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Suit Combinations
Here we look at individual suits, and how to play them for the maximum return.
Back on Board 4, when it was N-S in their 7-0 fit, Declarer held AQ98743 … then we said that the best play for just two losers was Ace, then Queen, hoping to pin either the doubleton Ten or doubleton Jack. But here, with AQ96432, it doesn’t help us to do that … even if the Ten or the Jack came down doubleton, our lesser spot holding would still result in 3 losers … no, with this suit, the only chance to hold the trump losses to 2 tricks when trumps are 4-2 is to lay down the Ace, and then play a low card, hoping that the King is doubleton. As it happens, the King does come down, but it’s still -500 for virtually no matchpoints.
The play looks simple enough but it does contain a small trap for the unwary Declarer. West, of course, leads a Heart to East’s Ace, and a Heart is continued to Declarer’s King. At this point Declarer’s fate hinges on the Club finesse … down one if it loses, making 10 or 11 tricks if it succeeds. Most Declarers we know prefer 11 tricks to 10, and that requires correct play in the Club suit. The plan should be to lead a low Club to Dummy’s Jack, and, if that wins, to cross back to hand on a Diamond and lead another low Club towards Dummy. This is the best chance of bringing in 4 Club tricks, catering for K or Kx with West as well as the more friendly and Declarer-proof holding of Kxx. If Declarer makes the mistake of leading the Q♣ at Trick Two, she’ll have only 10 tricks (West must cover, of course).
South leads a 4th best Diamond, and Declarer ducks North's Jack, if only for practice. Now, after winning the Q♦ continuation, it all comes down to how Declarer plays the Spades. If he can play the suit for one loser he’ll make 7 tricks, otherwise it will be down two for the dreaded -200. Looking at the suit in isolation the percentage play is to finesse twice through the North hand, giving an almost 80% chance of at least three tricks in the suit. But, alas for Declarer, he has only one entry to the board, so must choose between one of these less promising plays: - Cash the A♠ and lead towards the Queen … if the King or the Jack appear from South, things are simple … if South plays low on the second round, Declarer plays the Eight, hoping that South started with Jxx (reasoning that, with the King, South might have grabbed it in order to rattle off a bunch of Diamonds) - Cross to the A♥ and run the Queen hoping that the King is with North or that, if the King is with South, that the Jack will fall on the next round.
The odds of these two lines are not that far apart (around 60%), but the play of the Diamond suit and our knowledge of human nature suggest a more promising line. It looks as if the Diamonds are 6-3, and we don’t know many Souths who would be able to duck holding the K♠ when they have 4 Diamonds in their hand, begging to be cashed. So, we suggest a low Spade towards the Queen (without first cashing the A♠), challenging South to duck holding the King. If South does play low, we’ll finesse the Spade Eight, and if that loses to the Jack, we’ll confidently finesse North for the K♠ after the run of the Diamonds. Psychological plays are so much more fun than mathematically correct ones, don’t you think?
Declarer is destined to make 11 tricks in 4♥ provided that he manages not to revoke. It makes no difference on the actual layout, but the question is “What is the correct way to tackle the trump suit?” Of course, we’ll always lose at least one trick in the suit, the idea is to find the line that maximizes our chances of avoiding the second loser. The two choices are: - Cash the A♥ first, which works fine when trumps are 2-2 or one opponent has a singleton honor. - Take a first round finesse, and, if that loses, then finesse again, playing South to have either or both of the missing honors. Provided that Declarer has sufficient entries, and further provided that there is no impending defensive ruff on the horizon, the clear winner is to finesse twice. That succeeds 76% of the time, whereas starting with the A♥ is only a 66% shot.
6♦ is a fine slam indeed, requiring no more than a modicum of luck in the trump suit. The correct way to handle that particular holding for a maximum of one loser is to lay down the Ace (catering for the off-side singleton King), cross to the board, and lead towards the Queen. This works 77% of the time, and the slam fails only when trumps are 4-0 or when South holds KJ9 or KJ2. Unfortunately, the actual layout falls into the 23% category and the slam fails. Rotten luck for the good bidders.
Despite the 8-card major fit and the combined 26 HCP’s, the contract needs careful play to succeed. Let’s say that South starts out with a Spade (nothing else looks attractive). How do you play the trump suit for one loser? If the suit is 3-2, there will be no problem, and if South has 4 Hearts there is no chance. But how about when North has 4 Hearts? There are two safety plays available, which one is preferable, do you think? - Take a first round finesse of the Nine, catering for the possibility of North holding QJT7 or QJT2 - Cash a high Heart and then, if an honor appears from South, cross to Dummy, planning to finesse if North plays low. This line caters for North starting with QJ72 or QT72 or JT72. Clearly the second line is slightly better, as it takes care of three 4-1 breaks, not just two. And it’s also the one that works on the actual hand.
Playing in a Spade contract, how would you handle that trump holding? If trumps are 3-2 then there will be 2 trump losers regardless, Declarer just leads honors from her hand. How about the 4-1 breaks? If one defender has AQ9x, then there is no escaping 3 trump losers. But, if trumps are 4-1, with the singleton Queen or Nine in one hand or the other, then the lead of the King is the way to go, holding the trump losers to just two tricks.
But, the suit is 3-2 and the Spade play turns out to be academic, and it’s 10 tricks for Declarer.
Against 6♣, let’s say that North is on lead and starts with the A♥ and another Heart which is ruffed by Declarer. How would you play the Clubs? With the Heart length in the South hand it makes sense to play North for the Q♣. Which is better, do you think? - Cash the K♣, and then run the J♣? - Or, run the Jack immediately? If Clubs are 3-2 if won’t matter, this is all about the 4-1 breaks. If we cash the K♣ first, we’ll pick up a singleton Queen with South (just one possible holding). If we finesse immediately we can pick up Qxxx in the North hand, which is 4 possible holdings and therefore clearly superior. Good technique, but unnecessary on the actual hand where the trumps turn out to be 3-2.
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