BRIDGE BITES #81
|
RUFFS IN THE LONG
HAND
Brian Gunnell |
♠ JT98
♥
AK74
♦
K52
♣ T2 |
We’ll spare you the auction, but it looks like Partner’s been
overbidding
again, as you find yourself declaring 4♠ on
slender
values. The good news is that the hands fit well and,
after the
opening lead of the
♥Q, you actually
have a chance.
You have four
natural trump tricks and four side-suit winners.
There’s no prospect of scoring more tricks in the side-suits so
the shortfall will have be made up with some ruffing.
What is your plan?
|
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ KQ765
♥
65
♦
A4
♣ 7653 |
►
In suit contracts, the most
common way to score extra trump tricks is through ruffs in the short hand. So
here, with your four side-suit tricks and your four natural trump tricks in
hand, a couple of Club ruffs in Dummy (the so-called “short hand”) will get you
up to 10 tricks. Does that mean that the winning plan is to get Club ruffs in
Dummy?
►
No, that is not the winning plan!
The problem with going after Club ruffs in Dummy is that the lead must be lost
twice. If the trumps are 3-1 this will allow the defense to lead three rounds
of trumps, holding Dummy’s ruffs to just one and leaving you a trick short.
What is your Plan B?
►
The solution is to go after
three ruffs in Declarer’s hand. That way ten tricks are reached via
Dummy’s three natural trump tricks, plus Declarer’s three ruffs, plus the four
side-suit winners. So, Declarer wins the opening lead with the
♥A,
cashes ♥K,
ruffs a Heart, cashes ♦A
and ♦K
and ruffs a Diamond. Declarer eventually reaches Dummy with a trump, and can
score that third ruff in the long hand.
►
|
♠ JT98
♥
AK74
♦
K52
♣ T2 |
|
♠ A32
♥
QJT
♦
J97
♣ AQJ8 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ 4
♥
9832
♦
QT863
♣ K94 |
|
♠ KQ765
♥
65
♦
A4
♣ 7653 |
|
When Declarer is ruffing those
red suits she will take care to ruff high, thereby ensuring that she actually
can reach Dummy later on. If, after taking two low ruffs, Declarer left herself
with ♠KQ7, West would be able to thwart Declarer’s plan.
P.S. Yes, an opening trump lead
sets the contract.
|