Lesson 8(b) - Developing extra tricks

Ruff in dummy

Board 2:  Dlr E   NS Vul 

                        NORTH

                        ª 4

                        © AQT8

                        ¨ KJT

                        § Q7652

WEST                                     EAST
ª KJT3                                   ª AQ75

© 763                                      © 54

¨ A843                                   ¨ 965

§ 83                                        § AKT4
                           SOUTH

                        ª 9862

                         © KJ92

                         ¨ Q72

                         § J9 

 

East opens 1§.  West responds 1ª. With such a weak responding hand, focus on its likely best feature, a major. It is best to ignore the 'rule' of responding in the cheaper (= closer) of two four-card suits with very weak hands with one major suit. Remember: 'The minors aren't called the minors for nothing.'   

With a spade fit, East's hand is still a mini 14 TP and worth a raise to only 2ª.  West passes since 9 TP means there is no hope of game opposite 12-15 TP. 

North's hand is difficult to lead from - the heart 'tenace' (= a holding containing split honours) is especially unattractive, although on this deal ©A works out okay since partner, rather than declarer, holds ©K.  ¨J, top of an interior sequence – another tenace - in the unbid suit, is possible, though still risky as the declaring side may hold AQ between them and you will have given the opposition a quick extra trick.  Perhaps a low club, also risky, is the best of unattractive alternatives. 

Declarer can count only 7 tricks and 6 possible losers.  As with the previous deal, one extra trick to fulfil the contract can come from a heart ruff in dummy. 

Should declarer draw trumps first?  You can if they break 3-2.  But what if they are 4-1? 

 

¨   Declarers should try to plan for unpleasant scenarios:

'What if one opponent holds 4 trumps?  I will find this out after playing two rounds.  But it may then be too late to get my heart ruff.  Why?  I have to lose two hearts first.  What if a defender, realizing you want to trump a heart, could play a trump each time she won a heart?  There would be no trumps left to take care of my losing heart.’ 

With this unpleasant possibility in mind, declarer should win the lead, leave trumps for the moment, and lose a heart.  The defence can take only two diamonds and another heart.  And declarer can always arrange to ruff the third round of hearts (with a high trump - just in case), draw trumps and end up making 9 tricks, an overtrick, since the diamonds break 3-3, for +140 (3x30 + 50).