ACBL26 – Declarer: Play of the Hand          Ward Trumbull

                                                                                                                   Sep 11, 2004

                                                                                                                   Page 1 of 8

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

                                                                                                                   Page 2 of 8

 

      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

                                                                                                                     Page 3 of 8

 

      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

                                                                                                                     Page 4 of 8

 

      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

                                                                                                                     Page 5 of 8

 

      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

                                                                                                                     Page 6 of 8

 

          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

                                                                                                                     Page 7 of 8

 

      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

                                                                                                                     Page 8 of 8

 

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.