-You may not want to give away the trump position to declarer. Sometime declarer will not know the trump position and it may be important not to tell her. ALWAYS following with the highest in a sequence first is not a good idea. Kantar's rules are guidelines, and there are usually hands where they don't apply.

[Double !]

and Vinje suggests that one show one's hand's distribution by playing hi-lo or lo-hi depending on whether one had 1 odd-length suit and 3 even-length suits, or vice versa. (BTW: the foundation for prism signals).

 

IMO, this is just one more issue that is a matter for partnership discussion. Some say one only plays hi-lo (or the reverse) when one wishes to trump something.

So many ways, so many opinions. Pick one and fly with it.

 

DHL

[Dean]

If I hold an odd number of trumps (in sequence) e.g. 3 I play the highest.

 

With an even number I play the 2nd - I think thats standard.

 

e.g.

With KQx I'd play the K.

with KQ I'd play the Q.

 

This is assumeing you are splitting your honorus of course.

 

Dean