Play Some BishDaily Challenge Recap
Two Calls Win, but the Lone Jack of Hearts Wins by 52
This is a hand where two calls win. The obvious one wins comfortably. The other wins by twice as much, with one Jack and a Partner who has the rest.
The hand
Your first six cards are the Jack of hearts, the Jack, 7 and 6 of diamonds, and the Jack and 9 of clubs. The kitty is the 8 and 6 of spades and the 9 of diamonds. You have no spades.
The decision
Diamonds is the natural call. After the kitty you hold the Jack, 9, 7 and 6, and it wins 94 to 68. Clubs also gives you the Jack and the Nine, and it still loses, 75 to 87. Spades loses 32 to 130, and you hold none.
Hearts wins 107 to 55. You hold only the Jack, but your Partner holds the King, 10 and 6, and picks up the Nine and 7 in the kitty. The Jack and Nine are on your side of the table. Opponent 2 holds the Ace and Queen, and they never get to use them well.
The line that wins
The hard AI, playing all four seats with the cards face up, lost the first four tricks, then won the last five with hearts as trump.
Tricks 1 to 4: the opponents bank 55
Opponent 1 leads the Ace of diamonds for 25 and Opponent 2 takes the next three tricks. It looks bad, but the opponents have used their best cards and the rest of the deck belongs to your side.
Trick 6: the Jack takes the Ace
Your Partner leads the King of hearts. Opponent 2 plays the Ace over it, and your Jack goes over that. The trick is worth 35.
Trick 9: Partner finishes
Your Partner leads the 10 of spades and takes the last trick, 28 points with the bonus.
The takeaway
When two calls win, look at the margins. A Jack and a Nine in your own hand can still lose to the Ace and King elsewhere, as the clubs do here. Read why the Jack beats everything and when to call trump.