All News

For Junior, Intermediate, perhaps not Novice players… but for others too! It’s Fri Day.

Extracting the Maximum.

Today’s deal  is more about defending though there is a lesson in the bidding too. So, what about this situation?

 

. High-level bidding is not easy. When the opposition open at the 4-level, certainly up to 4, a double should be for take-out. The same should apply when one’s partner has opened with one of a minor suit and an opponent jumps to 4. It is debatable here whether South is strong enough to compete at the 4-level, though when the opponents are not vulnerable and your side is vulnerable, it often pays to be aggressive, when you have the right shape as here, for a take-out double. The 4 bidder may be quite weak in high cards. 

So, South did double for take-out and the bidding proceeded as follows:

 

You decide to lead A and your partner plays 6 and declarer 4. Next you play J and declarer calls for 8 from dummy with your partner playing K as East follows with 5.

At trick 3, your partner lays down A. Using your method of following suit, which card do you play?

What do you know about the diamond distribution?

Well, the first of those questions about “your method of following suit” is really a bit of a trick question as it should not matter what defensive system you play. . At one table, South followed with a low spade and North cashed K… but apart from later scoring A, there were no further tricks for the defence, AK, AK and A, 5 tricks, down 3 doubled, +500. Was that a good score for the defence? The answer is better than the score some East-West pairs scored for beating 4 undoubled but not as good as a making 4 game North-South because 4 actually makes an overtrick, +650:

 

With both minor suits breaking well for North-South, 11 tricks would be relatively easy to make in 5. So, had North made the wrong decision in doubling 5? No, they had not as the defence can score one more trick, a diamond ruff to get +800 from 5x.

The Key Defence

On the A, South should play Q. Such a play when you have bid the suit (the negative double confirmed 4 spades) indicates holding the honour card below it, in this case J. Therefore, North could safely under-lead K to J and North would then score their diamond ruff, +800 and a top board.

Note, you play the higher of touching honours in this situation. Therefore, with KQ, play K.On the actual hand, if North did not hold K, then they would know East held that card.

Another way for the defence to score +800 is for the defence to lead spades and after North wins the second round, they switch to K and then score a ruff. This requires North to find that important switch, not so easy with Q in dummy.

Oh, you think East’s 4 was a bit aggressive? Certainly, it is but it could have been a winner especially if their opponents had a slam to bid. West must have been a little disappointed in recording -800. They did have poor shape for their 5 bid but they would have thought it would be a reasonable sacrifice. Another disappointment at the bridge table!

So, a good reward from the slightly aggressive negative double of 4. Hopefully, you did not pass 4 or if you did, that your partner would have found a take-out double of 4 themselves. Live slightly dangerously and be well rewarded.

Richard Solomon

It is sad to report the death earlier this week of Australian player, Simon Hinge. Simon has been a regular attendee at our National Congress and suffered a major heart-attack on his way to playing at Canberra’s Summer Festival of Bridge. His partner was to be Christchurch’s Jane Lennon. An obituary to Simon, written by Stephen Lester, appears on the ABF website. https://www.abf.com.au/  

 

Go Back View All News Items