Count your finishing plays
With six cards or fewer, identify the exact sequence that empties your hand. A hand of 333 + 44 needs one turn if the combination is legal and unanswered. A hand of 3 4 5 6 7 9 may need two.
- If one legal combination finishes the hand, play it now.
- If two turns are required, decide which order makes the second play hardest to stop.
- Do not spend a turn on a low-value play when an exact finish is available.
Control cards
Control is the ability to take the lead when you need it. Twos, jokers, bombs, and rockets are control cards. A high card that cannot regain the lead is not true control.
- Keep one control card for the turn before your finish.
- Spend a bomb only when it secures a winning position.
- Do not use both jokers as separate singles unless the position demands it.
One-card landlord
When the landlord has one card, every trick is critical. Beat the landlord's lead if possible. As a farmer, do not let a teammate's low play pass if the landlord can answer and win.
If the landlord has control, the only reliable defense is a bomb, rocket, or a higher response that forces a pass.
Forced passes
A play can be valuable because it is hard to answer, not because it contains high cards. A long straight or plane may force both opponents to pass, giving you the next lead.