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 West, E-W Vulnerable
West led the ♠4.
How many losers do you have?
How are opponents’ points divided?
Which card will you play from dummy?
You played low. East won with the ♠Q and returned another Spade. Why didn’t West choose another lead, for instance Club?
Where is the ♣A?
Where is the ♣K?
Where is the ♦Q?
Where is the ♥Q?
Where is the ♠K?
How will you play?
How many losers do you have?
Six: 2 Spades, 1 Heart, 1 Diamond, 2 Clubs.
How are opponents’ points divided?
At least 12 in West and at most 5 in East from the bidding.
Which card will you play from dummy?
Try a low Spade from dummy. You gain nothing if you play the Ace as you cannot discard you Spade losers. If you play low, you might manage to develop a Spade trick if the ♠10 is in East.
You played low. East won with the ♠Q and returned another Spade. Why didn’t West choose another lead, for instance Club?
From ♣AK, West would surely prefer a top Club lead, so West is missing a Club honor – The ♣K, as with ♣A and ♠Q East would not have passed his partner’s opening.
Where is the ♣A?
It is with West. East has less than 6 points. East has ♣K and ♠Q, and West has all the rest.
Where is the ♣K?
It is in East, as West didn’t lead a top Club.
Where is the ♦Q?
West.
Where is the ♥Q?
West.
Where is the ♠K?
West.
How will you play?
As all the high cards are marked, you can play the hand as if the cards were open: Win ♠A at trick 2, play Heart to ♥K and continue with the ♥J, finessing West if he plays low. Play the ♥A to drop West’s ♥Q (make sure to keep the ♥7 in hand!), and continue with the ♦AK. Your only chance to make is to find ♦Q or ♦Qx with West, as it cannot be with East. Upon dropping the ♦Qx, continue with the ♦10. Play your ♥7 to dummy’s ♥8 and discard your Spade or Club loser on the ♦J. You make 1 Spade, 5 Hearts and 4 Diamonds.
Things to remember
a. Another important exercise in counting the hand: Once again, we count high cards. The lead helps as always – It suggests that since West didn’t lead a Club – East must have an honor, the ♣K. That completes his 5 max points from the bidding (together with the ♠Q which you saw at trick 1)
b. Note that balance seat (4th seat after left opponent opened and then 2 passes to your hand) has other rules: Double shows (8)9+ points (instead of 12+ in 2nd seat), 1NT shows 11-14 (instead of 15-18 as the usual 1NT overcall), new suit (as in our auction) could be much lighter than a regular overcall, and a jump shows a good 6 suiter with intermediate hand (about 12-15, NOT weak 2 as it would be in 2nd hand).
c. Plan the timing: You need a fast Spade or Club discard to avoid losing 2 Clubs and 2 Spades. You must therefore hope to drop the ♦Q and prepare an entry to your 4th Diamond: Keep the ♥8 as an entry to your ♦J and discard a black loser on it.
Comments
One response to “Seeing through cards #7”
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Hola que bueno esta seccion . Pero les pediria que la traduccion al español es muy mala. La pueden mejorar?. Muchas graciad
Comments
One response to “Seeing through cards #7”
Hola que bueno esta seccion . Pero les pediria que la traduccion al español es muy mala. La pueden mejorar?. Muchas graciad