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July 29, 2000
Do You Have the Vision?

Do You Have the Vision?

Good declarer play requires vision. The ability to look ahead and identify the problem before it occurs. If you develop this skill then your success rate will most definitely improve. Here are three hands that require some vision. The answers can be found below.

#1

North

KJ97

865

QJ107

K7

South (you)

A10865

Q4

AK98

84

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	Pass	1
Pass	3	Pass	4
Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the A, cashes the K, and then leads a third heart on which East plays the J and you trump. Spades are not breaking 4-0. Plan the play.

#2

North

AK5

5432

76543

K

South (you)

743

A76

AK2

AJ65

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1NT
Pass	2*	Pass	2
Pass	3NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

*-Stayman - Artificial, asking if opener holds a four card major suit.

West leads the K which you allow to hold. West continues with the Q. East follows to both rounds of hearts. Plan the play.

#3

North

5432

654

A65

765

South (you)

AKQJ10

AQ

KQJ

AQJ

Playing all strong two bids:

West	North	East	South
		Pass	2
Pass	3	Pass	4NT
Pass	5	Pass	5NT
Pass	6	Pass	6
Pass	Pass	Pass

Playing weak two bids (strong 2):

West	North	East	South
		Pass	2
Pass	2	Pass	2
Pass	3	Pass	4NT
Pass	5	Pass	5NT
Pass	6	Pass	6
Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads a trump. Plan the play.

Answers:

#1
You cannot make the hand unless the A is onside (with West). West has already shown up with the top two hearts. If she held the A and the Q as well she would have opened the bidding. To make the hand, East must hold the Q. Lead a trump to the K and then finesse East for the Q. If West holds it you are going down anyway.

#2
The heart suit is dividing no worse than 4-2 so you can win the second heart (or wait to win the third round if you like). The defenders have a total of three heart tricks coming. You have seven top tricks and the two additional tricks will have to come from the diamond suit. A 3-2 break in diamonds is all that is necessary. If your analysis got you that far you did good, but you still go down from here if you are not careful. If you win the A and cash the A, K, and play a third diamond you will forever be blocked out of your A! The defenders will have any easy time keeping you in the dummy and away from your ninth trick. To keep your tricks untangled, win the A and lead a low diamond.

#3
Twenty nine high card points, what a hand! Of course the problem is that you have only one entry to dummy. First pull trump, but then which finesse do you take? The heart finesse is clearly the correct choice. The chance of either king in the East hand is the same (50%). The difference is that if the heart finesse works you no longer have a heart loser (you will lose only one club trick). If the club finesse works you very likley still have a club loser (you will still lose a club and a heart!).

Thanks!
Gary King

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