Spades Strategy: Trump Promotion Review Quiz

Now it's time to practice what you've learned.

For the next few examples, assume that North has led a suit in which West is void and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain.

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Quiz #1

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Since our J♠️ does not have enough other spades with it for a natural trick, it is fine to offer it up in hopes of winning or knocking out a higher spade.

Quiz #2

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Since our K♠️ does not have another spade with it for a natural trick, it is fine to offer it up in hopes of winning or knocking out a higher spade.

Quiz #3

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

It is better to play passively and let our K♠️ be protected for when West leads to us.

Quiz #4

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

We have a natural spade trick, but it is supported, meaning it won't cost much to play high here. It is likely to result in an extra trick to play high.

For the next few examples, assume that North has led a suit in which all players are void and that all spades remain.

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Quiz #5

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

With such a large bid, partner must have an impressive spade suit. Despite us not winning, partner will be relieved to see the K♠️ and Q♠️ gone.

Quiz #6

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

With such a large bid, partner must have an impressive spade suit. We can win the A♠️ to promote the remainder of partner's spades and prevent West from winning.

Continuing the same hand...

How should we continue now that we have offered a trump promotion and won?

We offered a trump promotion for partner's assuredly solid spade suit. The best way to help now would be to lead the suit for partner. Notice how a heart lead loses a trick immediately and a club lead promotes East's spades.

Quiz #7

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a non spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Partner's stranded honor is best served sitting across as support from our honor to prevent being finessed.

For the next few examples, assume that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain.

Quiz #8

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a low spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Partner has given us a chance to win an inadequately guarded spade honor if we needed to. Since East has 2 tricks left to win, it's safe to assume that they are the A♠️ and K♠️.

Quiz #9

Select your highest spade if we should offer a trump promotion, or a low spade if we should refuse the trump promotion.

Still needing one more trick, East is still likely to hold the K♠️ and hoping for us to make a mistake. We must play as if East does have the A♠️ and try to win our Q♠️ now.

For the next few examples, assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain.

Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

Quiz #10

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

We have no trump honors to promote, so asking for a trump promotion would endanger partner's tricks in other suits - namely clubs for this hand.

Quiz #11

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

To earn the last trick, our partner can help us by holding any of the A♠️, K♠️, T♠️ or sometimes even the 9♠️ no matter how many other spades are held with it by trumping our heart high.

Quiz #12

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

If we give partner a chance to win the J♠️ if it is held independently from our own spades, the opponents are set. However if we or the opponents lead spades even once, the dream is over.

Quiz #13

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

We would love partner to break open the spades suit by trumping high for us. Even better if partner is able to win and then lead spades for us to win our diamonds uncontested.

Quiz #14

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

Despite not having a spade honor to promote, we are leading through the strong hand and can give partner a much needed coup against West by leading the heart.

Quiz #15

Assume that our heart is the last card in the suit and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain. Select the heart if we should ask partner for a trump promotion or select a club/diamond if we should not.

Remember it is important to take our winners before offering a coup or asking for a trump promotion. Otherwise the opponents can employ a "loser on loser" play to recoup the trick.

For the next few examples, assume that West will be overruffing us and that the A♠️, K♠️, Q♠️, J♠️, and T♠️ all remain.

Trump high if we should try to prevent West from winning or discard if we should not.

Quiz #16

Trump high if we should try to prevent West from winning or discard if we should not.

Since we need all remaining tricks, we should do the best we can to prevent West from winning.

Continuing the same hand...

Choose the best way to continue now that we have the lead.

We need to hope that partner has some remaining strength in the spades suit or else our bids are at risk.

Quiz #17

Trump high if we should try to prevent West from winning or discard if we should not.

Since we have leeway to lose one trick and have a loser in hearts while at risk of being overruffed, we can discard our loser and let West lead to our strong hand.

Congratulations! You've reached the end of the lesson. You are now a trump promotion scholar. Click "Back to Lessons" to be taken back to the lessons page.