YOU are East and partner leads the six of hearts, declarer playing low from the dummy. how will you defend? At the table East played ‘third hand high’, contributing his king. Declarer won with the ace and soon set up a diamond trick and a second heart trick to go with his seven top tricks. The game was made and the players moved to the next board without any comment. East should not have played the king of hearts at Trick 1! Such a play will often cost a trick. Suppose South has A-10. Rising with the king will give him three heart tricks instead of two. When he has A-Q, he will make three quick heart tricks instead of two. You should play the two of hearts on the present deal, allowing South to win cheaply with the seven. You win the first diamond with the queen and return a low heart, South’s ace. You win the next diamond with the ace and cash the king of hearts. When your partner wins with the diamond king he can score his queen of heartsdisloging for one down. Whenever dummy has length in the suit led against notrumps be wary of wasting an honor in the third seat. By playing it, you promote the value of the dummy’s holding. Many players go through their bridge career without ever learning this lesson!
What will you say now?
Some players would be reluctant to bid 4H, fearing it would provoke 4S from North-South and this contract might be made. That is no reason to sell out when you hold such a fine hand. You might well make 4H. The opponents are most unlikely to have stopped out of 4S when this could be made.
YOU are East and partner leads the six of hearts, declarer playing low from the dummy. how will you defend? At the table East played ‘third hand high’, contributing his king. Declarer won with the ace and soon set up a diamond trick and a second heart trick to go with his seven top tricks. The game was made and the players moved to the next board without any comment. East should not have played the king of hearts at Trick 1! Such a play will often cost a trick. Suppose South has A-10. Rising with the king will give him three heart tricks instead of two. When he has A-Q, he will make three quick heart tricks instead of two. You should play the two of hearts on the present deal, allowing South to win cheaply with the seven. You win the first diamond with the queen and return a low heart, South’s ace. You win the next diamond with the ace and cash the king of hearts. When your partner wins with the diamond king he can score his queen of heartsdisloging for one down. Whenever dummy has length in the suit led against notrumps be wary of wasting an honor in the third seat. By playing it, you promote the value of the dummy’s holding. Many players go through their bridge career without ever learning this lesson!
Some players would be reluctant to bid 4H, fearing it would provoke 4S from North-South and this contract might be made. That is no reason to sell out when you hold such a fine hand. You might well make 4H. The opponents are most unlikely to have stopped out of 4S when this could be made.