September 2022 - 48

Newer Players
Card Play 101
BY PHILLIP ALDER
bridgeforeveryone.com
W
henever I give a class on
attitude signaling, which
is quite often because
most players need their partners to
understand the subject better, we
start with these two prepared deals.
Try them first as problems.
1 Dlr: South  Q J 10 9
Vul: None k Q J 10
l K Q
' 6 5 4 3
 K 2
k A K 8 7 6
l 9 8 7
' 8 7 2
West North East
Pass 3 Pass
South
1
4
All Pass
You (West) lead the kA: 10, 9, 4.
How would you continue?
Before we get to the second problem,
a quick question about the
bidding: If you had that West hand,
would you overcall 2k or would you
pass?
A few decades ago, you would have
passed because a two-level overcall
required at least 12 HCP. Now,
though, players are much more willing
to dive in. Here, bidding 2k has
some potential advantages. It tells
partner what to lead, should North
become the declarer. It may inconvenience
responder. If he cannot raise
spades or bid notrump, to mention a
minor at the three-level would be a
game force. If not strong enough to do
that, responder will be forced to pass
despite having a fair number of points
(or make a negative double without
length in both minors).
48 | Bridge Bulletin | September 2022
If you do overcall, North with that
hand should make a 3k cuebid raise
(or, my preference, 2NT to show fourcard
or longer support and at least
game-invitational strength; in my
book, the cuebid shows exactly three
trumps). Remember, in competition,
jump raises are preemptive.
Now for the second problem:
2 Dlr: South  Q J 10 9
Vul: None k Q J 10
l K Q
' 6 5 4 3
 K 2
k A K 8 7 6
l 9 8 7
' 8 7 2
West North East
Pass 3 Pass
South
1
4
All Pass
You (West) lead the kA: 10, 2, 4.
What would you do next?
If you are suffering from déjà vu,
relax. Yes, your hand and the dummy's
are identical in each diagram.
In my classes, everyone gets the
first deal right, which looks like this:
1
 Q J 10 9
k Q J 10
l K Q
' 6 5 4 3
 K 2
k A K 8 7 6
l 9 8 7
' 8 7 2
 3
k 9 2
l 6 5 4 3 2
' K Q J 10 9
 A 8 7 6 5 4
k 5 4 3
l A J 10
' A
Against 4, West leads the kA
and East starts a high-low with his
doubleton, playing the k9. West continues
with the kK and a third heart,
which East ruffs. West then quips,
" We did double, didn't we? " Later,
West's K is the setting trick.
However, almost no one gets the
second deal right.
This is the layout:
2
 Q J 10 9
k Q J 10
l K Q
' 6 5 4 3
 K 2
k A K 8 7 6
l 9 8 7
' 8 7 2
 3
k 9 3 2
l 6 5 4 3 2
' K Q 10 9
 A 8 7 6 5 4
k 5 4
l A J 10
' A J
When East drops the k2 under the
ace, it tells West that East doesn't
have a doubleton. Yes, he could have a
singleton, but that is unlikely. If he has
a much more probable three low, yes,
West can cash the kK (as do nearly all
my students). That wins, but it has the
big drawback that it has established
dummy's kQ as a winner on which
declarer can discard a loser. Here, as
you can see, that loser is the 'J.
So, what should West do?
If East has the lA, there is no hurry
to shift to that suit. Aces can wait.
Instead, at trick two, West should
lead the '8 (top of trash).
East then plays his part by putting
up the 'Q, bottom of equal cards
when playing third hand high. Note
that this tells West that South holds
the 'J.

http://www.bridgeforeveryone.com
September 2022

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