The key to proper timing is an understanding of your position in relation to the other three players. By position we mean the strength of your holdings and which player has captaincy. Once you understand your position, timing is easy. The problem is it's difficult and oftentimes impossible to know your exact position based solely on the bidding. Since an understanding of position is so critical for timing, we need to spend a moment on knowing your position. An entire book could be devoted to position and timing. For now, we'll focus on the essentials.

The best method of determining your team position is through use of the Count Card Principle along with reading the hand. The important questions that you should ask yourself are:

• Does the hand appear to be balanced or unbalanced? (The total team bid is an indicator. The higher the bid, the more likely an unbalanced distribution.)
• Which team has spades control (generally 8 or more spades - there are exceptions)?
• Which player has captaincy?

If the hand is unbalanced, one side most likely has a spade advantage. In these cases, there is an offensive side and a defensive side. Each will require a different timing strategy. Thus, your first goal is to know which one you are.

Most of the time you will have to make a guess on your position based on the bidding around the table. In any case, you need to have a plan before the play starts.

If you decide your team has spades control, an offensive line of attack would be in order. In order to execute an offensive attack you must first understand offensive timing.

Offensive timing involves the following main elements of time management (listed in order of importance):

1. Trump management
2. Long suit establishment
3. Entry card preservation

If you learn to execute these three concepts well, you will optimize the amount of time available for your team. As you can see, trump management is listed first. The reason is spades are the number one manager of time.

That being said, how does the offense select an opening lead? This depends on who is captain. If you are captain, you simply push out your longest suit. However, if your partner is captain, the matter requires more thought. Generally, the best idea is to lead your short suit hoping it is partner's strong suit (and also it may allow you to ruff later to open spades for partner). Sometimes, however, the captain might not have a suit to establish! In these cases, you may have to be the player to establish the side suit winners. The important things to keep in mind are, don't force the captain to ruff and preserve your entry cards.

Let us now look at a classic example of offensive timing:

-- 754 A109832 AK64 K10762 AK J J10987 54 632 KQ7654 Q5 AQJ983 QJ1098 -- 32

With South on lead, the choice is clear. A heart keeps E/W to 5 winners. The best West can do is start on clubs. Unfortunately, he is one trick behind. South will force West to ruff and thus gain spade control.

On the other hand, a club lead gives West an extra time unit to establish clubs. West will have the suit-establishment race won. When South is forced to ruff clubs, he does no good leading spades. His best bet is to continue hearts. This allows E/W 4 spade winners and 2 diamonds.

This is a case of both sides having the potential for an offensive strategy depending on who gains the time advantage. If West is forced to trump first, South takes on a simple offensive strategy by leading trumps. If South is forced to trump first, West's spades have been promoted and both sides are best off taking their ruffs.

This hand illustrates the points listed before well. Let us review them:

• Trumps management
• Suit establishment
• Entry preservation

The last point is also known as a stopper. In the above deal, the AK of hearts and the AK of clubs all serve as "stoppers" - they postpone suit establishment. It is vital to maintain these cards as long as possible. Let's look at the above deal slightly changed where the importance of a stopper is shown.

5 54 A109832 AK64 K10762 A8 J J10987 4 7632 KQ7654 Q5 AQJ983 KQJ109 -- 32

On this deal, let us assume South is on lead. When South leads the K of hearts, West holds off by playing the 8 (hold-up play). This is a key play. Preservation of the heart stopper keeps North from reaching South's hearts. When South continues hearts, West leads a club to North's King. North has no good lead at this point. Again, timing is emphasized. The importance is when the ace of hearts is played.

We have covered three important aspects of timing - especially for offense. I will state them again since they are of vital importance:

• Trump management
• Suit establishment
• Entry preservation (Stoppers)

In the next article, we will examine defensive timing and how to thwart an offensive attack.

-- Dustin Stout