Knowing how to ask yourselves the right questions and then answer them is the key to improve your chances on any bridge hand, be it as declarer or as defender.
I’ll give you a hand below, and a series of questions – like a riddle! Try to answer these questions by yourself. Then look at the answers, which will be presented together with the full deal.
At the end we’ll summarize a few important “Things to remember” for each problem. Enjoy!
Dealer North, NS Vulnerable
You agreed to play standard carding with partner (for attitude: high card encourages and low card discourages; for count: high – low shows even number of cards, low – high shows odd).
Partner
led the ♦10. Dummy played the ♦9, you played the ♦K and declarer followed with
the ♦2.
What does partner’s lead show?
How many tricks can you count for the defense?
How many points does partner have?
How many trumps does partner have?
Where does the setting trick come from?
How will you continue?
What does partner’s lead show?
Likely a doubleton. With 3 or more low Diamonds partner would have led low (or second highest card – depending on what agreement you have), and with ♦Txx or Txxx partner would have led low. It might also be a singleton, but less likely.
How many tricks can you count for the defense?
Three. ♦AK and ♥A.
How many points does partner have?
Partner can have at most 2 points: Declarer has 10-11 points, dummy has 14 and you have 14.
How many trumps does partner have?
Likely three. Declarer showed 6 cards from the bidding (he might have a bad 7 carder).
Where does the setting trick come from?
It has to come from a Diamond ruff (unless partner has ♥Qxx).
How will you continue?
Play a LOW Heart at trick 2! Declarer can win it cheaply, but when he continues with either a Heart or a Diamond – You win both red aces and play a third Diamond for partner to ruff.
Things to remember
1. Think of the TIMING, not just when declaring but also when defending. Timing is the right order to play your tricks. If you time your cards wrongly – declarer can make the contract:
a) If you play ♥A and another Heart – Declarer wins, plays a third round of Hearts and plays a Diamond, promoting his ♦J and discarding his fourth Diamond on the third Club.
b) If you play ♦AK and a third Diamond – partner can ruff with the ♥6 but declarer then overruffs with the ♥Q, plays ♣AKQ and discards his last Diamond on the third Club. Upon winning the ♥A you might try to let partner ruff a Diamond, but declarer can ruff it high.
2. When playing in defense: Count tricks (if possible), count partner’s points (so that you know what to expect from him), count partner’s trumps (from the bidding), count the general distribution, think of the meaning of the lead, think where the setting trick can come from and then plan your defense, as well as on how to TIME IT in order to set.
3. Agree with your partner on the meaning of your leads: Do you make count, or attitude leads into your partner’s suit? Count leads are like 3/5 versus suit. Attitude leads means that a low card promises an honor, while the 2nd highest card from length denies an honor.
Also agree about what leading the 10 means: As the ♦9 was in dummy – it is clear that the lead cannot be top of sequence (which needs 109x or 109xx), even if you have agreed to play that.
