Queries 9R06 Main

Defensive Play

by Richard Pavlicek

This page contains selected queries to “Ask Richard” related to the above title, though discussion may include other topics. Presentation is reverse-chronological. Names, greetings and personal messages have been removed to respect privacy and focus on bridge.

Queries and follow-ups by the enquirer are shown like this.

1. Suit preference Texas 2011

West North East South Matchpoints A K 8 6 2 Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1 Pass 1 NT None vul A 9 5 1. W 4 5 J 3
Pass Pass Pass J 10 2. E Q 6 K 9
9 6 2
10 9 7 5 Table ?
K 10 7 4 2 ?
K 8 4 ?
7 ?
?
?
?
1 NT South ?

Should West continue with the 10 as suit preference (perhaps guiding declarer) or the 2 to show partner the distribution? Are there any general guidelines for this situation?

First, any heart would be suit preference, since partner will know you held five hearts when South’s 8 appears. A debatable matter is whether the 7 would be (1) no preference or (2) preference for diamonds treating spades as high and clubs as low. My philosophy is that suit preference is always a two-suit issue, so if three potential suits exist, one must be eliminated by logic; hence Option 1 with spades being eliminated. Therefore, the 10 stands out as suit preference for diamonds.

In general, while suit preference might help declarer, there are many more cases where the information will be crucial to partner; so you have to be careful about deception. For example, if West returned the 2 or 7, and East held Q-x-x Q-J Q-x-x-x A-J-10-x, he would pitch a club, gifting that suit to declarer.

2. Old chestnut revisited Germany 2011

West North East South IMPs 10 9 8 Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1 NT None vul 8 7 1. W 3 8 J A!
Pass 3 NT Pass Pass Q J 10 8 2. S 6 8 K 7
Pass K Q J 5 3. N Q 2 5 K
K 7 4 3 2 Table J 6 5
Q 9 4 3 A K 10 2
K 4 7 3 2
8 3 10 9 7
A Q
J 6 5
A 9 6 5
3 NT South A 6 4 2

On this lesson deal, a German bridge trainer says that South should win the ace at Trick 1, so West will be tricked into leading a low spade when he wins the K. Is this correct? As West, would you fall for this trick?

The advice is correct, since declarer has nine tricks if the diamond finesse wins; but if it loses, the only hope is to divert a heart shift. If South wins the queen at Trick 1, West will certainly shift to hearts.

The tactic is well-known, so it’s not a case of being tricked. An expert West knows that South has either (1) A-x-(x) and played normally or (2) A-Q-(x-x) and falsecarded. Also, in Case 1 South must have a doubleton for spades to run. Consequently, there are more falsecard holdings needing a heart shift than normal holdings where a spade continuation sets the contract — but, declarer would not always have falsecarded in Case 2, which brings it back to a close guess.

A defensive method to solve this is the Smith echo. When declarer leads a club at Trick 2, East’s play indicates his attitude toward the opening lead: High means he likes spades (showing Q), and low means he doesn’t. Alas, in this case East’s 7 is ambiguous (could be 10-9-7 or 7-x-x) so even Smith users will be guessing.* In potentially ambiguous situations, perhaps East’s next play ( 2) should be a clarification. Food for thought.

*Some experts flip-flop the meanings (reverse Smith) which is lucky here, as the 10 to show dislike would be crystal clear.

3. Sunken ship Texas 2011

West North East South IMPs 2 Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
1 Both vul K Q 10 9 1. W 3 K 4? 5
Pass 1 Pass 1 K Q J 9 7 5 2. N K 2 3 A
Pass 2 Pass 2 NT K 9 3. W 3?
Pass 3 NT All Pass 9 8 6 Table J 10 7 5 4
J 8 6 3 7 5 4 2
A 10 2
A J 10 3 2 Q 4
A K Q 3
A
8 6 4 3
3 NT South 8 7 6 5

Should East play the Q at Trick 1? Or should West cash the A at Trick 3?

Tough one. Normally I would do as East did, since South is marked with four clubs from the lead; but the appearance of dummy suggests extreme measures, despite the long shot of West having A-J-10-3-2. (Usually the jack is led from an A-J-10 holding, but I agree with fourth-best here.)

West also had a difficult guess. East having the A was a long shot — but so was the Q with South bidding notrump and East playing his lowest club.

Some would argue that the Smith echo would work here. At Trick 2, East would play the 10 to say he likes the opening lead. Unfortunately, this is not very convincing, as East would often have a singleton diamond on the bidding.

Rather than dwell on a rare, unfortunate situation, call it a fix by North; never to show the diamond fit could easily have missed a slam. I would have bid 1 1 ; 1 3 (forcing); 3 (strength) 3 NT, which also right-sides the declarer. Alas, down like the Titanic if East leads the Q.

4. Two red jack Italy 2011

West North East South Matchpoints A 9 8 Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
Pass Pass None vul 10 8 1. W Q 8 2 K
1 ¹ 2 Pass 2 NT A 10 7 6 3 2. S K 2 3 5
Pass Pass Pass A 7 2 3. S 9 4 6 J
? Table 7 3 2
1. Italian, 4+ cards ? J 6 3
? J 8 5
? K Q 10 3
?
?
?
2 NT South ?

After winning the J, what should East lead next?

The apparent danger is that West is 4=5=3=1 with A-Q-9-x-x. If East returns anything but the J, declarer can cash his tricks (including the A) and endplay West with the third spade. Conflicting evidence is that declarer made no avoidance attempt (i.e., winning the A on the second round to feed West the queen) but this may have no bearing, as other actions mark N-S as a weak pair.* A deciding factor is that the J can hardly lose; if South has the key spots ( K-9-x or even K-9-7-x) he has no hand entry to enjoy a heart trick.

*No expert would overcall 2 with the North hand. A great majority would double, and the rest would pass.

Confucius say: Win one red jack, lead two red jack.

Queries 9R06 Main Top Defensive Play

5. When will I ever learn? Texas 2011

West North East South Any scoring 9 3 Trick Lead 2nd 3rd 4th
Pass 1 E-W vul A 6 5 2 1. W K 2 10 4
Pass 1 NT Dbl Rdbl J 5 3 2 2. W 9 2 10 3
2 Pass Pass 2 J 4 3 3. E K 7 4 A
All Pass J 10 7 6 2 Table 8 4. N 3 8 A 2
9 4 K Q J 10 5. S K 6 9 9
A K 6 Q 10 9 7 6. S A 10 3 2
10 8 6 9 7 5 2 7. S K 8 4 5
A K Q 5 4 8. S Q 6 J 7
8 7 3 9. S 8 A 3 7
8 4 10. W J 5 9 Q
2 South A K Q 11. S 5 7 5 J
12. W 10 6 Q 4

Playing ace from A-K, I mistakenly led the K. Partner discouraged (upside-down) and I switched to a heart. At Trick 9, I precipitously won the A to lead trumps, and partner later pitched the wrong card at Trick 12. How simple it would have been just to duck at Trick 9, allowing partner to win and lead a good heart. All my fault! When will I ever learn?

To paraphrase Professor Irwin Corey, that’s a two-part question. The first part: “When” has confounded mankind since life on Earth began, and despite hypotheses by the great philosophers, no concrete answer exists. The second part: “Will you ever learn?” No.

Look at the bright side: At Trick 2 you shifted to a heart, without which declarer could always succeed. Also, East gets a share of the blame. From his perspective the only missing heart was the eight, so if you had a heart left it would be high; and simplest of all, you bid diamonds after his takeout double, which could hardly be a doubleton.

About 30 years ago Bill Root cryptically asked, “Where have all the flowers gone?”
I was puzzled until he clarified I had overbid and should be “long time passing.”
When will I ever learn? Good question!

Queries 9R06 Main Top Defensive Play

`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`	Matchpoints	A K 8 6 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	1	Pass	1 NT	None vul	A 9 5		1. W	4	5	J	3
Pass	Pass	Pass			J 10		2. E	Q	6	K	9
					9 6 2
				10 9 7 5		?
				K 10 7 4 2		?
				K 8 4		?
				7		?
					?
					?
					?
				1 NT South	?

West	North	East	South	IMPs	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
			1	Both vul	K Q 10 9		1. W	3	K	4?	5
Pass	1	Pass	1		K Q J 9 7 5		2. N	K	2	3	A
Pass	2	Pass	2 NT		K 9		3. W	3?
Pass	3 NT	All Pass		9 8 6		J 10 7 5 4
				J 8 6 3		7 5 4 2
				A		10 2
				A J 10 3 2		Q 4
					A K Q 3
					A
					8 6 4 3
				3 NT South	8 7 6 5