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Improve Your Play Series by Larry Matheny.


This popular series of instructional hands has appeared here starting in 2004 -> (Last Undated 2014).

Click on a hand below:

Basic Principles Asking Bid Fit-Showing Jump No Stopper Find the Overtricks
Avoid the Minors Watch Partner's Card Proper Signaling Only a Squeeze! Double Game Swing
Simple Counting Remember the Bidding Assume the Best Keep Control Stay Calm
Go With the Odds Proper Slam Bidding Exclusion Blackwood A Lucky Hand Mind the Vulnerability
Gambling 3NT Show the Shortness Another Splinter Bid The Right Defense Too High
Good Defense Cash Out Time The Negative Double Finesses Aren't Needed No Stopper, Partner
Keep Communications Open Dangerous Opponent Take Advantage of the Breaks A Little Luck The Right Tool
Majors Over Minors Skill or Luck? No Duck The Splinter Hand Good Hand Evaluation
A Well-Bid Slam Break Up the Squeeze Suit Preference Signal Think Before You Play Another Finesse Avoided
The Nine Wins! Try for the Overtrick Ouch! Keep an Open Mind Gloating is Bad
Don't Duck The Important Overtrick The Double The Mighty Queen Save Your Entries
Find the Entries Lebensohl Preempts Work! Deschapelles Coup Use Your Entries Wisely
Know Your Card Combinations Smart Defense Don't Give Away Your Hand Combine Your Chances Your Best Chances
Don't Touch Trumps Smart Play Cue Bidding A Cross-Ruff Delay Your Decision
Thanks for the Preempt Defense Is Tough Don't Finesse Valuable Overtrick Unfortunate Preempt
Good Opening Lead Don't Duck the Ace Stop and Count Unblock the King Place Their Cards
The Intra-Finesse Protect the King Lucky or Good? A Simple Squeeze Is It a Guess?
Elimination Play The Throw-In A Useful Convention Difficult Defense A Trump Coup
Just Count I Hear You Simple Math The Power of an 8 A Great Slam
Trump Promotion Take Advantage of the Lead The Splinter Bid An Easy Squeeze Be Careful!
Finesse? Never! The Power of the 5 The Practice Finesse Delay Drawing Trumps Don't Give Up
Don't Guess The End Play Place the Cards Learn When to Quit Take Your Best Chance
Delay the Squeeze Count Your Tricks Count Their Points Roman Keycard Blackwood Defense Can Be Fun
Help Your Partner Do It Yourself Avoid the Finesse Your Bid Could Cost Prevent the Entry
Ask Partner for Help Hold That Finesse Should You Preempt? Who Has the Ace? Hope for the Best
Watch the Spots Many Options The Crocodile Coup Another Splinter Great Defense
I Only Had 5 Points! Important Overtricks Drury Scrambling Proper Hand Evaluation
Luck or Skill? Sacrifice Early A Lot of Luck Tough Defense Weak Defense
Double Trouble So Many Options Fascinating Game Be Brave Slim Chance
Could You Bid It? Useful Convention Think It Through Bid One More Count Your Tricks
Watch The Cards Double Game Swing Double Trouble Blabber Mouth Find The Queens
Matchpoints Or IMPs? Where Is The King? Don't Be Greedy Loser On Loser Re-evaluate Your Hand
Discovery Play Favorite Opponents Easy Slam Slam Bidding Watch Partner's Cards
Proper Hand Evaluation Retain Control Don't Take The Finesse Watch The Spots The Greedy Defender
Very Lucky The Uppercut Help Your Partner Bid Naturally Wild Ride
Weak Jumpshift A Well Bid Slam Best Option Another Squeeze Assumptions
Listen And Learn Count Your Tricks Notrump Is Better Simple Math Don't Give Up
A Showup Squeeze Wily Defender Lead Director Another Elimination Play Discovery
The Right Tools Stopper Easy Grand Slam Get Those Overtricks Bad Defense
Trust Your Opponent Defend Or Declare Tough Hand The Responsive Double Don't Forget The Auction
Bad Lead Bad Bid Too Weak to Overcall An Auction Giveaway Another Lebensohl Bid
Forget Science A Double Squeeze To Bid Or Not To Bid Slow Down A Simple Squeeze
Too Much Information Duck That Ace A Failed Preempt Sneaky Defender Think About The Lead
Save Your Entries Use Caution Swing Time More Overtricks Trump Promotion
Careful Defense Important Agreements Another Intra-finesse Unbridled Optimism Too High
Go With The Odds Slow Down Careful Play Break Up The Squeeze A Repeating Squeeze
Stop And Think Better Not Duck Trust Your Instincts Who Has The Doubleton To Cover Or Not To Cover
Slow Down Hasty Decision Listen To The Auction Set Trumps Just Do It
The Lowly Jack Bid One More Slow Down Take Your Tricks Stop And Think
An Unlucky Lead Blabber Mouth Dangerous Diamonds Not So Fast Find The Queen
Your Only Hope Don't Forget The Overtrick Helpful Cue Bid New Partnership Blabbermouth
Complicated Auction Don't Finesse Watch Your Entries Stop And Think Don't Waste Your Trumps
Combine Your Chances Caution Required Gambling 3 N T Count The Clubs Keep Quiet
A Long Auction Sneaky Declarer Auction Giveaway Two Edged Sword Bid One More
Too Many Points The Last Resort Clever Defense A Simple Squeeze Weak Jump Overcall
A Wild Hand Slam Agreement To Bid Or Not To Bid Dangerous Preempt Good Defensive Carding
A Very Lucky Hand Don't Draw Trumps A Discovery Play A Valuable Overtrick Valuable Entries
Stop And Think Good Communications Watch The Spots The Lost Ace Hasty Play
No Finesse Needed Common Sense Defense Simple Math Dangerous Opponent Remember The Auction
Suit Preference Signal Important Entry Valuable Entry A Nice Slam Trump Management
Whose Hand Is It? Lady Luck Jacoby Transfer Happy Birthday Loser On A Loser
Elimination Play The Optimist Cue Bidding A Complex Auction A Grand Slam
Matchpoint Bridge Poor Defense Wrong Lead The Best Odds Dangerous Overcall
A Bad Bid The Mighty Seven Good Slam Auction Trust Your Opponents Another Finesse Avoided
Gorgeous Hand The Queen Ask Another Lebensohl Hand Valuable Overtrick Betrayed By The Bidding
Prevent An Entry Simple Math The Vienna Coup A Double Squeeze Don't Finesse
Partnership Cooperation Avoid The Endplay Watch The Spot Cards Another Useful Convention The Right Question
Suit Preference Signal No Finesse Needed The Trump Promotion Wrong Discard Minor Suit Transfer
Defense Is Fun Grand Slam Don't Give Up Avoid The Finesse The Splinter Bid
A Simple Squeeze No Finesse Needed Delayed Entry Delay The Trumps An Easy Slam
A Smart Pass Double Game Swing A Bad Dream The Mighty Four The Unlikely Overtrick
Crazy Bidding Counting Is Simple Think Before You Play Trust Your Partner A Friendly Squeeze
A Fix A Grand Slam I Should Have Passed Wrong Opening Lead Listen To The Auction
Slow Down A Bad Preempt Great Defense Some Simple Math A Great Convention
Slow Down An Overbid A Valuable Entry The One Spade Trap A Wild Hand
A Double Game Swing A Tight Match An Overtrick Suit Preference An Elimination Play
A Bare Minimum A Great Dummy An Optimistic View A Grand Slam Proper Punishment
Another Squeeze A Careless Declarer Plan B A Big Swing A Losing Preempt
Only Seven Trumps Another Preempt Bad Tempo Weak Defense Use Your Opponent
Table Feel A Valuable Entry No Finesse Needed Helpful Opponent Another Endplay
Just Count A Good Tool Thoughtful Defense Playing With A Novice Avoid The Endplay
A Fun Hand To Play A Wild Hand Proper Punishment Weak Defense A Questionable Rule
Good Bidding Agreement Another Squeeze Good Auction A Simple Squeeze A Dangerous Bid
A Good Grand A Backup Plan A Big Swing Count The Distribution Blackwood Misused
Declare Or Defend Weak Bidding Good Play Slam Bidding Play To Trick One A Bad Decision
A Good Overbid A Fun Endplay Careful Planning Necessary Plan B Strong Slam Bidding
Practice Finesse Color Blind Slow Down Another Grand Slam Great Spot Cards
A Good Dummy Listen Carefully Bad Bid Another Wild Hand Dangerous Overcall
A Splinter Bid Strong Declarer Play Lightner Double Don't Lead The Ace Good Bid
Good Declarer Play Valuable Entries Trump Promotion A Safety Play Passive Defense
Bad Preempt Preempts Work Bidding Problem Hand Evaluation Dangerous Overcall
No Discipline A Safety Play Remember The Auction Minor Suit Transfers Create Your Entry
A Great Problem Well Bid Slam A Wild Ride Dangerous Opponent Simple Counting
A Splinter Bid Careful Timing A Double Game Swing Texas Transfer Cash Out Time
Find The Queen Broken Communications Another Finesse Avoided The Uppercut Which Game?
Lady Luck A Cross Ruff A Good Auction Watch The Spots Best Percentage
Bad Bid Hasty Play Unusual No Trump Time To Run Dangerous Lead
Trump Promotion A Bad Lead An Unlucky Lead A Math Problem A Good Grand Slam
Trump Management Second Best Contract The Overcall Nine Easier Than Ten Proper Respect

List updated Tue Jun 10 23:16:06 2014