October 2020 - 40
Newer Players
Card Play 101
BY PHILLIP ALDER
bridgeforeveryone.com
Suit combinations (continued)
You have probably heard the expression "eight ever, nine never." It refers to
suit combinations when you have that
number of cards - eight or nine - combined between your two hands, you are
missing only the queen in the suit, and
you wish to avoid a loser in the suit. But
is either half correct?
Consider this suit combination:
Dummy (North)
♠A J 3 2
Declarer (You)
♠K 6 5 4
You would like to win four spade
tricks. You cash the ♠K (both opponents play low cards) and lead a second
spade, West playing low again. Would
you finesse the ♠J or ask for the ♠A?
We must assume that the suit is
splitting 3-2. If so, playing the king
and then low to the jack will succeed
60% of the time (because the queen is
onside or appears doubleton), while
playing the king and then the ace succeeds only 40% of the time (when RHO
holds the doubleton queen).
So, as you can see, finessing is much
better, hence "eight ever."
Let's strengthen your holding:
Dummy (North)
♥A 4 3 2
Declarer (You)
♥K J 10 9
How would you play that combination for no losers? You must find the
40 Bridge Bulletin October 2020
♥Q, but you can greatly increase your
chances by leading the ♥J from your
hand. Your left-hand opponent, if he
has the ♥Q, will probably either cover
or fumble for a moment or three, giving
the game away. If, though, he plays low
smoothly, win with dummy's ace and
finesse through East on the way back.
Of course, if you are sitting West
with the ♥Q, you must play low as
smoothly as the world's finest silk. We
have all heard of another infamous
expression: "Cover an honor with an
honor." It is wrong more often than not
- but that is a story for another article.
Next, look at this holding:
Dummy (North)
♣A J 3 2
Declarer (You)
♣K 9 5 4
How would you play this suit for
(i) four tricks or (ii) three tricks? We
think we know the answer for four
tricks: cash the ♣K, then play low to
dummy's ♣J. But wait one moment:
Suppose this is the full distribution:
West
♣Q
Dummy (North)
♣A J 3 2
East
♣10 8 7 6
Declarer (You)
♣K 9 5 4
Now you lose a trick to East's ♣10.
Instead, because you cannot play the
suit without loss if East has the singleton queen, start with a low card from
your hand. If West plays low, put in
dummy's ♣J. But when West plays the
♣Q, win with dummy's ♣A, cash the
♣J, and finesse through East on the
third round.
If you need only three tricks, there is
a 100% safety play: Start with dummy's
♣A, then lead toward your hand, covering East's card as cheaply as possible,
which is important when this is the full
layout:
West
♣6
Dummy (North)
♣A J 3 2
East
♣Q 10 8 7
Declarer (You)
♣K 9 5 4
Or, if East discards on the second
round, win with your ♣K and lead
through West up to dummy's ♣J.
Dlr: West ♠ K 5 3 2
Vul: Both ♥ A J 3
IMPs
♦QJ98
♣32
♠AJ64
♥KQ9
♦ A 10 5 4
♣QJ
You are South. West opens the bidding 1♣, and partner makes a takeout
double. East passes, and you eventually arrive in 4♠ with the opponents
remaining silent throughout the rest of
the auction.
West cashes two top clubs, then
exits with a heart. How would you
http://www.bridgeforeveryone.com
October 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2020
In First Seat - Paul Linxwiler
Inbox -Letters to the Editor
Prestigious Premiere
Never Give Up
Obituary - Justin Lall (1986-2020)
College Try
Virtual Youth NABC
BBO Helpdesk
The Rise and Fall of the Precision Team
Obituary - Dave Smith (1944-2020)
Ruling the Game
Continuing Education
The Bidding Box
It's Your Call
Card Play 101 - by Phillip Alder
Parrish the Thought - Adam Parrish
Reasoning with Robert - Robert Todd
Startup Bridge by Lynn Berg
Lessons Learned by Michael Berkowitz
Bidding Basics by Larry Cohen
West Hands -Bidding Box
Ask Jerry - by Jerry Helms
East Hands -Bidding Box
Mike's Bridge Lesson - Mike Lawrence
Chalk Talk- Eddie Kantar
Defensive Maneuvers - Paul Ross
The Real Deal - by Larry Cohen
Challenge of the Month
Boehm on Bridge
Bidding Matters - by Karen Walker
Mike's Advice - by Mike Lawrence
Test Your Play
My Bridge and Yours - by Frank Stewart
Solutions to Test Your Play
Dear Billy - by Billy Miller
Bridge with the Abbot - by David Bird
George's World - by George Jacobs
Life Master Milestones
Puzzle Page
New Life Masters
In Memoriam
Obituary - Jimmy Pelham (1926-2020)
Obituary - David Priest (1940-2020)
Obituary - Lou Henson (1932-2020)
Obituary - Lee Wilson (1929-2020)
Obituary - Victor King (1955-2020)
Obituary - Cristal Nell (1978-2020)
Tournament Directory
October 2020 - 1
October 2020 - 2
October 2020 - 3
October 2020 - 4
October 2020 - 5
October 2020 - In First Seat - Paul Linxwiler
October 2020 - Inbox -Letters to the Editor
October 2020 - 8
October 2020 - Prestigious Premiere
October 2020 - 10
October 2020 - 11
October 2020 - 12
October 2020 - 13
October 2020 - Never Give Up
October 2020 - 15
October 2020 - 16
October 2020 - 17
October 2020 - 18
October 2020 - Obituary - Justin Lall (1986-2020)
October 2020 - 20
October 2020 - 21
October 2020 - College Try
October 2020 - Virtual Youth NABC
October 2020 - BBO Helpdesk
October 2020 - The Rise and Fall of the Precision Team
October 2020 - 26
October 2020 - 27
October 2020 - 28
October 2020 - Obituary - Dave Smith (1944-2020)
October 2020 - Ruling the Game
October 2020 - Continuing Education
October 2020 - The Bidding Box
October 2020 - 33
October 2020 - 34
October 2020 - 35
October 2020 - It's Your Call
October 2020 - 37
October 2020 - 38
October 2020 - 39
October 2020 - Card Play 101 - by Phillip Alder
October 2020 - Parrish the Thought - Adam Parrish
October 2020 - Reasoning with Robert - Robert Todd
October 2020 - Startup Bridge by Lynn Berg
October 2020 - Lessons Learned by Michael Berkowitz
October 2020 - West Hands -Bidding Box
October 2020 - 46
October 2020 - East Hands -Bidding Box
October 2020 - Mike's Bridge Lesson - Mike Lawrence
October 2020 - Chalk Talk- Eddie Kantar
October 2020 - Defensive Maneuvers - Paul Ross
October 2020 - The Real Deal - by Larry Cohen
October 2020 - Challenge of the Month
October 2020 - 53
October 2020 - Boehm on Bridge
October 2020 - Bidding Matters - by Karen Walker
October 2020 - Mike's Advice - by Mike Lawrence
October 2020 - Test Your Play
October 2020 - My Bridge and Yours - by Frank Stewart
October 2020 - Solutions to Test Your Play
October 2020 - Dear Billy - by Billy Miller
October 2020 - Bridge with the Abbot - by David Bird
October 2020 - George's World - by George Jacobs
October 2020 - 63
October 2020 - Life Master Milestones
October 2020 - Puzzle Page
October 2020 - New Life Masters
October 2020 - Obituary - Jimmy Pelham (1926-2020)
October 2020 - Obituary - Lee Wilson (1929-2020)
October 2020 - Obituary - Cristal Nell (1978-2020)
October 2020 - 70
October 2020 - Tournament Directory
October 2020 - 72
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