When are you “Third Hand”?
The third hand refers to the defense - specifically to the partner of the leader. Unlike the second hand, third hand is the last stop for your side - your partner has already played. The third hand has some special guidelines to follow:
1. If there is no honor in the dummy, third hand plays a high card. Not medium high... High.
Dummy
♥ 6 5 2
Partner You
♥7 lead ❏ ♥ A J 4
Partner led the ♥7. Dummy plays the ♥2. You must play your ♥A; the ♥J won’t do. Declarer could have the ♥Q and partner the ♥K - playing the ♥J would give declarer a free trick.
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2. When third hand has touching honors, he plays his cheapest honor.
Yes, third hand plays high, but not always the highest card. With a suit headed by the A K, follow with the King; With K Q, follow with the Queen, with Q J, follow with the Jack, with J 10, the 10.
So when third hand plays an honor, he says, “I do not have the honor immediately below.”
Dummy
♦ 6 4 3You Partner
♦ 10 9 8 ❏ ♦ K played
Declarer
♦ A played
You lead the ♦10. Dummy plays the ♦3. Partner plays the ♦K and declarer wins the ♦A. Who has the ♦Q? Declarer! With the ♦KQ, partner would have played the ♦Q.
—to be continued
