This quiz was written by Oren Lidor.
Hand 1
You've agreed to play standard carding with your partner - for attitude, high encourages, and low discourages; for count, high–low shows even, and low–high shows odd.
You led the ♠K, and partner followed with the ♠9 (declarer played the ♠6).
- What does the ♠9 mean?
- How many sure tricks do you have?
- How many possible tricks might partner have?
- What will you play next?
- How do you plan to continue?
Solution
- What does the ♠9 mean?
A King lead asks for count, so partner signals an even number of spades, likely a doubleton. With ♠QJ9, partner would play the ♠Q to show the ♠J. With four spades, partner might bid 4♠ as a sacrifice at favorable vulnerability. Partner cannot have a singleton; otherwise, South would have bid 1♠ with five spades.
- How many sure tricks do you have?
Two, ♠A and ♠K.
- How many possible tricks might partner have?
Two, ♦A and ♥Q are possible tricks.
- What will you play next?
Play the ♦9. Without the ♦A in partner’s hand, there is no chance to set the contract. If instead you continue with the ♠A and then a third spade for partner to ruff, declarer will discard a diamond loser on the third spade and make the contract even if partner has the ♦A and ♥QJx. Partner would then ruff with a natural trick, and the sure diamond trick would disappear. So it is important to take this possible diamond trick now.
Why not play ♠A and then a diamond? Because partner may not have a sure heart trick. If partner has ♥Qx or ♥J9x, the defense can promote a heart trick — but to do that, you need to regain the lead.
- How do you plan to continue?
Upon winning the ♦A, partner will continue with a second spade, and you will then play a third spade to promote the ♥Q. If declarer ruffs low, partner will overruff with the ♥Q. If declarer ruffs with the ♥A, partner’s ♥Q will be promoted.
Things to remember:
- When you lead a top card and partner follows with an honor, that honor promises the one below it. So with Qx or Jx, partner should follow low (playing the Q promises the J). When partner later follows with an honor, you can conclude it is a doubleton. Therefore, the ♠9 at trick one could also be from ♠J9 or ♠Q9, but not ♠QJ9.
- It is recommended to agree that a King lead asks for count, while an Ace lead asks for attitude (want / don’t want).
- When you open 1♣/♦ and partner responds 1♥/♠, a jump to 4♣/♦ shows a solid minor suit and also a good fit (four cards) in partner’s suit, suggesting slam, a good suit to discard losers on. With a strong club suit and no heart fit, opener can rebid 3NT, which shows the same shape as a 3♣ rebid but with a stronger hand (more points or a longer suit).
- Another possible bid by North was 3♦, a splinter, showing a good hand with a heart fit and a singleton diamond.
- South did not accept the invitation because the hand is poor for it: many light points in the opponents’ suits, shortness in partner’s suit, only one point in the partnership’s suits, minimum values, and no useful shortness.
- Another way to promote a card is to refuse to ruff over declarer and discard instead. That play will promote your card.
Example:
Hearts are trumps, and it appears declarer has only one heart loser. East overcalled 2♣. West leads the ♣A and continues with a second club to East’s ♣J. A third club from East promotes the ♥10 for West:
- If declarer ruffs low, West overruffs with the ♥10.
- If declarer ruffs with the ♥J, West discards from another suit and keeps ♥K102, which now guarantees two heart tricks.
- When the defense is trying to promote a trump trick, it is very important to cash all side tricks first before playing the suit that helps the promotion. Otherwise, declarer may discard a loser from that suit.
In the original hand, it is important to switch to diamonds at trick two and win the ♦A before continuing with spades. If you do not, declarer can discard a diamond loser from dummy on the third spade (if West plays ♠AK and a third spade) and make the contract even if East holds ♦A and ♥QJx. East would ruff a natural trick, and declarer would lose neither additional hearts nor the ♦A, since the diamond loser has already been discarded.
Hand 2
Against 5♠, West led the ♦3.
- What can you infer from the lead?
- You won the diamond trick and played the ♠A. Both opponents followed with a low spade. How is the club suit likely divided?
- How is the diamond suit divided?
- How is the heart suit divided?
- How is the spade suit divided?
- What is the danger here?
- How will you continue?
Solution
- What can you infer from the lead?
Clearly a singleton. There is no other reason to lead a diamond when holding such strong diamonds and both opponents have bid clubs.
- You won the diamond trick and played the ♠A. Both opponents followed with a low spade. How is the club suit likely divided?
Seven clubs in East from the bidding, therefore four in West.
- How is the diamond suit divided?
One diamond in West from the lead, therefore three in East.
- How is the heart suit divided?
West did not open 2♥ as dealer, so West is unlikely to hold six hearts. If that is the case, then East has two hearts, since East has already followed to one round of spades. Therefore, West has five hearts.
- How is the spade suit divided?
One spade in East and three in West, based on the analysis of the other suits.
- What is the danger here?
When West wins the ♠K, West can play a club to East and receive a diamond ruff to defeat the contract.
- How will you continue?
Play ♥A and ♥K, then a third heart from dummy, discarding a club from hand. West will win that trick, since East has no more hearts, but you will have cut the communication between the defenders. East will never regain the lead to give West a diamond ruff. Win any return and draw trumps. You will lose only one heart and one spade.
Things to remember:
- Bridge is all about counting. You can count tricks, losers, points, and distribution. This is a wonderful example of counting distribution. The bidding in clubs, the diamond lead, and even the unbid suit, hearts, all help you determine the full layout. When you can count three suits, you can also determine the fourth suit, spades.
- If West had opened 2♥ and the auction had ended in 5♠ with a diamond lead, your best play would be to win the ♦A, play the ♠A, and continue with another spade to avoid being ruffed. If instead you play a heart to the ♥K and then take a spade finesse that loses, you would go down two, losing a club, the ♠K, and two ruffs.
- The technique of discarding a loser on a loser to cut communication between the defenders is called the Scissors Coup.
- North’s bid is not automatic. If 5♣ goes down three, doubling would score better. A double could also be right because it is not at all clear that 5♠ can be made. As the saying goes, five level bids often belong to the opponents. However, North’s hand has strong offensive values and North had not yet shown the spade fit. That is why West’s 5♣ bid was effective. It put pressure on North South and was a good sacrifice, likely going down only two tricks.
About the Author
Oren Lidor is considered one of the best bridge teachers in Israel, is the author of 5 bridge books, and teaches bridge to people from all over the world on BBO.
Thanks
But hand 2: Why shows the 3♣ a seven card? Than it should be 4♣??