ACBL13B – Defense: The Hold Up Ward Trumbull
Jan 22, 2008
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What is a Defensive Hold Up?
It is a defensive Hold Up when the defender does not take a trick at his/her first opportunity. Typically, it is to stop the declarer from getting extra tricks from a long suit in dummy. To the novice it is known as patience. To the advanced it is known as skill.
Who Usually Makes the Hold Up?
Almost always it is the defender behind the dummy, i.e., the RHO. That is because he/she plays to the trick after the dummy.
When is it Applicable?
The typical hold up occurs when:
1. There is a 5+ card suit in dummy for possible declarer tricks
that is missing either the ace or king.
2. The RHO has that ace or king.
3. There are no outside entries to the dummy.
Example: The contract is three notrump
Dummy RHO
-------------- ---------------
S H D C S H D C
7 4 K Q J 9 A K
6 2 Q 8 8 8 6 5
3 J 7 5 6 3
10 4 5
9
ACBL13B – Defense: The Hold Up Jan 22, 2008
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Example: The contract is three notrump (continued)
1. If RHO takes the diamond ace the first time declarer
leads that suit, declarer will later lead diamonds again
and get four tricks.
2. If RHO holds up to sever declarer’s diamond
communication, declarer will only get 1 or 2 diamond
tricks.
3. Note that if partner’s (LHO’s) diamond cards give
an ODD indication (3 cards), RHO can take the second
trick because declarer could only have 2 diamonds.
See ACBL13.
Killing the Outside Entry
Sometimes when dummy has that 5+ card suit, there is one
outside entry. However, a good defender will knock out that ace
before declarer can use it.
Example: The contract is four spades
Dummy RHO
-------------- ---------------
S H D C S H D C
7 4 K A Q 9 A K
6 2 Q 8 8 8 6 Q
3 J 7 5 6 3 4
10 5
9
ACBL13B – Defense: The Hold Up Jan 22, 2008
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Example: The contract is four spades (continued)
1. Declarer takes the first heart trick with the ace and
leads 3 rounds of spades which puts RHO in with
the queen.
2. RHO can stop the diamond suit from running, but
there is that ace of clubs entry. So RHO leads the
king of clubs to kill that entry.
3. In this example, RHO has both the king and queen
of clubs. If RHO had only the king, he/she should still
make that killing play.
Another Hold Up for Either Defender
Sometimes when dummy has that 5+ card suit, declarer’s
high cards In that suit first must be unblocked. This gives either
defender the chance to be the hero by holding up, even though
there is an outside entry to dummy.
Example: The contract is four spades
Dummy RHO
-------------- ---------------
S H D C S H D C
7 4 J A J 9 A 9
6 2 10 8 8 8 6 6
3 9 7 5 6 3 4
8 5
7
ACBL13B – Defense: The Hold Up Jan 22, 2008
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Example: The contract is four spades (continued)
1. Declarer has the doubleton king/queen of diamonds.
He/she must knock out the ace before crossing to
dummy on the ace of clubs.
2. He/she will lead the diamond king wanting a defender
to take the trick.
3. A good defender (LHO or RHO) must duck both the
king and queen leads. If the declarer had had a third
diamond, that would be the trick for the ace to take. If
not, dummy’s diamond tricks will be lost for the
declarer.
Hold Up for Only the Bravehearts
Sometimes when dummy has a four card suit which needs a finesse to pick up all four tricks, a bravest of the brave RHO can
hold declarer to only two tricks in the suit. Again it requires that there are no outside entries to dummy.
Example: The contract is three notrump
Dummy RHO
-------------- ---------------
S H D C S H D C
7 A J 8 J K Q 9
6 Q 9 7 8 8 10 6
3 4 7 4 5 6 3 5
2 2
ACBL13B – Defense: The Hold Up Jan 22, 2008
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Example: The contract is three notrump (continued)
1. Declarer has the jack, 10 and 7 of hearts. He leads the
jack and lets it ride. RHO holds up.
2. Declarer thinks LHO has the king. He/she leads the 10
and lets it ride. The super brave RHO holds up again,
baring down to the singleton king.
3. Declarer now knows for sure that LHO has the king and
leads the 7 to the queen. Kaboom! RHO takes the
king.
4. Note that this will not work if the dummy has 5+ cards in
the suit because LHO would show out on the third lead
of hearts.