Follow-Up
Thank you for your input from last week, folks. It is always apparent that the general standard of declarer play AND defence does need considerable improvement. For those of you who are interested in improving the way you think about things in the play, I am reproducing last week’s deal and suggesting some things you should think about when declarer. Those of you who responded did show that you were prepared to think and not just play your cards out and hope for the best.
Board 16 from 5/06/19
Dealer W EW Vul
| ||||||||||
|
| |||||||||
|
2
5
A98732
KQJ83East is declarer in 4S after North has opened 1D. South leads the three of diamonds. What should declarer be thinking about? Even if declarer does not think too far ahead at trick one, the first thing declarer will see is that, thankfully, there is only one diamond loser.
Let’s say declarer plays low from dummy (there can be no reason not to) and North wins the ace. North then returns the five of hearts. It is now that declarer should start thinking and not just automatically play low from hand. Finesses are there to be taken, but only when the time is right and not wrong. This is a finesse that should be avoided for a number of reasons, the main one being that it looks like North has switched to a singleton heart and if South is allowed to win the king, South will return a heart which North will ruff.
Should declarer win the ace in hand to stop that happening? Yes. Then, should declarer cross to dummy’s king of diamonds and take the trump finesse? No! That also is too dangerous and asks for trouble because if that finesse loses, South will lead a heart for North to ruff. At least that should be declarer’s thinking, declarer can’t know that North has only one trump. So, ace of trumps followed by another. Later,declarer will be able to draw the last trump and lead a heart to dummy’s NINE, for a finesse that can, and should be, taken because declarer has diagnosed that South has the ten as well as the king.
This narrative is a simplification of my assessment of how the play might go, but will serve to introduce you to the facets involved in declarer play strategy, as well as defence.
Future articles will only cover bidding tips, but I will be starting an interactive series focussed on play. I want to make this series available only to those seriously interested in improving their play and there will be a small charge. Anyone interested please email me at villyn@xtra.co.nz for further details.
