ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Ward Trumbull
Sep 11, 2004
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Objective
The object of the declarer’s line of play should be to make the
contract with extra tricks if possible, but never at the expense
of going set.
That line of play should be based on the of the guidelines set
forth using the declarer’s aid ARCH. (See ACBL16.)
Wisdom
“What can the dummy do for me?” Shakespear
“Cashing winners is for beginners.” Longfellow
Suit Contracts
1. Dummy Ruffing
If the dummy has a void, singleton or doubleton, you may
want to get some dummy ruffs in that suit before pulling
trump.
Example: 6 spade contract.....Opening lead is 10 of hearts
Dummy Declarer
S - 10 x x S - A K Q x x
H - Q J x x H - A K
D - x D - x x x
C - A K x x x C - x x x
If trumps break 3-2, you have 11 tricks off the top: 5
spades, 4 hearts and 2 clubs.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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Example: (continued)
+ Take the heart ace
+ Give up a diamond
+ Take the next trick (any suit lead)
+ Ruff a diamond
+ Cross back pulling trump, discarding clubs
+ Cash the king of hearts
+ Cross on clubs to the dummy which is good
2. Dummy’s Long Side Suit
A 5+ card dummy side suit may be used for extra tricks.
However, you should first pull trump.
Example: 4 heart contract....opening lead is the club queen
Dummy Declarer
H - A Q x H - J 10 x x x
S - x x S - A x x
D - A K x x x D - x x x
C - x x x C - A K
For sure, you have 9 tricks: 4 hearts, 1 spade, 2 diamonds
and 2 clubs. A spade ruff will give you 10, but a 3-2 split in
diamonds could give you 11. OR you can cash out for down
1.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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Suit Example: (continued)
+ Take the club ace
+ Give up a diamond
+ Take the next trick (any suit, probably clubs)
+ Cross to the club king
+ Take the heart finesse
+ Pull trumps and run the diamonds
If the heart finesse is on, you could make six.
3. High Card Pitches
Take discards on high-card suits as quickly as possible.
However, if you can pull some trump without giving up the
lead, do that first.
Example 1: 3 spade contract.....opening lead is the heart 10
Dummy Declarer
S - x x x x S - Q J 10 x
H - K x H - A Q x x
D - A K Q x D - x
C - x x x C - x x x x
You have 5 losers: 2 spades and 3 clubs.
+ Take the heart king
+ Cash the top 3 diamonds, discarding 2 clubs
Now you have only 2 spade and 2 club losers.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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Suit Example 2: 4 spade contract.....opening lead is the heart
queen
Dummy Declarer
S - x x x x S - Q J 10 x
H - K x x H - A x x x
D - x x D - A K Q x
C - A x x x C - x
You have 8 tricks: 2 spades, 2 hearts, 3 diamonds and 1
club.
+ Take the heart ace
+ Cash the top 3 diamonds, discarding 1 heart
+ Cross to the club ace and ruff a club
+ Cross to the heart king and ruff a club
+ Ruff a heart and ruff a club
Crossruff hand for 10 tricks – lead trump trick 11.
You get 10 tricks: 2 hearts, 3 diamonds, 1 club, 3 club ruffs
and 1 heart ruff. This crossruff hand pulls trump at trick 11.
Notrump Contracts
1. Safe Overtricks
If you have all suits stopped, finesse or give up the lead
for extra tricks.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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Example: 3 notrump contract.....opening lead is the club 2
Dummy Declarer
S - A Q 10 S - x x x
H - K x x H - A x x
D - Q J x x D - A K x x
C - x x x C - A Q x
You have 9 tricks: 1 spade, 2 hearts, 4 diamonds and 2
clubs. You still have all suits stopped. Go for overtricks.
+ Take the club queen
+ Finesse the spade 10 (assume it loses)
+ Hold off on the second club and take the third
+ Finesse the spade queen
Note: RHO has no more clubs (4-3-3-3 split)
If either spade finesse is on, you take 10 tricks. If both,
you take 11 tricks.
2. Work the longer suits
Sometimes attacking a longer/weaker suit before you cash
a shorter/stronger suit is the only way to make the contract.
Example: 3 notrump contract.....opening lead is the club 5
Dummy Declarer
S - x x x S - A K Q J
H - A K x H - x x x
D - Q 10 x x x D - x x x
C - x x C - A Q J
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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Notrump Example: (continued)
You have 8 tricks: 4 spades, 2 hearts and 2 clubs. The
club king is to your left.
Attack the diamonds immediately. You’ll need the diamond
jack on side to make the contract. It’s your only hope.
Notrump Contracts
3. Extra Trick(s) on Distribution
Always be alert for favorable suit distributions to pick up
1-or-more extra tricks. Look at each suit in the two hands
for this possibility. They typically are:
Dummy Declarer Favorable Defender Split
---------- ----------- ----------------------------------
4 3 3-3
3 4 3-3
5 3 3-2
3 5 3-2
5 2 3-3
2 5 3-3
If you can’t take the top three tricks in such suits, try giving
up a trick in the suit before testing for a favorable split.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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3. Extra Trick(s) on Distribution (continued)
Example: 3 notrump contract.....opening lead is the heart 2
Dummy Declarer
S - A K x S - x x x x
H - A K x x H - x
D - x x D - A K x x x
C - x x x x C - A K x
You have 8 tricks, two in each suit. Which suit (besides
hearts) might break favorable for the 9th trick?. Before
cashing all the ace-kings, give up the lead in two of the
suits. Note that a favorable diamond split will give you two
extra tricks.
General Rules for Suit/Notrump
1. Do, Do, Do
a. Count trump
b. Count cards in any long suit you are working on
c. Pay attention to A, K, Q and J in suits that are played.
d. Remember 8 ever 9 never.
e. Think about your dummy/declarer transportation......
at trick 1.
f. Finesse into the defender who can’t hurt you.
g. Hold up on suits to break the defender’s communication.
ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand Sep 11, 2004
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General Rules for Suit/Notrump (continued)
2. Don’t, Don’t, Don’t
a. Leave Q x x opposite J x x alone. Wait for the defenders
to break the suit.
b. Don’t waste trump ruffing with the hand that has long
trump.
c. Avoid a suit with a 2-way finesse for as long as possible.
d. Don’t finesse into the defender who’s return lead can
hurt you.
e. Don’t cash all your high cards and then hope for a
miracle to make the contract.