Lesson 2N67 Main

Planning the Play at Suits

by Richard Pavlicek

Declarer play at a suit contract is often easier than at notrump because declarer is protected by his long trump suit. Nonetheless, the trump suit adds a whole new element, and planning the play at least several tricks ahead is extremely important.

As soon as the dummy is exposed and before playing any card, you should plan how you will play the hand. I recommend these steps:

Count Your Trump Tricks

In the trump suit estimate how many tricks you would win if you were to lead trumps. Do not count ruffs, and assume any finesse will lose. Assume a normal break of the enemy cards.

Add Your Side-Suit Tricks

In each side suit (non-trump suit) count tricks just as you would at notrump. Add these to your trump tricks to determine your “top tricks” which tells you where you stand toward making your contract.

As an additional trick I’ll make my husband disappear. Let’s see… The magic words are: Joe, let’s play bridge!

Look for Additional Tricks

Examine each suit to look for opportunities to win additional tricks. These may be in the form of honor cards, suit length, or ruffing ability. It is important to realize all the possibilities so each may be considered in developing your plan.

Develop a Plan

Decide which suit or suits you will work on to gain additional tricks. Another decision you must make is whether to draw the enemy trumps immediately or postpone this until later (or sometimes never).

Lesson 2N67 Main

Top Planning the Play at Suits

Drawing Trumps Early

In many cases it is declarer’s best strategy to immediately draw the enemy low trumps to eliminate any chance of an enemy ruff. If you can see enough tricks for your contract, you should do this.

Drawing the enemy low trumps is generally necessary, but if one opponent has only
a high trump, you should usually stop leading trumps and let him ruff with it.

1.	K 5 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	2		1. W	7	Q	2	3
	A Q J 10		2. N	3!	10	A	6
	J 7 6 5 4		3. S	2!	9	K	Q
J 9 6		Q 10	4. N	10	4	8	J
K 10 8 7 6		Q 9 5 3		Lose 2 more tricks
7		9 6 5 4 2
Q 10 9 2		A K
	A 8 7 4 2
	A J 4
	K 8 3
4 South	8 3

In trumps you estimate 4 tricks because a 3-2 break is normal; if you led trumps you would lose one and win the rest. Add to this 4 diamond tricks and 1 heart trick to determine you have 9 top tricks. Therefore, you need 1 more trick to make your contract. The best chance for this extra trick is by ruffing a heart in the North hand.

West’s lead of a diamond may seem to be generous, but your opponents are not trying to help you. Most likely it is a singleton or doubleton (trying for a defensive ruff) and you would be in serious trouble if you got careless.

Draw trumps right away by cashing the A-K (in either order). Once they both follow this proves the expected 3-2 break. Note that the only remaining outstanding trump (West’s J) is high, so you should not lead any more trumps. Just let West ruff whenever he pleases.

Should you ruff your heart now? No! Cash all the diamonds first. The only way West can gain the lead is by ruffing, then you will be able to ruff a heart later. It is instructive also to play this deal the wrong way (e.g., not drawing trumps or ruffing a heart early) to see why declarer fails.

Lesson 2N67 Main

Top Planning the Play at Suits

Drawing Trumps Later

In other cases declarer must delay drawing trumps for one reason or another. There are many considerations regarding this, and it takes experience to make the correct decision a high percentage of the time. Some winning advice:

If you cannot see a clear path to make your contract, you should postpone drawing trumps. Work on a side suit first.

2.	K 8 7 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q J 5 4		1. W	Q	2	3	A
	10 9 8		2. S	2!	7	J	K
	K 2		3. E	6	A	2	8
Q 10 6		J 9	4. S	A	6	2	9
A 9 7		K 10 8 6	5. S	3!	A	4	6
Q 7 2		6 5 4 3	6. W	6	K	5	4
Q J 10 6		8 5 3	7. N	K	J	3	10
	A 5 4 3		8. N	Q	8	J!	9
	3 2		9. N	9	3	K	7
	A K J		10. S	7	10	7	8
4 South	A 9 7 4		11. N	10	4	4	Q
			12. S	9	J	8	5
				Lose the last trick

You estimate 3 trump tricks because you would have to lose one with a normal 3-2 break. Add to this 2 diamonds and 2 clubs to get 7 top tricks, which means you need 3 more tricks to make your contract. The best chance is to develop one trick in hearts (with the Q-J) and then ruff two clubs in dummy. There is also a chance with the diamond finesse, but this should be saved as a last resort in case the hearts fizzle.

Do not draw trumps. Since you must give up the lead in hearts, if you won the A-K early it would allow West to cash the Q when he won the A; then you could not ruff two clubs. Don’t let him do this! You must work on the hearts first.

Win the A and lead the 2; West plays low and the jack loses to East’s king. Assume East shifts to a diamond (best) and you win the ace. Cash the A (optional) and lead the 3. West takes the ace then returns a club to North’s king.

Now is the time to finish drawing trumps. Win the K, but do not lead any more because the only outstanding spade is high. Cash the Q and discard your J. The rest of the cards can be played in any order as long as you never lead a trump. Try it.

Lesson 2N67 Main

Top Planning the Play at Suits

© 1999 Richard Pavlicek