July 2004

FOR THE DEFENSE

When defending against notrump, it is a time-honored rule to lead fourth from your longest/best suit.  With touching honors (such as K-Q-x-x or A-K-x-x), leading high usually nets your side the same number of tricks as leading forth, but there are other advantages to leading high, especially when holding the ace.  Most importantly, you retain the lead while getting a better read on the entire suit.  And this gets you to see the dummy, perhaps alerting you to a good switch.  Furthermore, on a really good day you may find the dummy with x-x-x and the declarer with Q-x, and the Q falls on your second lead.

FOR THE OFFENSE

You are South playing a notrump contract.  You need three hearts.  How do you play the suit?   Holding:

North:    K  5  4  3
______________

South:    Q  8  6  2

To get three tricks, you must take the K, Q and the fourth heart.  First you must assume the suit is divided 3-2 and the short hand contains the ace (You make these assumptions because it is the only layout where you can win three tricks.)  Next use any clues you can find to decide which hand most likely has the A-x.  If no clues, lead low from where ever you happen to be at the moment and hope the first defender to play holds the A-x.)

Suppose you decide to play toward the K.  If the A does not appear, play the K, which wins (if it doesn’t, you only get two tricks).  Next return a low heart toward your hand and play the eight - West, having started with A-x, must take the trick with his A.  Now your Q is high for the second trick, and of course the fourth heart is then good.  While you are congratulating yourself, spoil-sport West accuses you of peeking into his hand!

FOR THE HUMOR

“Partner, every day you play worse than the day before.  Today you are playing as if it is tomorrow already.” - anon

BridgeSnaps newsletter is produced by John S. Thomas, author of Standard American 21.