Study 9G01 Main

Establishment

by Richard Pavlicek

Establishment is the process of developing a trick (or tricks) for your side, which is essentially the backbone of card play in bridge. You need tricks? Then establish them! Establishment techniques that require a finesse, throw-in (for strategic gain) or squeeze are covered separately in their respective categories.

1.  Overtake cashout

NT win 2	A 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	K	J	A!	Q
	—
	—
J		Q
K		A
—		—
—		—
	K
	2
	—
South leads	—

2.  Unblock cashout

NT win 3	A 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A		1. S	K!	J	2	3
	—
	—
Q J		3
4		K Q
—		—
—		—
	K
	3 2
	—
South leads	—

3.  Unblock overtake cashout

NT win 4	A 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	K!	J	2	9
	A 2		2. S	K	J	A!
	—
J		Q
K		A
Q J		10 9
—		—
	K
	3 2
	K
South leads	—

4.  Dual unblock cashout

NT win 5	A 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A 2		1. S	2!	J	K	9
	K		2. N	2!	J	K	10
	—		3. S	A	Q	2	10
Q J 10		—
—		K Q J
Q J		10 9
—		—
	K
	4 3
	A 2
South leads	—

5.  Plain establishment

NT win 2	K Q		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. S	2!	4	Q	A
	—
	—
5 4		A
3		K Q
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	A
	—
South leads	—

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6.  Dual establishment

NT win 3	Q J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A 2		1. S	2!	K	10	5
	—		2. W	Q	2	8	K
	—		3. S	3!	4	J	A
K 4		A 6 5
Q J 10		9 8
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	K 4 3
	—
South leads	—

7.  Length establishment

NT win 4	A K 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3 2		1. S	3	10	A	7
	—		2. N	K	8	4	J
	—		3. N	2!
Q J 10		9 8 7
J 10		K Q
—		—
—		—
	6 5 4 3
	A
	—
South leads	—

8.  Overtake establishment

NT win 3	K J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A		1. S	Q	2	K!	3
	—		2. N	J
	—
A 2		4 3
6 5		K Q
—		—
—		—
	Q
	4 3 2
	—
South leads	—

9.  Overtake sacrifice establishment

NT win 4	A J 10 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A		1. S	K	4	A!	7
	—		2. N	J	Q
	—
6 5 4		Q 8 7
K Q		J 10
—		—
—		—
	K
	5 4 3 2
	—
South leads	—

10.  Unblock establishment

NT win 3	Q 10 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A		1. S	K!
	—
	—
4 3		A 5
K Q		J 10
—		—
—		—
	K J
	3 2
	—
South leads	—

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11.  Unblock sacrifice establishment

NT win 4	J 10 9 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A K		1. S	K!	4	3	5
	—		2. S	2	Q	9	6
	—
Q 4		A 6 5
9 8 7 6		Q J 10
—		—
—		—
	K 2
	5 4 3 2
	—
South leads	—

12.  Internal unblock cashout

NT win 5	A K Q 4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	9!	5	A	6
	—		2. N	K	10	7!	3
	—		3. N	Q	J	8!
5		J 10 6
6 5 4 3		A K
—		—
—		—
	9 8 7 2
	2
	—
South leads	—

13.  Jettison unblock cashout

NT win 6	A 5 4 3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A		1. S	K	J	2	8
	—		2. S	Q	2	3	9
	—		3. S	6	3	A	10
J		10 9 8	4. N	A!	5	7!	4
4 3 2		5
7 6		5 4
—		—
	K Q 7 6
	—
	3 2
South leads	—

14.  Two-suit establishment

NT win 3	Q J 10 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3 2		1. S	2!
	—
	—
A 5		K 8 7
A 10 9 8		7 6 5
—		—
—		—
	4 3 2
	K Q J
	—
South leads	—

Leading heart first gets no spade trick.

15.  Two-suit tempo establishment

NT win 3	K J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	Q!	3	10	4
	3 2		2. S	K!
	—
A 3		4
A		2
10 9		K Q J
—		—
	Q 2
	K Q
	A
South leads	—

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16.  Two-suit whipsaw establishment

NT win 4	K 9 8 7		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	4 3 2		1. S	5!	10	K	2
	—		2. N	2!	5	J	A
	—
A J 10		4 3 2
A		5
K Q J		4 3 2
—		—
	Q 6 5
	K Q J
	A
South leads	—

17.  Entry duck establishment

NT win 3	A 5 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. S	2	Q	4!	10
	—
	—
K Q		J 10
K Q		J 10
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	A 2
	—
South leads	—

18.  Repeat entry duck establishment

NT win 4	A 8 7 6 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. S	2	10	5!	Q
	—		2. E	Q	A	6	3
	—		3. S	3	J	6!	9
J 10		K Q 9
9 8 7 6		Q J 10
—		—
—		—
	4 3 2
	A K 2
	—
South leads	—

19.  Communication duck establishment

NT win 4	K Q 5 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	A 2		1. S	2	7	4!	10
	—		2. E	J	K	6	2
	—		3. S	3	8	Q
8 7		A J 10
Q 8 7 6		J 10 9
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	K 5 4 3
	—
South leads	—

20.  Avoidance duck establishment

NT win 3	A 6 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	2		1. S	2	K	5!	J
	—
	—
K 10		Q J
K Q		3
—		A
—		—
	4 3 2
	A
	—
South leads	—

If West plays low, win A (avoidance hop).

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21.  Repeat avoidance duck establishment

NT win 4	A 7 6 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 4		1. S	2	Q	5!	9
	—		2. W	Q	4	5	K
	—		3. S	3	K	7!	10
K Q 8		J 10 9
Q J 10		6 5
—		A
—		—
	4 3 2
	K 3 2
	—
South leads	—

If West plays low either time, avoidance hop.

22.  Repeat avoidance hop establishment

NT win 5	A K 6 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A 4		1. S	2	7	A!	J
	—		2. N	4	5	K	10
	—		3. S	3	8	K!	9
Q 8 7		J 10 9	4. N	5
Q J 10		6 5
—		A
—		—
	4 3 2
	K 3 2
	—
South leads	—

If West plays Q either time, avoidance duck.

23.  Safety duck establishment

NT win 5	A K Q 5 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	5		1. S	2	6	4!	8
	—
	—
7 6		J 10 9 8
J 10 9 8		K Q
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	A 4 3 2
	—
South leads	—

Guards against 4-2 split (loses trick if 3-3).

24.  Jettison establishment

NT win 4	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	5 4 3 2		1. S	A!	2	A!	J
	—		2. S	Q
	—
3 2		K 4
10 9 8		K Q J
—		—
—		—
	Q J 10
	A
	A
South leads	—

25.  Entry jettison establishment

NT win 2	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	A		1. S	K	2	A!	A
	3 2
	—
—		A
2		4 3
A K		—
—		—
	K Q
	K
	—
South leads	—

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Anti establishment

26.  Holdup anti establishment

NT win 2	4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	K Q		1. W	5	3	K	2!
	—
	—
6 5		K Q J
A 5		4
—		—
—		—
	A 2
	3 2
	—
West leads	—

27.  Two-stopper holdup anti establishment

NT win 3	4 3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	Q J 10		1. W	6	2	Q	5!
	—
	—
7 6		Q J 10 9
A 9 8 7		K 5
—		—
—		—
	A K 5
	4 3 2
	—
West leads	—

Initial duck required no matter where A and K.

28.  Tempo duck anti establishment

NT win 3	7 6		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	K Q J		1. W	K	6	2	8!
	—
	—
K Q 10 9		5 4 3 2
2		A
—		—
—		—
	A J 8
	4 3
	—
West leads	—

Two-trick difference versus winning ace.

29.  Block anti establishment

NT win 2	A 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	K J		1. W	5	A!	J	2
	—		2. N	J!
	—
K 9 5		Q J
A		4 3
—		—
—		—
	10 3 2
	Q
	—
West leads	—

30.  Unblock anti avoidance establishment

NT win 2	J 10 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	6 5		1. W	4	9	K	Q!
	A
	—
A 6 5 4		K 3 2
A 4		K 3 2
—		—
—		—
	Q 8 7
	Q J 10
	—
West leads	—

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31.  Mid-unblock anti avoidance establishment

NT win 2	Q 10 7		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi?	Q J 10		1. W	4	10!	K	8
	—		2. E	2	9	A	Q!
	—
A 6 5 4		K 3 2
A 4		K 3 2
—		—
—		—
	J 9 8
	6 5
	A
West leads	—

32.  Gambit unblock anti avoidance establishment

NT win 2	K 5 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K Q		1. W	A	K!	8	2
	—
	—
A 7 6		Q 10 9 8
4 3		A
—		—
—		—
	J 3 2
	2
	A
West leads	—

33.  Entry creation sacrifice anti establishment

NT win 4	4 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	K 5 4		1. W	6	3	Q	K
	A		2. S	Q!	8	4	A
	—		3. E	J	A	7	4
8 7 6		Q J 10 9	4. S	2
10 9 8		A J
—		—
—		—
	A K 2
	Q 3 2
	—
West leads	—

34.  Entry removal sacrifice anti establishment

NT win 3	4 3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	10 5 4		1. W	6	2	9	K
	—		2. S	K!	7	4	A
	—
6 5		Q J 10 9
Q J 8 7		A 6
—		—
—		—
	A K
	K 9 3 2
	—
West leads	—

Study 9G01 Main

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© 2015 Richard Pavlicek