Counting Endplay

Here is another endplay where the bidding helped me get a count on the hand.

Playing teams, RHO opened 2♣, described as 11-15 HCP with either a 6-card club suit, or, if only a 5-card club suit, then a 4-card major on the side.

I held this hand so I overcalled 2NT.

♠ Kxx
♥ KJx
♦ Kxx
♣AK10x

Partner bid 3NT which ended the auction. A club was led and I beheld the dummy.

♠ Qxxx
♥A10x
♦Qxxxx
♣x

♠ Kxx
♥ KJx
♦ Kxx
♣AK10x

If I can bring in the diamonds, I should be OK. Otherwise, the contract will take some work. I won the ♣J with the ♣A and started on diamonds. There were potential problems no matter how I played the diamond suit, so I started with the ♦K from my hand. RHO won the ♦A and returned a club which I won with the ♣10, pitching a spade from dummy. Now at least I have 3 club tricks. I next led a diamond from my hand and when I won the ♦Q—disaster—RHO showed out, pitching a club. 

Now I have 3 clubs, only 1 diamond, probably 3 hearts and one spade--8 tricks--not good enough. Well at least I’m starting to get a count on the hand.

I cashed the ♥A and led a heart to my ♥ J which held.  With nothing better to do, and to complete the process of getting a count on the hand, and perhaps also to strip RHO of his exit card, I cashed the ♥K and RHO followed with the ♥Q.  It is looking like his initial distribution was 4-3-1-5, or possibly 3-3-1-6.

Either way I’ve got him. How do I execute the endplay to make the hand?

Here are the remaining cards.

♠Qxx
♥
♦xxx
♣

♠Kxx
♥
♦ x
♣Kx

If you're trying to learn endplays, stop here and try to figure it out.

Hint: You've got to force RHO to lead spades for you.

Answer: I first cashed the  ♣K and then threw RHO in with a club. As he had already discarded a club, he could only cash, at most, one more before exiting with a spade. He led a low spade and I let it ride around to my ♠Q. I then led a spade back toward my hand and he couldn't prevent me from scoring a second spade trick--my 9th trick! We won 10 IMPs and the match.

See you at the table!

Jennbridge: A Defensive Story

This hand is from a pair game yesterday. (board 14)

♠87532
♥A
♦ K1086
♣1086

You hold this hand and hear this bidding:  1♣ on your right, 1♥ on your left, 2♥ on your right and 4♥ on your left.  Partner leads the A♦ and you see this dummy:

Club pair game

Board 14 West Deals None Vul	N W E S	♠ A J 9 4 ♥ J 10 7 4 ♦ — ♣ K Q 7 4 3
	♠ 8 7 5 3 2 ♥ A ♦ K 10 8 6 ♣ 10 8 6

Declarer ruffs the diamond lead as you give an encouraging attitude signal. Declarer then leads the K♣ off the board and discards a diamond as your partner wins the A♣.  Partner continues diamonds and declarer ruffs.  Declarer pitches the Q♦ on the Q♣. These cards remain as a heart is led from the board.

Club pair game

Board 14 West Deals None Vul	N W E S	♠ A J 9 4 ♥ J 10 ♦ — ♣ 7 4 3
	♠ 8 7 5 3 2 ♥ A ♦ K 10 ♣ 10

You win the A♥ and pause to think about the play.  What should you play next?

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Have you attempted to count the hand?  Counting the hand will usually guide you to the correct play.  Try it now.

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Declarer started with no clubs and at least 4 hearts. You have seen 4 diamonds played already.

How many spades does she have?  She couldn't have 5, or she would have responded 1♠ over 1♣. Therefore she has at most 4.  If she is 4-4 in the majors, she would have 5 diamonds.  You decide that her hand likely contains 5 hearts and 4 diamonds, which means that she has 4 spades.  It is also possible that she has 6 hearts. That would give her 3 spades.

As you ponder all this, one thing is abundantly clear:  Partner is extremely short in spades--either one or none. Any other clues?

Yes!  If partner had a singleton spade she would have undoubtedly led it rather than laying down an unsupported ace--generally an unattractive lead.  It is possible she could have a singleton honor that she didn't want to lead, but in that case, it would have no value, sitting in front of dummy's good spade holding.

Your decision made, you return a spade.

Declarer follows and partner RUFFS!

Club pair game

Board 14 West Deals None Vul	♠ — ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ A J 5 3 2 ♣ A J 9 5 2
♠ K Q 10 6 ♥ K Q 9 8 6 ♦ Q 9 7 4 ♣ —	N W E S	♠ A J 9 4 ♥ J 10 7 4 ♦ — ♣ K Q 7 4 3
	♠ 8 7 5 3 2 ♥ A ♦ K 10 8 6 ♣ 10 8 6

Declarer scores up her 420 and partner gives you a little smile of appreciation.  Your effort at counting the hand paid off--you got a top!

See you at the table!

Jennbridge: Memphis Favorites

Back from the Memphis NABC with several interesting hands to write up.  Here is a favorite from the 1st Qualifying session of the Silver Ribbon Pairs (rotated for convenience).

Silver Ribbon Pairs 1st Q

Board 9 South Deals E-W Vul	♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 7 ♦ A Q 10 6 2 ♣ Q 10
	N W E S
	♠ A 10 8 5 ♥ 8 5 4 3 ♦ 4 ♣ K J 3 2

West	North	East	South
			Jenn
			Pass
2 ♠	Dbl	Pass	3 ♥
Pass	Pass	Dbl	All pass

3 ♥ x by South

I won the K♠ lead and studied the hand.  Surely East had most or all of the missing hearts.  I led a heart from hand, West showed out and I played the 9♥.   East won and returned a club, won on the board, and I continued clubs and put him back in.  This is clearly a see-saw action between myself and East.

He returned a diamond to the king and ace.  I cashed the queen ♦ (pitching a spade) and ruffed a diamond.  I had scored 5 tricks and these cards were left.

♠ 7 
♥ A 10 7
♦  10 6 
♣

♠  10 8 
♥ 8 5  
♦ 
♣ K J

I am getting a count on the hand.  East started with 1 spade, 5 hearts and at least 3 diamonds.  I cashed the K♣ and discarded a spade as both followed. So East also had at least 3 clubs. 

I led my last club, West followed and I ruffed to prevent East from scoring a low trump.  He 
overruffed and returned his last diamond which I ruffed.  The moment of truth was at hand.  
I had 7 tricks and these cards remained:

♠  
♥ A 10 
♦  10  
♣ 

♠  10 8 
♥ 8   
♦ 
♣ 

How can I get two more tricks?  I studied the position.  East was down to ♥K62.

Then I saw it.  Ruff a spade with the ace of hearts and lead the last diamond, ruffing with the 8♥.  Score the 
8♥ en passant for my 9th trick!

Silver Ribbon Pairs 1st Q

Board 9 South Deals E-W Vul	♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 7 ♦ A Q 10 6 2 ♣ Q 10
♠ K Q J 9 3 2 ♥ — ♦ K 9 3 ♣ 7 6 5 4	N W E S	♠ 6 ♥ K Q J 6 2 ♦ J 8 7 5 ♣ A 9 8
	♠ A 10 8 5 ♥ 8 5 4 3 ♦ 4 ♣ K J 3 2

3 ♥ x by South

Made 3 — +530

Plus 530 was worth 24.5 matchpoints out of 25 and helped us score up a strong session.

See you at the table!

Jennbridge: Tres Elegant!

I had an average looking hand take an interesting turn a few weeks ago at matchpoints:

♠  K53
♥  K95
♦ A1098
♣ A109

Against relatively inexperienced players I opened a 14-16 notrump and partner bid 2♥, a transfer to spades. RHO doubled the transfer and, as I had 3 spades, I accepted it by bidding 2♠. Pard invited with 3♠ and I passed. LHO led the ♦K and the dummy was:

♠  AJ872
♥  63
♦  742
♣  KJ3

♠  K53
♥  K95
♦  A1098
♣ A109

At least my ♥K was placed well. I would need to guess well in spades and clubs, however. I ducked the diamond and when LHO continued with the queen, RHO ruffed! He then cashed the heart ace and continued with the heart queen to my king, LHO following. In an effort to obtain information, I ruffed my last heart, LHO showing out. Now I led a spade to my king and a spade toward the dummy, LHO showing out again. OK--now I should have a count on the hand. RHO started with 4S, 6H, 1D and therefore 2 clubs.

How to play the clubs?  As LHO had casually pitched 2 clubs for her discards, I decided to play RHO for the queen doubleton.  Accordingly, I played the king of clubs and led a club toward my hand.  Hmmm . . . no queen. . . now what? I won the ace and here were the remaining cards:

♠  J8
♥  ---
♦  7
♣ J

♠  5
♥  ---
♦  A10
♣ 10

I studied these cards for a while, unwilling to concede defeat. I had already lost 3 tricks and had a sure trump loser. And then a vision of loveliness came into view . . . yes! I would exit with a spade and RHO's forced heart return would squeeze LHO! RHO duly won his spade queen and when he returned a heart I pitched my club and ruffed on the board. LHO had to discard from the club queen and the Jx of diamonds. Her diamond pitch enabled me to score my ace and 10 of diamonds, making my contract. Plus 140 was a tie for top.

What a fascinating play. The squeeze couldn't be executed with my cards alone. I had to have the extra pressure brought to bear by one of the opponents.  Giving up the trump trick I had to lose anyway actually rectified the count for the squeeze.

"Tres Elegant!" said my partner, Bob K.  "Merci", I smiled.
Update:  A further analysis of this hand reveals that the club finesse is unnecessary in any case.  Once a count of the hand reveals that RHO started with only two clubs, the ace and king can be played without regard for the queen as the squeeze always operates if the queen does not appear.  For a further description of this squeeze check out the upcoming letter in The Bridge World!

See you at the table!

Execution Quiz

I picked up this nice hand at teams:

♠ 8
♥AK10974
♦ AQ7
♣ AQ6

 RHO surprised me by opening 1♠. I doubled and LHO bid 2♦, nonforcing. RHO bid 3♣. I had heard enough and jumped to 4♥. All passed.

A spade was led and a weak dummy appeared.

North Deals None Vul	♠ 9 7 5 4 ♥ J 6 5 ♦ J 8 3 ♣ J 4 2
	N W E S
	♠ 8 ♥ A K 10 9 7 4 ♦ A Q 7 ♣ A Q 6

I ruffed the spade continuation (LHO played hi-lo) and cashed 2 rounds of hearts which picked up the trumps. What next?

I decided to lead a diamond to the jack to see what would happen. Not only did it hold, but RHO showed out! Hmm...now I have a count of the hand. (Pause here if you want to practice counting...)

RHO started with 6♠, 2♥, no diamonds and therefore 5♣. More importantly, LHO was 2-2-7-2. I started formulating a plan. Think about how to best play the hand before you read on.



I led a club to the Q and cashed the ♣A, thereby extracting the clubs from LHO's hand. Now LHO is down to all diamonds, so I simply played Ace and Q of diamonds and he was end played and forced to give me a ruff and sluff so that I made 5!

North Deals None Vul	♠ 9 7 5 4 ♥ J 6 5 ♦ J 8 3 ♣ J 4 2
♠ 10 3 ♥ Q 3 ♦ K 10 9 6 5 4 2 ♣ 8 5	N W E S	♠ A K Q J 6 2 ♥ 8 2 ♦ — ♣ K 10 9 7 3
	♠ 8 ♥ A K 10 9 7 4 ♦ A Q 7 ♣ A Q 6

At matchpoints it would have been a top. At teams it was only worth an imp, but a well executed endplay is usually worth writing about!

See you at the table!

A Trump Coup ****

A Trump Coup

 LHO opened 2♠ at a club pair game and it went pass, pass to me:

♠Axx
♥KQ97x
♦109
♣Jxx

I balanced with 3♥ and pard took a while before he passed. He was probably considering 3NT.  I got a low club lead which I ducked to the ♣K and a spade was returned--obviously a singleton.

♠K10x
♥10x
♦QJxx
♣AQxx

♠Axx
♥KQ97x
♦109
♣Jxx

I won on the board to start trumps. I led a low heart to my king and the jack fell on my left. Hmmm...looks like a 5-1 break. I confirm this by leading a heart to the 10 with LHO showing out and RHO winning the ace.

She returns a diamond to her partner's honor and he, luckily, returns a diamond to her honor. She returns a club and these are the remaining cards:

♠10x
♥---
♦QJ
♣AQ

♠Ax
♥Q97
♦---
♣x

I can't play hearts myself as RHO has 8xx and would win a heart trick. I need to coup her trump. I start by leading another club and LHO shows out. Now I have a complete count on the hand. RHO started with 1 spade, 5 hearts, 4 clubs and therefore, 3 diamonds. She has the following cards in her hand: no spades, 8xx of hearts, 1 diamond and 1 club. The stage is set for the coup to succeed.

I cash the last club, pitching a spade from my hand and then play a diamond, pitching the ace of spades. My RHO and I are now down to all hearts (She has ♥8xx while I hold ♥Q97) and anything I lead from the board will allow me to score the rest of the tricks. Plus 140 is a tie for top.

Here is a definition from Bridgehands.com: Trump Coup - An unusual play tactic requiring declarer to reduce the number of trumps in hand to that of the threatening opponent holding the same number of trump. The declarer cleverly plays winning tricks in a side suit and if the declarer's Right Hand Opponent ruffs, the declarer overruffs; otherwise the declarer sluffs losers in side suits. If the declarer sluffed losers on the side suit before reducing trump and the RHO refused to ruff, the declarer would have to ruff a card in dummy; then the declarer would become endplayed, having to lead a trump to one of RHO's higher trump cards.

As noted in the definition, for the play to work, the declarer must have parity, an equal number of trumps as the opponent. Often that requires declarer to maneuver ruffs in her hand in order to achieve parity. In the hand given, this was not necessary as we had parity from the start.

See you at the table!