Entries in Bridge: The Key to Moving Between Hands

You’ve got five solid spades in dummy. Amazing. But you’re sitting in your hand with no spades left, and dummy has zero entries. Those five winners are locked in dummy, completely useless.

Welcome to the most frustrating mistake in bridge: running out of entries.

Entries are cards that let you move between your hand and dummy. They’re the transportation system of declarer play. Without them, your winners sit in the wrong hand while you bleed tricks to the defense.

Good declarers plan their entries before they play to trick one. Bad declarers play cards randomly until they suddenly realize they’re stuck. The difference isn’t talent. It’s discipline.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about entries and communication.

What Are Entries?

An entry is any card that wins a trick and allows you to transfer the lead from one hand to the other.

Simple examples:

  • The ♠A in dummy is an entry—you can lead a spade from your hand, win with the ace, and now you’re in dummy.
  • A low trump when dummy has the ♥K is an entry—lead toward the king, win it, and you’re in dummy.
  • A doubleton club when you can ruff in dummy is an entry—lead the club, ruff it, and you’re in dummy.

Entries do one thing: they get you from here to there.

Why it matters: Your tricks are split between two hands. If you can’t get to a hand when you need to, the tricks there are worthless.

The golden rule: Before you play a card at trick one, count your entries to each hand. If you don’t have enough entries to execute your plan, find a different plan.

Why Entries Matter (More Than You Think)

Entries aren’t sexy. Nobody tells war stories about their brilliant entry-preserving play. But entries are what separate making contracts from going down.

Entries let you:

  1. Access long suits: You set up five clubs in dummy. Great. But you need three entries to dummy to cash them.

  2. Take finesses: You need to finesse through West. That means getting to the hand opposite your tenace. No entries? No finesse.

  3. Ruff losers: You have three losing diamonds and only two trumps in dummy. You need three entries to your hand to lead diamonds for dummy to ruff.

  4. Avoid blockages: With ♣AK in dummy and ♣QJ109 in hand, you can’t run clubs unless you have entries back and forth. Play the ace and king first, and you’re stuck in dummy with no clubs left in hand.

  5. Execute endplays: You need to strip the hand and exit in dummy. No dummy entry? No endplay.

Bottom line: Entry management is the infrastructure of declarer play. Everything else depends on it.

Types of Entries: Your Transportation Options

Entries come in three flavors: high cards, long suits, and ruffs. Each has different costs and benefits.

High Card Entries

High card entries are your most flexible and reliable transportation.

Classic entries:

  • Aces (obviously)
  • Kings (when opponents have the ace)
  • Queens (when opponents have the ace and king)
  • Even jacks and tens if opponents have cashed their higher honors

Why high cards are great: They’re guaranteed. Nobody can stop you from cashing the ♦A. It’s yours when you want it.

The catch: High cards do double duty. The ♥K is an entry to dummy, but it’s also a trick you need for your contract. Burning it just for transportation might cost you the contract.

Example:

Dummy:     ♠A82 ♥K4 ♦97632 ♣J103
Declarer:  ♠K74 ♥A83 ♦AK ♣AKQ92

Contract: 3NT

You have eight tricks off the top. If you can set up a diamond, you make nine. But you only have one entry to dummy (the ♠A). You need it to get there after diamonds are established.

Don’t waste the ♠A at trick two just because it’s there. Save it for when you need it.

Long Suit Entries

Once a long suit is established, low cards become entries—if you have high cards in the opposite hand.

Example:

Dummy:     ♣AK743
Declarer:  ♣J52

You play the ♣A and ♣K. If clubs split 3-2, dummy’s ♣7, ♣4, and ♣3 are all winners. But to cash them, you need to get to dummy with something else first.

Low cards in a long suit are deferred entries—they only work after you’ve set up the suit. Plan ahead.

The tricky part: You have to use side entries to set up the long suit, then use the long suit as entries back. It’s circular. Map it out before you start.

Ruffing Entries

In suit contracts, you can create entries by ruffing.

Example:

Dummy:     ♠KQJ10 ♥84 ♦A73 ♣9652
Declarer:  ♠A9876 ♥AK5 ♦842 ♣AK

Contract: 4♠

Dummy has no high card entries except the ♦A. But you can ruff clubs or hearts in dummy to get there.

Costs: Ruffing uses up dummy’s trumps. If you need those trumps for control (to prevent opponents from cashing long suits), ruffing for entries might backfire.

When to use ruffing entries:

  • Dummy has extra trumps (four trumps when you only need three to draw theirs)
  • You’re desperate and have no other entries
  • The ruff serves double duty (it’s both an entry and a way to eliminate a suit for an endplay)

Ruffing entries are powerful but expensive. Use them when you have to, not just because you can.

Preserving Entries: Don’t Waste Them

The number one entry mistake is wasting entries you’ll need later.

How people waste entries:

  1. Cashing high cards too early: You win the ♥K at trick one because you can. Later you realize you needed it to get to dummy for a finesse. Oops.

  2. Winning the wrong hand’s entry: The lead gives you a free trick. You win it in dummy. But you should have won it in your hand, preserving dummy’s entry.

  3. Overtaking when you don’t have to: You lead the ♠Q from hand and dummy has the ♠A. You overtake with the ace. Why? Now the ace is gone and you’ve gained nothing.

  4. Drawing trumps with the wrong hand’s honors: You draw trumps using dummy’s ♥AK when your hand has ♥QJ1098. Now dummy’s out of entries and you can’t get there.

The fix: Before you play to trick one, count how many times you need to get to each hand. Then ruthlessly preserve those entries.

Example:

Dummy:     ♠A6 ♥K73 ♦J108742 ♣K4
Declarer:  ♠K983 ♥A84 ♦AK ♣AQJ10

Contract: 3NT
Lead: ♥Q

You have seven tricks off the top. If you can set up diamonds, you have five diamond tricks. That’s twelve tricks.

But diamonds will take three rounds to establish (you have two honors, they have three outstanding). And you only have two entries to dummy: the ♠A and the ♣K.

Wrong play: Win the ♥K, cash ♦AK, cross to the ♣K, play a diamond. Now diamonds are good, but you have no entry to cash them. Down one.

Right play: Win the ♥A (in hand), cash ♦AK, cross to the ♠A, lead a diamond giving up the third round. Later, cross to the ♣K to cash the diamond winners. Making five.

The ♥K is precious. Don’t burn it just because the lead hit it. Win in your hand and keep dummy’s entry intact.

Creating Entries: When You Don’t Have Enough

Sometimes you don’t have natural entries, so you create them.

Unblocking: Get Small Cards Out of the Way

Unblocking means pitching high cards from the short hand so small cards in the long hand can win tricks.

Classic unblock:

Dummy:     ♣AK4
Declarer:  ♣QJ3

You play the ♣A and discard the ♣Q (or ♣J). Then play the ♣K and discard the other honor. Now dummy’s ♣4 is good and you have a low club to reach it with.

Why it works: If you cash ♣AKQ, you win three tricks but you’re stuck in your hand. By unblocking the honors under dummy’s ace-king, the ♣4 becomes an entry.

Another example:

Dummy:     ♦K7
Declarer:  ♦AQ

You need to get to dummy twice. Opponents lead diamonds. You win the ace and later the queen under dummy’s king. Now dummy’s ♦7 is an entry (if you have a low diamond to lead to it).

Unblocking feels wrong—you’re “wasting” honors. But if those honors create an extra entry, it’s not waste, it’s transportation.

Ducking: Lose Early to Keep Communication

Ducking means letting opponents win a trick you could win, in order to preserve entries.

Classic duck:

Dummy:     ♠A8742
Declarer:  ♠63

You need to set up spades. If you play the ace first, you’re stuck in dummy with no entry back to your hand. If you duck the first round entirely (play low from both hands), opponents win, but now you have the ♠A as an entry to dummy later.

Why it works: By losing early, you keep your entry (the ace) for when you need it.

More complex duck:

Dummy:     ♣K8742
Declarer:  ♣A63

Contract: 3NT. You have one entry to dummy (the ♠A). You need to set up clubs.

Wrong play: ♣A, ♣K, ♣3. Clubs are good, but you’ve used your only entry (the ♠A) and you can’t get back to dummy to cash them.

Right play: Duck a club at trick two (play low from both hands). Opponents win. Now cross to the ♠A, play ♣K (both opponents follow), and your ♣A is an entry to dummy’s two club winners.

Ducking creates entries by delaying when you win your high cards. The ♣A becomes transportation instead of just a trick.

Overtaking: Sacrifice a Trick for an Entry

Sometimes you overtake your own honor with a higher honor just to get to the right hand.

Example:

Dummy:     ♦AQ1074
Declarer:  ♦KJ3

You need to get to dummy to take a spade finesse. You have no other entries.

Play: Lead the ♦J, overtake with the ♦Q. Now you’re in dummy.

Cost: You’ve wasted a trick (the jack and queen are both winners). But if you needed that entry badly enough, it’s worth it.

When to overtake:

  • You desperately need an entry and have no other options
  • The overtake costs you less than failing to execute your plan
  • You have enough tricks elsewhere to afford the luxury

Don’t overtake casually. But don’t refuse to overtake when it’s the only way to make the contract.

Four Example Hands: Entry Management in Action

Let’s see entry planning in real contracts.

Example 1: Preserving the Only Entry (3NT)

Contract: 3NT
Lead: ♠Q

Dummy:     ♠K65 ♥72 ♦AQJ1098 ♣A4
Declarer:  ♠A74 ♥AK4 ♦32 ♣KQ1063

Count your tricks: Seven diamonds (once you knock out the king), two hearts, two spades, two clubs = 13 tricks. But wait—can you actually cash those diamonds?

Entries to dummy: Only the ♣A.

The problem: If you cash the ♣A early, you can’t get to dummy to cash the diamonds after you set them up.

Right play:

  1. Win the ♠A (not the king—save it for later if needed)
  2. Lead a diamond to the queen (loses to the king)
  3. Win the return
  4. Cross to the ♣A (your only entry)
  5. Cash six diamond tricks
  6. Making six or seven

Key: The ♣A is a precious entry. Don’t waste it. Guard it until you need it for transportation.

Example 2: Creating Entries by Ducking (5♦)

Contract: 5♦
Lead: ♥K

Dummy:     ♠86 ♥A54 ♦K7432 ♣AK5
Declarer:  ♠AK ♥763 ♦AQJ1098 ♣64

Count your losers: Two hearts, one club.

Plan: Ruff the third heart in dummy. That saves a loser.

The problem: How do you get to your hand three times to lead hearts?

Entries to hand: ♠A, ♠K, and… you need a third entry to lead the third heart.

Right play:

  1. Win ♥A
  2. Cash ♦K, cross to ♦A, draw trumps ending in your hand
  3. Cash ♠A, ♠K (two entries used)
  4. Here’s the key: duck a club at trick seven (play low from both hands)
  5. Win the return in dummy, lead a club to your hand (the ♣6 is now an entry!)
  6. Lead your third heart, ruff in dummy
  7. Making five

Key: By ducking a club, you created a third entry to your hand. The ♣6 became transportation.

Example 3: Unblocking to Create Entries (3NT)

Contract: 3NT
Lead: ♠J

Dummy:     ♠AQ4 ♥K863 ♦K4 ♣J1092
Declarer:  ♠K73 ♥AQ ♦AQJ1098 ♣A3

Count your tricks: Six diamonds, three hearts, three spades, one club = way more than nine. But can you actually cash them all?

The problem: After you unblock hearts (♥AQ under dummy’s ♥K), you’re stuck in dummy with no entry to your long diamonds.

Right play:

  1. Win ♠K
  2. Cash ♦AQ (both opponents follow)
  3. Cross to ♦K
  4. Play ♥K, unblocking your ♥Q
  5. Lead ♥8, win your ♥A (you’re back in your hand)
  6. Cash four diamond tricks
  7. Making six or seven

Key: By unblocking the ♥Q under dummy’s ♥K, the ♥A becomes an entry to your hand. Without the unblock, you’d be stuck.

Example 4: Ruffing for Entries (4♠)

Contract: 4♠
Lead: ♥K

Dummy:     ♠Q84 ♥A73 ♦AQJ109 ♣52
Declarer:  ♠AKJ1095 ♥64 ♦K2 ♣AK6

Count your losers: One heart, one club.

Plan: If you can set up diamonds and pitch your club loser, you make it.

The problem: Dummy has one high card entry (♥A) and you need multiple entries to set up diamonds and then get back to cash them.

Right play:

  1. Win ♥A
  2. Cash ♦K, cross to ♦A
  3. Ruff a diamond (entry #2 to dummy)
  4. Draw trumps ending in dummy (♠Q is entry #3)
  5. Cash diamonds, pitching your club loser
  6. Making four or five

Key: The third-round diamond ruff is an entry to dummy. Without it, you couldn’t get there enough times to set up and cash the suit.

Common Entry Mistakes

Even good players butcher entries. Here’s how to avoid the big ones.

Winning in the wrong hand: The opening lead hits dummy’s ♥K. You win it because you can. But later you realize you needed that ♥K as an entry. Always ask: which hand needs to win this trick to preserve entries?

Unblocking too late: You play three rounds of a suit before realizing you’re blocked. Now the suit is dead and you can’t untangle it. Unblock early—the first or second round, not the third.

Drawing trumps from the wrong hand: You use dummy’s ♠AK to draw trumps when your hand has ♠QJ109. Now dummy’s out of entries and you’re stuck. Use your hand’s trumps to draw theirs whenever possible, saving dummy’s trumps as entries.

Forgetting to count entries before you start: You set up a long suit in dummy, then realize you have no way to get there. Count your entries at trick one, not trick seven.

Using all your entries to set up a suit, leaving none to cash it: You use three entries to dummy to establish clubs. Great. But now you can’t get to dummy to cash them. Leave one entry for cashing.

Overtaking when you don’t need to: You lead the ♠Q and overtake with the ♠A for no reason. Now the ace is gone. Don’t overtake unless you have a specific reason.

When Entries Go Wrong: Blocking Yourself

The worst entry disasters happen when you block a suit—you have winners in one hand but no way to cash them because you’ve stranded yourself.

Classic block:

Dummy:     ♣AKQ
Declarer:  ♣J109876

If you cash ♣AKQ from dummy, you’re stuck there with no clubs left in your hand to get back. The suit is blocked.

Fix: Cash one club honor from dummy, then lead a low club to your hand. Cash your club winners, returning to dummy with other entries as needed.

Another common block:

Dummy:     ♦AQ
Declarer:  ♦K

If you play ♦K and then ♦Q, you’ve used both your diamonds and you can’t use this suit for entries anymore.

Fix: If you need two entries from diamonds, unblock the ♦K under dummy’s ♦A, saving the ♦Q as a second entry (if you have a low diamond to lead to it).

Blocks happen when you don’t think ahead. Plan your entries before you touch the suit.

Entry Planning Checklist

Before you play to trick one, run through this checklist:

  1. Count your tricks. How many do you have? How many more do you need?

  2. Identify where the extra tricks are. Long suit in dummy? Finesse? Ruff?

  3. Count entries to each hand. How many times can you get to dummy? To your hand?

  4. Map out the play. Do you have enough entries to execute your plan?

  5. Preserve key entries. Don’t cash the ♥K just because it’s there if you’ll need it later.

  6. Look for ways to create entries. Can you duck to preserve an entry? Unblock to create one? Ruff for transportation?

  7. Play the hand in your head. Walk through trick by trick. Where will you be after each play? Can you get where you need to go?

  8. Execute. Once you have the plan, follow it.

The golden rule: Plan your entries before you play. Adjust the plan if new information arrives (a bad split, a surprise honor location). But start with a plan.

The Bottom Line

Entries are the infrastructure of declarer play. Without them, your winners are locked in the wrong hand and your plans fall apart.

What to remember:

  1. Count entries at trick one. Before you play a card, know how many times you can get to each hand.

  2. Preserve entries ruthlessly. Don’t waste the ♣K at trick two if you’ll need it at trick eight.

  3. Win tricks in the right hand. Ask yourself: which hand should win this trick to preserve communication?

  4. Create entries when you need them. Duck to keep an entry. Unblock to free one up. Overtake if you’re desperate.

  5. Watch for blocks. Don’t cash honors in the wrong order or you’ll strand yourself.

  6. Use entries efficiently. If you need three entries to dummy to set up and cash a suit, don’t use four.

Entry management isn’t flashy. But it’s the difference between making your contract and going down staring at five winners you can’t reach.

Plan your entries. Preserve your entries. Execute your plan.

Now go cash those winners. They’re waiting for you—on the other side of that entry.

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