Aug '99

A S S U M P T I O N S

What to lead?

The following item in Newsgroup "rec.games.bridge" on 30th Aug is a nice premable to the hand that follows:

"Actually Matt Granovetter gave a real quick and dirty guideline on what to lead against suits in on of his early books (think it was called "Murder at Bridge" or something like that) here was the guidelines in order of preference

Leading an unsupported Ace was not allowed.

Was told a story about a student who followed this guideline without fail. The opponents got to 4 spades and she doubled and then with her to lead she just sat there. When after awhile, Matt said "its your lead", she said she couldn't. Seems she had all 4 aces and all unsupported.

Nick France" 


IMP-31      DAGj        Dlr: West
Board 276   S KT9       Vul: Both
            H 94
MAGpies     D Q76       Kirsten
S A82       C AQJ93     S Q6543
H K8                    H 
D AT95      larsg       D KJ32
C K874      S J7        C T652
            H AQJT76532
            D 84
            C 

West     North    East     South
MAGpies  DAGj     Kirsten  larsg

1C       Pass     1S       4H       
Pass     Pass     Pass              

Opening lead: SA    Result: Made 4
Score: 620          Points:   8.92

 1  West   SA,  9,  3,  7
 2  West   S8,  K,  5,  J
 3  North  CA,  5, D4, C7
 4  North  H9, D2  

   ***claimed 4***
West had a tough task after the lead of the spade ace. How should he continue?

In situations like this where the hand is wild, East's duty is to give count. If this were the case here, and East was showing 5 spades, then West must assume just 1 trick for the defense in spades. Add to this a trick in trumps and the diamond ace, West has to assume that East has the diamond king in order to beat the contract. In any case, East has to have this monarch to make up his bid of 1S.

West should lead another unsupported ace at trick 2, and continue with a diamond.

With the club finesse on, this hand becomes an urgent "cash out" situation.

Do   you   play count on the lead in this situation?

 

Another assumption to make

 

You reach 6H- (blame partner) on this combined trump holding:

You lose the spade ace at trick 1. You have to play the trumps for no losers. How must the trumps behave?

Think about it before you read on...

  


Pairs       toot        Dlr: East
Board 18    S T98543    Vul: N-S
            H 6532
byl         D 8         avo
S KQ6       C T9        S J7
H A974                  H KT8
D KQJ3      jaycee31    D AT92
C KJ        S A2        C A864
            H QJ
            D 7654
            C Q7532

West     North    East     South
byl      toot     avo      jaycee31

                  1D       Pass     
1H       Pass     2H       Pass     
4NT      Pass     5H       Pass     
6H       Pass     Pass     Pass     

Opening lead: ST    Result: Down 3
Score: 150          Points:   0.00

 1  North  ST,  J,  A,  6
 2  South  S2,  K,  3,  7
 3  West   H4,  2,  8,  Q
 4  South  C2,  J,  9,  4
 5  West   H7,  3,  T,  J
 6  South  C3,  K,  T,  6
 7  West   H9,  5,  K, D4
 8  East   CA,  5, D3, H6
 9  North  S9, C8, C7, SQ
10  West   HA, S4, D2, CQ
11  West   DK,  8,  9,  7
12  West   DQ, S5, DT, D5
13  West   DJ, S8, DA, D6

This hand was played in a recent OKB Tourney.

 

You should drop the trump queen and jack by plunking down the tops.

 

There is no other holding that will assist you.

 

Funny thing is that the trump queen and jack both scored tricks here!

 


 

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