Clearing The Way

 

	♠ Q 9 7 6 ♥ Q J ♦ 7 5 4 ♣ A K 10 4
	N W E S	♠ 8 5 2 ♥ A 9 5 4 ♦ K Q 9 3 ♣ 9 3

Partner	North	You	South
			Pass
Pass	1 ♣	Pass	1 NT
All pass

Partner led the ♥ 6, fourth-best, to your ace. You returned the ♥ 4 (original fourth-best) to partner's king. Declarer played the ♥ 3 and then the ♥ 8.

Pop Quiz: How many hearts did partner start with?

ANSWER: Probably five. Partner has at least four hearts for that lead. Nobody has played the ♥ 2 yet. A cagey declarer might be hiding the deuce; a careless declarer would not.

Does partner know that you had four hearts?

ANSWER: Most likely yes. Declarer had the opportunity to bid a four-card heart suit, but did not. If partner had five hearts, she'll know your ♥ 4 (lowest card available) was from either two or four originally. Partner knows declarer might have bid a four-card heart suit, so partner knows you have most likely have four.

AT TRICK THREE, PARTNER PLAYS THE ♠ K. Which spade do you play?

ANSWER: Play the ♠ 2, discouraging. Partner must have the ♠ A as well, and is lighting a candle in the window to show the way back to her hand. You don't want her to cash out spades; you want her to continue with hearts!

AT TRICK FOUR, PARTNER PLAYS THE ♥ 10. Now what?

ANSWER: Get out of partner's way; play the ♥ 9! Notice that your ♥ 5 will then not be able to take a trick. This is called an "unblocking" play. Partner made a thoughtful play of the ♠ K first, to show you that she has a sure entry. That ♠ K is a very strong indication that she had five hearts and would like you to unblock . Declarer has at most one heart left if partner had four, so no danger of setting up a heart trick for declarer. If partner had five hearts, you want partner to stay on lead. On the fifth heart, you will signal enthusiastically for a diamond lead, while partner still has control of the spade suit. If partner only had four hearts, she should still be able to figure out why you unblocked to keep her on lead rather than wasting a spade entry.

Of course if you have the two highest remaining hearts right now, there is no way to unblock. Playing the highest of your two cards would be suggesting suit preference high (spades); you want diamonds, not spades, so you would play the lower of two equal hearts.

	♠ Q 9 7 6 ♥ Q J ♦ 7 5 4 ♣ A K 10 4
♠ A K 4 ♥ K 10 7 6 2 ♦ 8 2 ♣ 8 6 5	N W E S	♠ 8 5 2 ♥ A 9 5 4 ♦ K Q 9 3 ♣ 9 3
	♠ J 10 3 ♥ 8 3 ♦ A J 10 6 ♣ Q J 7 2

Notice that if you play the ♥ 5 instead of the ♥ 9, you must eventually return a spade to partner's ace in order for her to cash the fifth heart. But that will set up dummy's queen, giving declarer a trick. If you keep partner on lead, she can run the hearts and then lead a diamond per your signal. That will set up a diamond trick for you while partner still has control of the spade suit. One notrump down two; nice work!

-- Ray
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)