Lesson 8(c) - don't let opponents ruff your winners

Draw trumps ASAP

Board 3  Dlr S   EW Vul 

                       NORTH

                       ª AQT

                       © 3

                       ¨ J98532

                       § 853

WEST                                   EAST

ª J52                                     ª 984

© KT6                                   © AQJ982

¨ AKQ4                                ¨ 6

§ JT2                                     § A97

                         SOUTH

                         ª K763

                         © 754

                         ¨ T7

                         § KQ64 

 

West opens 1¨.  Over a 1© response from East (which may show only 4 ©s), there is no guaranteed heart fit. With a balanced 14-count and no 4-card spade suit, the most descriptive rebid is 1NT (= a balanced 12-14).  East now knows there is a heart fit and with 14 TP bids the heart game. 

Looking at all four hands, it is easy to see that a spade lead will allow the defence to take the first three tricks.  However, holding §KQ and only ªK, this South was more inclined to lead a club.  Alas for the defenders, this lead is very helpful to declarer because her club losers are reduced to only one. 

Declarer can count 10 top tricks.  But she also has 4-5 possible losers - 3 in spades and 1 in clubs if a club is led, 2 on any other lead. How can this number be reduced?  Easy - two can be thrown away on dummy's extra diamond winners. 

Do you draw trumps first?  This time the answer is yes because there is no urgency to discard losers.  The opponents cannot win the lead until much later, after they are out of trumps and after losers have been discarded. 

And if you don't draw trumps, South will trump the third round of diamonds and cash 3 winners for one down and you will score -100 instead of +620.  Ouch! 

Board 4   Dlr W   All Vul 

                      NORTH

                      ª AK6

                      © J643

                      ¨ A43

                      § J54

WEST                             EAST
ª 98742                          ª QJT5

© K2                               © A

¨ KQJ5                           ¨ T92

§ 76                                 § T9832

                        SOUTH

                      ª 3

                      © QT9875

                      ¨ 876

                      § AKQ 

West must pass as dealer.  North opens 1§ with 3-3 in the minors, East passes, and South responds 1©.  With 4-card support and 13TP North makes a minimum raise to 2©.  Knowing there is a fit, South re-evaluates and is now 14TP.  And so she jumps to game in 4©. 

West has an easy ¨K lead.  Declarer is looking at two trump losers for sure and two diamond losers after ¨A is dislodged - too many.  The good news is that there are 10 winners available - 4 in trumps, 3 clubs, 2 spades and 1 diamond.  The problem is how to win ten before the opponents take their four.  

You must dispose of a loser before they win the lead again.  How?  As in the previous deal, you can discard one, this time on dummy's extra spade winner. 

So, do you draw trumps at trick two?  No, because the defence will win and cash their two diamonds.  With another trump winner to come, they will defeat you.  You must first discard one diamond loser on dummy's extra spade winner before playing a trump.  Then you will make 10 tricks for +620 instead of -100 for one down.