October 2012 - 44

Play & Learn

Pat Harrington
mrsbridge@embarqmail.com

Managing entries
In a suit contract, declarer's toolkit
has a limited number of basic solutions for avoiding losers: ruffing, discarding and turning potential losers
into winners based on power (as in
a finesse) or length. It's how a player
puts those techniques together that
matters. Suit establishment - making
one or more cards in a long suit good
so declarer can discard losers - is
one of declarer's most valuable skills.
The long suit is usually in dummy,
so the question is: How long should
it be? Long enough that there is a
chance both defenders will run out of
that suit so at least one of dummy's
low cards is good.
With, say, A K 8 6 3 in dummy opposite 5 4 in your hand, the defenders' six cards could split 3-3 or 4-2,
which would make one or more low
cards in dummy good. A 5-1 or 6-0
split will not help you.
With 8 7 6 5 in dummy opposite
9 3 2 in your hand, only a lucky 3-3
split of the six missing cards will allow for a discard.
With five low cards in dummy opposite one in your hand, the defenders'
seven cards could split 4-3, making
one low card in dummy good. Any
44 Bridge Bulletin October 2012

worse split does nothing for you.
A suit such as A K Q 6 5 4 2 in
dummy could provide no tricks if you
are void in that suit and can't reach
dummy. If you can get there, you will
take three to seven tricks depending
on how the defenders' six cards split
and how many dummy entries you
have. One entry is enough for seven
tricks when the six missing cards split
3-3. Additional entries are needed on
other splits.
There is a "rule" of sorts to help
you predict the most likely splits for
different suit combinations. Think of
odd-even as your guideline. With three
or more missing cards (odd number),
the opponents' cards are most likely
to split as evenly as possible. An even
number of missing cards is most likely
to split one off from exactly even. For
example, six cards (even number) will
split 4-2 more often than 3-3. With
five missing cards (odd number), the
split will be 3-2 more often than 4-1.
Declarer usually has to ruff dummy's long suit good. Before committing to suit establishment, make sure
you have the entries to ruff and get
back to dummy to use the good card
you worked so hard to establish.
Entries are critical when you plan to
establish dummy's long suit.
For example: Dummy has 7 6 4 3 2.
You have A 5. The six missing clubs
are more likely to split 4-2, so dummy
will probably need three entries outside of clubs. You can lead twice from
your hand but you will need entries to
dummy to lead clubs two more times,
then a third entry to enjoy that hardearned extra trick. If you are desper-

ate and have only two dummy entries
or if you must discard two losers,
you'll have to play for a 3-3 split.
Swap your A for one of dummy's
low clubs to get A 7 6 4 3 opposite
5 2. Do you still need three entries
outside of clubs to cater to a 4-2 split?
Not if you use the A as a key entry.
Win dummy's A on the second club
lead, which puts you in dummy for a
ruff. Now you need only two dummy
entries outside of clubs.
Planning entries gets easier with
practice, so cover up the East-West
hands and plan your play in 6 as
South with the 10 opening lead.
KJ4
A3
J6532
A65
 10 9 8 7
632
N
64
975
W E
A84
 Q 10 9 7
S
 Q 10 7 2
J94
AQ5
 K Q J 10 8 2
K
K83
South's losers are one diamond
(fast) and one club (slow) - one too
many. Are you happy to see that fivecard suit in dummy? You should be. It
could be your salvation!
You have six diamonds between
your hand and dummy. East-West
have seven diamonds, which are
most likely to split 4-3. If you play
diamonds five times, you can discard
your club loser on the fifth diamond.
The only hitch is that four dummy ➤

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2012