What & Why (08)

Let me now show you the full deal and decide whether Deep Finesse can teach us anything about defence or not. When you do look at the following deal you may well raise some pertinent questions, like why did East open 5D and how, in a more sophisticated teams match, the bidding might have proceeded. But in real life you do not have the means to check out the pedigree of the opponents and have to take their bidding at face value. I suspect that the end result might well have been 5D doubled but not until EW had bid to 4H and NS to 4S. That might have made a difference to the defence, but let’s look at the what actually happened at the time, because things do happen at the table that may not happen in theory.

1. Teams. Dealer East all vul.

J6532
6
65
J854
KT7
QT875
8
K976
Q
AJ4
AKQT9732
T
A984
K932
J
A762

At both vulnerable, East opened 5D! We’re not here to discuss the merits of East’s opening bid but I certainly would not have opened 5D, would you?

The first question: would you, sitting South double? I am in a slight minority because I would. WHY? I don’t believe that a double of a five level preempt is more strongly for takeout than penalty, and Gerry agrees:
“Yes, double. This is not for penalties as such but more often than not partner will pass and we will collect 500.”
I should add here that a double will cost little if 5D makes at both tables in a teams match, but if it goes down two at both tables and is not doubled at one, a big swing one way. And, as you can see, the bidding could be quite different at the other table, or other tables in a match point session.
Peter would pass but makes an interesting comment that he might consider doubling if he was in fourth seat. I would say, in the pass out seat the double with such a hand is mandatory but could be compromised if there has been any sign of unauthorised information from partner in second seat despite the use of the stop card by opener. That is why it is more important to double in second seat, because partner surely can not have much. Furthermore, if you pass, partner’s defence will be much more difficult than if you double, knowing you have a good hand can make all the difference to how partner defends. So, let’s talk about the defence next.

East is in 5DX

J6532
6
65
J854
KT7
QT875
8
K976
Q
AJ4
AKQT9732
T
A984
K932
J
A762

The opening lead. I would not hesitate before leading the DJ. For all we know, declarer will be on his own so we must not give anything away until we know more. Not because we are stopping any possible ruffing in dummy, that is pie in the sky when declarer will have eight or possibly nine trumps. As you can probably work out, the JD lead allows 5D to make.

However, Dean would lead the ace of spades, ‘to have a look at dummy’ and he would have been on the money because as you may also be able to work out, it is the only way to defeat 5D as the cards lie. Why? Because then you cash the club ace and exit with the jack of trumps and wait for your heart trick.

Is a low heart opening lead or switch after taking the first trick likely to succeed? I believe not but there are some who would a) have led one on the opening lead and b) switched to a heart after winning their first trick whenever that happens. Can declarer seriously have opened 5D without the heart ace? Well, possibly, but if not the ace then maybe a heart void.

If you do decide to try and cash your aces to start, it is very important to have a COUNT signalling system as suggested by Bob: “Count is necessary when you lead an ace and the king appears in dummy, as it would with either black suit ace lead”. I totally agree, it does not matter whether you play standard count (lowest for odd number of cards) or ‘reverse’, but you must have that agreement with partner.

So, cash your aces and get a count in each suit from partner. From that you can infer that partner has five spades (when declarer’s queen drops) and two or four clubs. If you assume it is four then declarer has a singleton club and two or three hearts so the JD switch will now leave declarer to play hearts himself. I think this analysis would get us to the correct conclusion, but there is one other possibility: as Gerry points out, partner could have a singleton club in which case you should lead a second club for partner to ruff! Which is more likely? Shame we don’t all have the same ability to see through cards that Deep Finesse has.

More questions for the next exercise please! Maybe an example of a squeeze you have executed?