Declarer

The declarer has control of the dummy's cards and plays them when it is their turn, although the declarer may request the dummy to play a card on behalf.

Declarer took HA, unblocked the two spade winners before crossing to DK to cash SQ.

After considering the cards, the declarer directs dummy (North) to play a small spade.

After that, North's cards are laid on the table and North becomes dummy, as both the North and South hands will be controlled by the declarer.

Declarer plays low from the table, and East scores the ♦ Q. Not having anything better to do, East returns the remaining trump, taken in South's hand.

On this hand, the trump ace, a spade, and a diamond trick must be lost, so declarer must not lose a trick in clubs.

Play The player left to the declarer leads the first trick.

Professional bridge player, Kevin Wilson, explains this concept of a suit that contains more losers than it contains cards: "Think about how much of declarer play is about timing.

Second, with NLTC the number of combined losers between two hands is subtracted from 25, not from 24 (explanation below), to predict the number of tricks the two hands will produce when declarer plays the hand in the agreed trump suit.

The ability to reach dummy with a couple ruffs also may allow the declarer to take a couple finesses or execute a squeeze that otherwise would not be possible, and which might yield another trick or two.

The highest bid becomes the contract and the highest bidder is the contractor, known in some games as the declarer or taker, who then plays either with or without a partner.

This convention allows a partnership to find either a 5-3 fit, 6-3 and 6-2 fit while ensuring that the notrump opener, who has the stronger hand, will be declarer.