Andrew:

The Rule of One Position

The Rule of One: When the opponents have just one trump outstanding which is higher than yours, normally leave it out. Why waste two of your trumps to lose the trick to a trump which will win anyway.

The Rule of One Position is very powerful. If you won’t have to lose the lead in another suit, try to reach a Rule of One position.

A.	B.
Dummy ♠ K 5 4 -Spades trumps- Declarer ♠ A 7 6 3 2	Dummy ♠ 8 5 4 -Spades trumps- Declarer ♠ A 7 6 3 2

In (A), play out ♠K and ♠A. Assuming the five missing spades are splitting 3-2 (68%), there’ll be one higher spade outstanding. Leave it out.

In (B), you should duck the first spade. On regaining the lead, you can play ♠A and (assuming a 3-2 split) you’ve reached the Rule of One Position. Note if you’d erroneously have led out ♠A and another, the defence could have won and led a third spade, removing two of your spades (including dummy’s last).

So why did I say the Rule of One position is powerful only if you won’t lose the lead? It’s because if an opponent leads the master trump, drawing two of yours, that’s very bad news for you (take note, defence).

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Andrew:

The Rule of One Position