9.5 Up 
Sometimes you may win additional tricks if you delay taking of a winner.. 

 

 

   



 


 

Delaying the taking a trick while you are having winners, is calleed hold off. Hold up is act of holding off. If winning a trick will be dangerous, you can allow opponents win the trick. Delaying the taking a trick while you are having winners, is called hold up. Hold up play is very important in notrump contracts: Hold up play is simply refusing to take a trick with the intent of cutting the communications between opponents. You are giving tricks to opponents to exhaust all the cards in that suit in one of the opponent's hand. So, he can no longer lead that suit.. Look at the hand diagram at the left to witness another usage of Hold Up play: 

West leads queen of hearts. If South overtakes queen with the ace of hearts, he will give the last three tricks to the opponents. If South ducks the queen, Westwill lead a diamond for the next round, which will provide South an extra trick with his king of diamond.