January 2025 - 58
Intermediate Players
Boehm on Bridge
Timing - part 1
G
ood timing in bridge means
making plays in the most
effective order. It's all about
finding the right sequence of plays.
In this series, we'll see how this principle
applies equally to declarer and
defenders. Even during the bidding,
when there are choices, there is often
a best way to time the auction.
To dive right in, you are declaring
an optimistic 4h versus the lead of
the cJ.
s 8 2
North (Dummy)
s 9 7 4 3
h 7 5 3 2
d Q 8 6 3
c 2
South (You)
s K Q
h A 8 6 4
d A K 7
c A Q 4 3
East produces the cK. The lead is
helpful, but even with a necessary
3-2 trump split, there are two surplus
club losers to handle. The plan is
to ruff twice but this requires careful
trump management. You don't want
to risk an overruff, but if you pull
three rounds, dummy is one trump
short for your purposes. Zero or one
round of trumps is too few because
it leaves you at risk, three rounds are
too many - two is just right.
To accomplish this, play a low heart
from both hands at Trick 2, and when
you regain the lead, cash the hA.
h K J 9
d 5 4
c J 10 9 8 7 6
s K Q
h A 8 6 4
d A K 7
c A Q 4 3
Look what happens if you try to ruff
clubs before touching trumps; East
overruffs and West remains with two
natural trump tricks, down one.
In the next problem, you are again
at the helm in 4h.
North (Dummy)
s 9 5 3
h A Q 10 6
d Q J 2
c K J 5
South (You)
s A 8 4
h J 9 8 5 2
d A K 5
c Q 3
s J 7 6 2
h 4
d 10 9 8 7
c A 9 8 6
You are now in control. An opponent
is left with the master trump and if
one of your low clubs gets ruffed, no
problem - he is trumping a loser with
a natural winner. You make the contract,
conceding one spade and two
hearts. The full deal:
s 9 7 4 3
h 7 5 3 2
d Q 8 6 3
c 2
s A J 10 6 5
h Q 10
d J 10 9 2
c K 5
BY AUGUST BOEHM
The lead is the d10; plan the play.
An offside hK represents the main
danger. In that event, you might lose
two spades, one heart, and one club. It
won't be difficult for East to switch to
spades, given the informative lead and
the sight of the dummy. Rather than
stake everything on the trump finesse,
try to establish a quick discard using
the clubs. At trick two, lead the cQ to
unblock. Let's say they win and switch
to a spade. Take the ace and continue
clubs, pitching a low spade.
This line wins the race against
5-3 or 4-4 clubs, by far the likeliest
splits. If clubs happen to divide 6-2,
you may need to fall back on the
heart finesse. The full deal:
s 9 5 3
h A Q 10 6
d Q J 2
c K J 5
s K Q 10
h K 7 3
d 6 4 3
c 10 7 4 2
s A 8 4
h J 9 8 5 2
d A K 5
c Q 3
Even with a losing heart finesse,
good timing overcomes bad luck. 2
58 | Bridge Bulletin | January 2025
January 2025
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025
January 2025 - 1
January 2025 - 2
January 2025 - 3
January 2025 - 4
January 2025 - 5
January 2025 - 6
January 2025 - 7
January 2025 - 8
January 2025 - 9
January 2025 - 10
January 2025 - 11
January 2025 - 12
January 2025 - 13
January 2025 - 14
January 2025 - 15
January 2025 - 16
January 2025 - 17
January 2025 - 18
January 2025 - 19
January 2025 - 20
January 2025 - 21
January 2025 - 22
January 2025 - 23
January 2025 - 24
January 2025 - 25
January 2025 - 26
January 2025 - 27
January 2025 - 28
January 2025 - 29
January 2025 - 30
January 2025 - 31
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January 2025 - 33
January 2025 - 34
January 2025 - 35
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