May 2021 - 49
Newer Players
Parrish the Thought
Adam's bridge maxims
O
ver the next couple of months,
I'm going to share some of
my bridge maxims with you
- insights and inferences you can use
to guide you in practical, everyday
situations. These are not hard-and-fast
rules, just good guidelines that will
prove useful most of the time.
The first one is simple and obvious,
but that's a good place to start:
If they don't lead a singleton,
they don't have one.
A singleton is among the most attractive leads against a suit contract, so if
your left-hand opponent has one, they
are probably going to lead it. When
they lead something else, you can bet
they don't have a singleton. Sometimes
that information can be very useful.
Q98
A876
A 10 4 3
Q8
AKJ72
53
KQ92
65
The contract is 4, the lead the 2.
You're losing two clubs and a heart.
The only other worry is the diamond
suit, where a 4-1 split could doom you.
However, since you hold the 10 and the
9, you can pick up a 4-1 split if you play
the suit the right way. Clearly, you're
not finessing the first or second round,
since a 3-2 split is most common
- you'd hate to lose an unnecessary
finesse to the jack when just cashing the A-K-Q would have meant no
losers in the suit. But after taking two
winners, if someone shows out, you
BY ADAM PARRISH
adam@adamparrishbridge.com
adamparrishbridge.com
can finesse the jack - if you've guessed
to play the suit correctly.
Say I told you East held J 8 7 5. You
would play the K A, see West show
out, and finesse to your 9. If it were
West holding the four diamonds, you
would cash the K-Q, see East show
out, and then finesse dummy's 10. It's a
pure guess. Or is it?
West's opening lead was the 2.
They would have led a singleton diamond if they had one. So, if someone
has a singleton diamond, it's going to
be East. Therefore, the correct play is
to cash the K Q, giving you a chance
to finesse against the jack if West has
J-x-x-x.
Q98
A876
A 10 4 3
Q8
10 4
653
N
Q 10 4 2
KJ9
W
E
J 8 7 5
6
S
K 9 2
A J 10 7 4 3
AKJ72
53
KQ92
65
Win the lead with the A, draw
trumps, and play the K Q. If East
followed suit, you would just cash the
A and claim. When East shows out,
you have the A 10 behind West's
J 8 and can take the marked finesse.
Without the inference from the lead,
you would have a blind guess which
way to play this suit.
May 2021 | Bridge Bulletin | 49
http://www.adamparrishbridge.com
May 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021
In First Seat - Paul Linxwiler
Inbox -Letters to the Editor
A Message from the Executive Director
Brand Refresh
NABOBC Results
2020 Canadian Bridge Championships
How's Your Imagination?
Grand Reopening
Music, please! by "DJ' Rick Roder
Tales from the Olden Days by Barnet Shenkin
The Death of the Doomsday Scenario
Half a Loaf by Augie Boehm
Holding Hands by Simon Cocheme
Successful in Seattle by Al Bender and Ann Romeo
Product Reviews
Hollywood Magic results
Educational Foundation News
Club News
Ruling the Game
The Bidding Box
It's Your Call
Card Play 101 - 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
Mike's Bridge Lesson- by Mike Lawrence
East Hands -Bidding Box
Chalk Talk- Eddie Kantar
Defensive Maneuvers - Paul Ross
The Real Deal - by Larry Cohen
Challenge of the Month
Boehm on Bridge
Better Bridge with Bergen
Bidding Matters - by Karen Walker
Test Your Play
Election Notice
Mike's Advice - Mike Lawrence
Solutions to Test Your Play
My Bridge and Yours - by Frank Stewart
Consults with the Doctor
Bridge with the Abbot - by David Bird
Big Games
Dear Billy - by Billy Miller
George's World - by George Jacobs
Life Master Milestones
New Life Masters
In Memoriam
Obituary - Steve Nellissen (1953-2021)
Obituary - George Bloomer (1930-2021)
Obituary -Mary Oshlag (1942-2021)
Obituary - Frances Yedlin (1938-2021
Tournament Directory
May 2021 - 1
May 2021 - 2
May 2021 - 3
May 2021 - 4
May 2021 - 5
May 2021 - In First Seat - Paul Linxwiler
May 2021 - Inbox -Letters to the Editor
May 2021 - 8
May 2021 - A Message from the Executive Director
May 2021 - NABOBC Results
May 2021 - 11
May 2021 - 2020 Canadian Bridge Championships
May 2021 - 13
May 2021 - 14
May 2021 - 15
May 2021 - How's Your Imagination?
May 2021 - 17
May 2021 - 18
May 2021 - 19
May 2021 - Grand Reopening
May 2021 - Music, please! by "DJ' Rick Roder
May 2021 - Tales from the Olden Days by Barnet Shenkin
May 2021 - 23
May 2021 - The Death of the Doomsday Scenario
May 2021 - 25
May 2021 - Half a Loaf by Augie Boehm
May 2021 - 27
May 2021 - Holding Hands by Simon Cocheme
May 2021 - 29
May 2021 - Successful in Seattle by Al Bender and Ann Romeo
May 2021 - Product Reviews
May 2021 - Hollywood Magic results
May 2021 - 33
May 2021 - 34
May 2021 - 35
May 2021 - Educational Foundation News
May 2021 - Club News
May 2021 - Ruling the Game
May 2021 - 39
May 2021 - The Bidding Box
May 2021 - 41
May 2021 - 42
May 2021 - 43
May 2021 - It's Your Call
May 2021 - 45
May 2021 - 46
May 2021 - 47
May 2021 - Card Play 101 - Phillip Alder
May 2021 - Parrish the Thought - Adam Parrish
May 2021 - Reasoning with Robert - Robert Todd
May 2021 - Startup Bridge by Lynn Berg
May 2021 - Lessons Learned by Michael Berkowitz
May 2021 - Bidding Basics by Larry Cohen
May 2021 - West Hands -Bidding Box
May 2021 - Ask Jerry - by Jerry Helms
May 2021 - Mike's Bridge Lesson- by Mike Lawrence
May 2021 - Chalk Talk- Eddie Kantar
May 2021 - Defensive Maneuvers - Paul Ross
May 2021 - Challenge of the Month
May 2021 - Boehm on Bridge
May 2021 - Better Bridge with Bergen
May 2021 - Bidding Matters - by Karen Walker
May 2021 - Election Notice
May 2021 - Mike's Advice - Mike Lawrence
May 2021 - Solutions to Test Your Play
May 2021 - My Bridge and Yours - by Frank Stewart
May 2021 - Consults with the Doctor
May 2021 - Big Games
May 2021 - Dear Billy - by Billy Miller
May 2021 - George's World - by George Jacobs
May 2021 - 71
May 2021 - Life Master Milestones
May 2021 - 73
May 2021 - New Life Masters
May 2021 - In Memoriam
May 2021 - Obituary - Steve Nellissen (1953-2021)
May 2021 - Obituary - Frances Yedlin (1938-2021
May 2021 - 78
May 2021 - Tournament Directory
May 2021 - 80
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