| East Deals Both Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | 1 ♥ | ||
| Pass | 1 ♠ | Pass | 2 ♦ |
| Pass | 4 ♥ | All pass |
Partner led the ♦ 7; how thoughtful that partner led your singleton! (Your partnership leads are fourth best from power and second best from three or more spot cards.) Declarer played the ♦ K from dummy, you followed low, and declarer played the ♦ 9 from hand.
Then declarer calls for the ♥ Q from dummy. Which heart do you play?
ANSWER: Play the ♥ 4, not the ♥ 2, beginning a high-low sequence
in trump; at your next opportunity you'll play the ♥ 2. This standard sequence will show partner
that you have a third trump card and want a diamond ruff!
THE PRINCIPLE: A trump echo -- playing high-low in trump -- specifically shows
at least one more trump and a desire to ruff. Even if declarer draws two rounds
of trump, partner will know that you still have a trump remaining and want to ruff a side suit.
If both you and dummy are short in the same suit, only give a trump echo when
you can overruff dummy. Also, you will infrequently run into a situation where
you don't want a ruff even though it is available; by playing your trumps
up-the-line you can indicate your lack of enthusiasm for a ruffing defense.
A note of caution: do not use the trump echo unless you have a ready ruff in a
side suit. Because declarer also knows that your echo shows a third trump,
declarer will sometimes then know to fell a doubleton queen from partner's hand.
So only reveal that information when there is a clear reward available.
One way to remember this is that playing high-low always shows a
desire to ruff. Playing high-low in a side suit shows a doubleton and a desire
to ruff that suit; playing high-low in trumps shows a desire to ruff some side
suit. In either case, you promise a trump to ruff with!
Lastly, a note from the Department of Dogs That Didn't Bark: A corollary to the trump echo is that if partner does not give a high-low in trumps, then she either does not have a third trump card or does not want a ruff. For example, if you're wondering whether partner started with a singleton or a doubleton in a side suit (after playing only one round in that suit), her failure to give a trump echo would suggest she still has a card remaining in the side suit.
Lastly, a note from the Department of Dogs That Didn't Bark: A corollary to the trump echo is that if partner does not give a high-low in trumps, then she either does not have a third trump card or does not want a ruff. For example, if you're wondering whether partner started with a singleton or a doubleton in a side suit (after playing only one round in that suit), her failure to give a trump echo would suggest she still has a card remaining in the side suit.
We'll continue with this deal in the next episode; stay tuned!
-- Ray
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)
-- Ray
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)
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