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In this series Andrew, features one improtant point per Article. Bit by bit the reader will improve their game.
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Childrens Bridge
Andrew:
Tip: DO be happy to let declarer trump in his hand
Declarer is always on the look out to trump in the dummy (assuming it is the hand with the shorter trump length). He is far less keen to trump in his own hand, for he is normally going to make those trumps anyway – by virtue of their length and strength. Further, trumping in hand risks losing trump control – should an opponent then hold equal or greater trump length.
The corollary is that a defender should be keen to make declarer trump in his hand. Unless there is a pressing need to switch to a particular suit (before declarer throws his losers in that suit on winners in dummy), or to switch to a trump (to cut down trumping in dummy), – making declarer trump in hand is probably best defence. Passive at worst, sometimes the defence can gain trump control.
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South Deals None Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♠ | |||
| Pass | 2 ♠1 | Pass | 4 ♠2 |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
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| 4 ♠ by South |
Our featured deal is a 4 ♠ game that looks ironclad – just three aces to lose with trumps 3- 2. Yet look at how the forcing defence of leading clubs and more clubs prevails.
West’s ♣ J lead goes to East’s ♣ A, felling declarer’s singleton ♣ K. Although he knows from trick one that declarer is out of clubs, East continues with a second club. This is the only winning defence.
Declarer ruffs and cannot afford to draw three rounds of trumps, for that would leave him with just one trump and two red-suit aces to dislodge. Say he guesses (correctly) to dislodge ♥ A, the suit which is splitting 3-3. ♥ K loses to West’s ♥ A (ducking ♥ A is fine too) and West perseveres with a third club (again – the only winning defence).
Declarer ruffs and can draw two rounds of trumps, say ♠ 9 to ♠ Q and ♠ 3 to ♠ K. But he cannot afford to draw the last trump for that would leave him with none in either hand. Instead he has to lead ♦ 2. West plays low (he must not play ♦ A this round) and dummy’s ♦ K wins. He now leads ♦ J back, West winning ♦ A this time and leading a third diamond for East to trump. Down one.
