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January 8, 2000
Looking Ahead and Test Your Third Hand Play

Looking Ahead

After a brief auction you win up in 4. The opening lead is the K. You have two sure club losers. How do you play trumps in order to avoid two trump losers?

North

Q43

5432

1076

A86

South

AK

KJ1098

AK

7532

Answer:

	North
	Q43
	5432
	1076
West	A86	East
J872		10965
Q7		A6
Q5		J98432
KQJ104	South	9
	AK
	KJ1098
	AK
	7532

The "normal" method of attacking this suit is to lead low to the J. That method assumes that you can repeat the finesse. On this hand the opening lead has removed your only dummy entry. No repeat finesse is possible. Ask yourself, "What division of the hearts will allow me to come home with only one heart loser?"

The four possibilities:

	LHO		RHO
1	Qx		Ax		Lead low to K, then play another.
2	Ax		Qx		Lead low to the J, then cash the K.
3	Q		A72		Lead low to the K, then play another.
4	72		AQ		Lead low and cover if the Q is played.

All other possibilities always lead to two heart losers and down one. Try it, you won’t find any others. Do not worry about those situations that you cannot control. You must assume that the hearts divide in such a way that you can do something about it. It appears to be a guess, with playing the K slight favorite.

Now the second part of looking ahead.

Playing the K is the ONLY choice!

What happens if the hearts behave as shown in #2?

You play low to the J and LHO wins the A. Now what?

LHO cashes two more clubs and leads a fourth round and RHO can always overtrump the dummy! Unless clubs divide 3-3 or 2-4 with LHO having KQ you will lose two clubs and two trumps (one to the A and one on an overtrump).

The answer is to play a low heart to the K! It is your only real hope.

You made it, didn’t you?

-----------------------------------------------------

Test Your Third Hand Play

This article is an excerpt from an article that first appeared in Issue #18 (May/Jun 1997) of The Bridge Companion.

#1

Partner leads the 6 and dummy plays the 4. Which spade do you play and why? You are East.

West	North	East	South
	1	Pass	1NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

	North
	K94
	AQ865
	74
West	QJ2	East (you)
???		AJ85
???		K1093
???		QJ106
???	South	7
	???
	???
	???
	???

#2

Partner leads the 9 and dummy plays the 2. Which club do you play and why? You are East.

West	North	East	South
	1	2	3NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

	North
	K94
	AQ8
	KJ74
West	J32	East (you)
???		Q5
???		1065
???		A65
???	South	KQ1087
	???
	???
	???
	???

#3

Partner leads the 3 and dummy plays the 5. Which diamond do you play and why? You are East.

West	North	East	South
	1	Pass	1
Pass	3	Pass	Pass
Pass

	North
	AQ104
	6
	AQ865
West	K87	East (you)
???		98
???		K973
???		K10742
???	South	QJ
	???
	???
	???
	???

Answers:

#1

	North
	K94
	AQ865
	74
West	QJ2	East (you)
Q1076		AJ85
742		K1093
932		QJ106
AK9	South	7
	32
	J
	AK85
	1086543

Partner’s lead should be fourth best so the Rule of Eleven should work. There are five spades higher than the 6 in the other three hands. You can see all five of them! Play the 5 and let partner’s 6 win the trick. After you cash four spade tricks you can start work on promotion in diamonds.

#2

	North
	K94
	AQ8
	KJ74
West	J32	East (you)
108632		Q5
9432		1065
Q83		A65
9	South	KQ1087
	AJ7
	KJ7
	1092
	A654

The 9 is either a singleton or the top of a doubleton. The 9 is high enough to force the A. With three or more partner should lead low. You should overtake with the 10 just in case partner has no more clubs. 3NT goes down one if you overtake the 9 with the 10 and continue clubs.

#3

	North
	AQ104
	6
	AQ865
West	K87	East (you)
K75		98
Q8542		K973
3		K10742
A1095	South	QJ
	J632
	AJ10
	J9
	6432

Partner’s lead should be either a singleton or from three to the J. If it is the latter then the 10 or 7 is right. Partner must have a singleton. With a void you would expect declarer to have accepted the game invitation. Also declarer would also try the free finesse with the Q. Play the K and lead another.

Thanks!
Gary King

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