June 2020 - 54

Intermediate Players

Boehm on Bridge
BY AUGUST BOEHM

Along the spectrum - part 4
So far in this series we've been
discussing constructive bidding, but
thinking along the spectrum can be
applied to defensive bidding as well.
When contemplating a sacrifice, first
look at the vulnerability (not vul. vs.
vul. is best), then calculate your
chances on defense. You want to avoid
sacrificing against a contract that has
a fair chance to fail - the ignominious
and expensive phantom save.
With only the opponents vulnerable,
LHO opens 1♠, partner leaps to 5♦,
and RHO does some leaping of his own
with 6♠, over to you. On this exciting
auction, how do you rate the four hands
below for defensive prospects, and
what would you bid with each?

A
B
C
D

♠7 3 ♥A 9 5 2 ♦10 9 8 ♣J 10 9 6
♠A 7 3 ♥10 9 8 7 6 5 2 ♦8 5 2 ♣-
♠A 7 3 ♥10 9 8 7 6 5 2 ♦- ♣J 8 6
♠3 ♥10 2 ♦J 8 5 3 2 ♣K Q 8 6 4

Hand A contains promising defense.
For one, there's a chance that the opponents are off two cashing aces. The
5♦ preempt deprived the opponents of
Blackwood. Partner needn't hold nine
diamonds, an odds-against proposition
on dealing probabilities, and he might
jump to 5♦ on a solid eight-bagger,
favorably vulnerable. In addition,
partner could lead a singleton heart
and receive a ruff. Once in a while, your
club holding produces a trick if their
clubs divide 4-4 with no discard avail-

54 Bridge Bulletin June 2020

able. Pass with reasonable hopes that
the slam goes set.
Hand B is a different animal. There
is a great defensive chance, in fact a
sure thing. If partner can be induced
to lead a club, the slam goes down. Fortunately, there is a way: the Lightner
double. Double against voluntarily bid
slams is best used to ask for an unusual
lead, usually predicated on the doubler
holding a void. Partner would normally
try to cash his presumed ♦A. After you
double, he rejects the usual and seeks
the unusual. He should lead his longest
side suit, clubs given your extreme
heart length, in the expectation of
hitting your void. The purpose of the
Lightner double is to vastly increase
the chance of setting the slam, not the
extra points. The wise S.J. Simon wrote
that he would willingly trade all of the
conventions of his day in exchange for
the Lightner double.
On Hand C, you dearly want a diamond lead, so don't double. This may
seem paradoxical but it's an extension of the Lightner principle. When
partner's normal lead is what you
desire, pass and let it happen. Double
induces him to look elsewhere. This
lead-directing double was invented by
Theodore Lightner in 1929, and it has
amply stood the test of time.
Hand D has too little defense to want
to defend against 6♠, and the sacrifice
in 7♦ figures to be worthwhile, three
major suit losers and one club, minus
800 instead of at least 1430. Before

bidding 7♦, though, consider continuations. The opponents might bid 7♠
and it could be laydown, especially if
partner makes the innocent lead of the
♦A. Declarer receives a gift at trick
one, a ruff-and-sluff, and it is predictable because counting tells you that
both opponents are void in diamonds.
If you decide to sacrifice, a percentage
proposition, bid a lead-directing 7♣ to
prevent partner's damaging diamond
lead. Someone will double and you
retreat to 7♦. This leaves you in a winning position if the full deal resembles:
♠ K 10 8 6 5
♥KJ73
♦-
♣AJ93
♠9
♠3
♥95
♥ 10 2
♦ A K Q 10 9 7 6 4
♦J8532
♣ 10 5
♣KQ864
♠AQJ742
♥AQ864
♦-
♣72
As projected, 7♦ is down four, and
against 7♠, if partner is persuaded to
lead a club (or a major), declarer has
only 12 tricks. Eventually, he must lose
a club. A diamond lead allows declarer
to ruff in dummy and sluff a club from
his hand, a disaster if N-S bid the
grand slam.
◾
June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2020
