Test Your Bridge Skills #76

1. How many points does partner have?
   Between 2 and 4 points: Declarer has 13–15 for their 3NT jump, dummy has 14 and you have 10. So partner is left with 2–4 points.
   
   
2. What is the meaning of partner’s ♥5?
   Count. It is rare that count is given in third seat (unless you lead the King, asking for count). But in situations where partner cannot cover a relatively low card from dummy, they will signal count. It can’t be attitude, as clearly partner has no high card in this suit; otherwise, they would cover the ♥9 with it. So, partner’s ♥5 is their lowest card, which means they have ♥xx5. They can’t have a singleton; otherwise, South would have had four Hearts and would have bid 1♥.
   
   
3. What can you also know about the Heart suit?
   Partner has the ♥865 and declarer has ♥Q4. If partner had the ♥Q, they would have played it at trick 1 (third hand plays high).
   
   
4. What does partner need to have for you to defeat the contract?
   The ♣K, otherwise declarer would have 9 tricks. Even if partner has the ♠A, it would still not be enough to set the contract, as declarer would then have 4 Clubs, 3 Diamonds and 2 Hearts.
   
   
5. How will you continue?
   Continue with the ♥2 at trick 3! That move will keep communication with partner (as you have no more entries to your hand) and will also tell partner that your original length was 5 cards (the ♥3 was fourth-best and therefore the ♥2 is the fifth). Declarer will win it with the ♥Q, but when they try the Club finesse, partner will get the ♣K, play their third Heart, and you will take three more Hearts to set the contract.

Things to remember:

1. How many losers do you have?
   You have 6 losers. If you take your hand as the base, you need to count 1 Spade loser, 1 Diamond, 3 Hearts and 1 Club = 6 losers. If you take dummy’s hand as the base, you need to count 1 Diamond, 3 Spades, 1 Heart and 1 Club.
   
   
2. What is the plan to get rid of these losers?
   Play the Diamonds in such a way as to avoid a Diamond loser (either drop the ♦Q or finesse it), ruff two Hearts in dummy, and use either a finesse to get rid of the Club loser or discard it on another promoted card. Your goal is to lose just 1 Heart and 1 Spade.
   
   
3. How will you play the Diamond suit?
   ♦K first. If both opponents follow, then the ♦A will drop the ♦Q. If East shows out, as happens here, you can play a second Diamond and finesse to the ♦J. Finish drawing the trumps with your ♦A. If East has ♦Q10x, then you cannot avoid losing a Diamond trick, which is why you need to start with the ♦K. You can avoid losing to ♦Q10x only if it is in West.
   
   
4. Assuming you manage to pull out the trumps without losing a trick, what will you play next?
   Play the ♠10 and lose it to East’s ♠Q.
   
   
5. Having a sure Heart and Spade loser that you cannot avoid, how do you plan to get rid of your Club loser?
   Via a finesse. HOWEVER! Not a Club finesse, but a ruffing finesse in Spades, which is marked to succeed.
   
   
6. How will you play the hand?
   Win ♠A. Play ♦K and when you see East discard, continue with a Diamond finesse to the ♦J and the ♦A. Play a Spade and lose your ♠10 to East’s ♠Q. Win East’s Club return with your ♣A and lose a Heart. Win another Club with your ♣K, ruff a Heart and play the ♠8, ruffing finesse East’s marked ♠K. If East covers, ruff in hand, ruff your last Heart in dummy and discard your ♣J loser on your promoted ♠7.

Things to remember:

1. Counting losers: Count losers from one hand, normally the long trump hand (but not always). If both hands have the same length, you need to take one hand as the BASE (= treat it as the long hand) and count from this hand, planning to ruff from the other hand.
   
   If you take your hand as the base, count 1 Spade, 1 Diamond, 3 Hearts and 1 Club = 6 losers. If you take dummy as the base, count 3 Spades, 1 Diamond, 1 Heart and 1 Club. Here, it’s best to take your hand as the base, planning to ruff two Hearts in dummy and promote your fourth Spade.
   
   
2. West’s double is a negative double, showing 8+ points (on a 2-level overcall) and at least 4 cards in Hearts. A negative double on a 1-level overcall shows (6)7+ points.
   
   
3. Note that the jump to 4♦, especially when it comes after a double or when both opponents have bid, must be weak. Note that many players will bid 5♦ to disturb the opponents’ bidding. The main purpose is to disturb the opponents, but it also suggests a sacrifice in case the opponents reach a making game.
   
   If North had a good hand with Diamond support, they could have bid 2♠, a cue bid, which shows a limit or better hand (10+ points and a fit).
   
   
4. Note that South’s first bid is a dilemma, and different players would choose different bids here: Some players will choose to double (not ideal with just xxx Hearts), others will choose 1NT (not ideal with short Spades and just 1 stopper), and some will choose a 2♦ overcall (which is also not ideal as the Diamond suit is rather poor).
   
   
5. Note that the bidding and the ♠9 lead marked East with ♠KQJxx. So, after the ♠J lost to your ♠A and your ♠10 lost to the ♠Q (and the ♠9 is also out at trick 1), there is only the ♠K remaining over your ♠87, which makes the Spade ruffing finesse a sure success.
   
   
6. Note that as the cards lie, 4♥ makes here, losing just 2 Clubs and 1 Spade. This means that 5♦ would have been a good sacrifice even if it goes 1 or 2 down.
   
   If this hand comes up in a tournament, there would be many different scores and results: Some E-W pairs would play in Hearts, some N-S pairs in Diamonds, and some N-S pairs would not find the Diamond fit if South bids 1NT.