Who ya gonna trust?

This hand is from last Friday’s Common Game, an event where bridge clubs around the country can play the same hands and compare scores. You know enough about bridge to get this one right, trust me!

South 2 NT

West Pass

North 3 NT

East (you) All pass

An auction like that fairly screams for an opening lead in a major suit; sure enough, partner leads the ♥5. Your partnership leads are top of nothing, and fourth best from length. It is a matchpoint (pairs) event, so every trick matters.

North (dummy) ♠ 9 ♥ Q J 9 ♦ 9 4 3 ♣ A Q 9 4 3 2
	East (you) ♠ Q J 7 ♥ K 7 6 4 ♦ J 10 8 ♣ 8 7 6

After the ♥5 lead, declarer plays the ♥9. Now what?

We all learned the beginners' rule of thumb “third hand high”, but the expert instinct is to duck: a 2NT opening normally has a heart stopper, likely the ♥A. If partner’s lead is fourth best, declarer holds ace-doubleton and you should signal encouragement with the ♥7, keeping the ♥K in place over dummy’s ♥QJ.

How many high-card points does partner have? With your 7 HCP, and 9 in dummy, and declarer’s 20-21 for the 2NT opening, that leaves partner with 3 or 4 points.

By the way, did you notice that the club suit should produce six tricks for declarer with no need for an outside entry?

Okay, enough time for thought. ♥5 was led, and the ♥9 from dummy. What do you play?

ANSWER: Play the ♥K. Partner must have the ♥A in order for her ♥5 to be fourth-best. Using the Rule of Eleven – or simply by examining the heart spots that you can see – if the ♥5 is fourth-best, her only possible holding is ♥ A 10 8 5.

Okay, it is possible that partner’s lead was top of three small (♥5 3 2). That gives declarer ♥A 10 8 and it doesn't matter which heart you play (except in one very specific and unlikely situation). Ditto if partner led from only two hearts. Since it doesn’t matter what you play then, ignore those cases. ADDED CLARIFICATION: It doesn't matter because the declarer can score six club tricks here without an outside entry to dummy. If declarer will need an entry to dummy, then keeping your ♥K in hand is the right play.

If partner’s lead was fourth best from four hearts, then declarer has at most two hearts. If declarer holds ace-doubleton, that means partner led the 5 from 10 8 5 x, or 10 5 3 2, or even 8 5 3 2.

If partner’s lead was fourth best from a five-card suit, then declarer almost certainly has the singleton ♥A. (Opening 2NT with a singleton ace is pretty much routine.)  But that would imply that partner led the 5 from 10 8 5 3 2.

There is a slight chance that partner led low from ace-third, in which case playing the king is the winning choice.

So the challenge for this hand is who do you trust?

-          Does declarer have a heart stopper, and partner led second- or third-best, or

-          Did partner lead correctly, and declarer is missing a heart stopper.

THE PRINCIPLE: When in doubt, trust your partner, not the opponents. Partner is your only friend at the table. What if partner is wrong? Trust partner regardless. Really. Unless you’re 200% positive that partner has made an error, trust her anyway. The benefits to partnership harmony, knowing that you’re both paying attention and trusting each other, far outweigh any short-term gain of maybe being right this time.

The complete hand:

	North ♠ 9 ♥ Q J 9 ♦ 9 4 3 ♣ A Q 9 4 3 2
West ♠ 10 8 6 5 3 ♥ A 10 8 5 ♦ 7 6 5 ♣ 10		East (you) ♠ Q J 7 ♥ K 7 6 4 ♦ J 10 8 ♣ 8 7 6
	South ♠ A K 4 2 ♥ 3 2 ♦ A K Q 2 ♣ K J 5

This is your only chance to cash two heart tricks; declarer has the rest of the tricks. If you play the ♥K you’ll get an average-plus result. If you duck the first trick, you’ll be bottom-fishing for matchpoints.

BONUS MINUTE: The choice on this hand is clear because of the heart spots that are showing; you can account for every relevant card. Re-arrange the spot cards slightly – give declarer the ♥ 7 6 and yourself the ♥ K 4 3 2 – and it’s a more difficult problem. I think you still have to trust partner and play your ♥K , but in this case trust partner to not have led fourth-best from ten-fourth, an unappealing lead from a hand that holds at most one entry.

Bidding Fast and Slow

This isn’t about how long you take to bid; that’s a different article. Let’s talk instead about how rapidly the auction progresses to its conclusion. Does it matter whether we take the most direct route or not?

  ♠ K Q 8    ♥ 5 4   ♦ J 10 6 5    ♣ 7 4 3 2

South 2 ♣ 3 ♦

North (you) 2 ♦ ?

Partner’s 2♣ opening is, of course, forcing to game unless she simply rebids 2NT. Your 2♦ bid is an artificial “waiting” bid that doesn’t say anything about a diamond suit. Partner’s 3♦ bid is natural, showing at least 5 diamonds.

With only one of the other three suits stopped, you don’t dare bid notrump. You don’t have another suit to bid, so you must perforce raise diamonds. “Support with support,” as the saying goes. Your choices then are 4♦ or 5♦. Which do you bid?

ANSWER: Bid 4♦, implying some extra values. A 5♦ bid would be the weakest possible bid, something you would bid without those lovely spade honors. Since we are in a game-forcing auction, partner is not going to pass; at the very least, she’ll bid 5♦.

THE PRINCIPLE: When there is more than one route to the same end contract, the “slower” (less direct) route shows some extra values. This is known as the Principle of Fast Arrival. In a slower auction, you leave partner some bidding space to explore the hand in more depth, perhaps by introducing a second suit or starting a cue-bid sequence. At the very least, the slow bidding route tells partner that you have a little something extra; maybe that’s just the encouragement she’ll need to investigate slam possibilities. On the other hand, the fast bidding route warns partner that you don’t have anything to spare.

One way to remember this slow/fast business is the mnemonic “slow shows and fast denies”.

Here are a few example auctions that will be familiar, and you’ll recognize the Principle of Fast Arrival at work.

South 1♠

North 4♠

Can’t go any faster than that! North shows a weak hand with long spades.

South 1♠ 2♥

North 2♦ 4♠

A slower road to game, North showing at least an opening hand with spade support and a diamond suit.

South 1 NT 2♠

North 2♥ 4♠

Going slow with a Jacoby transfer at the two level, then bidding game to show at least six spades and a hand worth at least 10 points.

South 1 NT 4♠

North 4♥ Pass

A similar situation but fast this time, a Texas transfer at the four level to show at least six spades but a definitely weaker hand than in the previous example.

By considering whether you took the slow route or the fast route, partner can draw appropriate inferences about your hand to decide whether to investigate bidding further, or to more accurately judge what to do if the opponents compete in your auction.

BONUS MINUTE (not bridge-related): Perhaps the most fascinating book I’ve read in quite some time is Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow. For the last fifty years, Kahneman has been one of the world’s leading researchers in the psychology of human decision-making. The book is a very readable explanation of our current understanding of human decision processes, and how Kahneman’s past research contributed to that understanding. Highly recommended!

Help Stupid Partner, Episode 4

Playing matchpoints, you are sitting East. South deals.

  ♠ J 5    ♥ J 8 7 5 4 3   ♦ K 7 2    ♣ Q 5

South 1 ♠

West 2 ♦

North 4 ♠

East (you) All Pass

Partner leads the ♥A (your partnership agreement is A from A K).

North
♠ 10 9 7 4 2 ♥ 2 ♦ A 5 ♣ J 8 6 4 2
	East (you)
	♠ J 5 ♥ J 8 7 5 4 3 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ Q 5

♥A from partner, singleton ♥2 from dummy… what do you play?

ANSWER: Play the ♥8, indicating preference for a diamond lead toward your king. A high card suggests the higher-ranking of the other two suits (diamonds, in this case); a low card suggests the lower-ranking suit (clubs).

THE PRINCIPLE: When continuing the suit is clearly not a good idea, or known to be impossible, the defense is in a suit-preference situation. The card you play (high or low) indicates a preference for the higher- or lower-ranking of the other two suits outside of trump.

The complete hand:

	North
	♠ 10 9 7 4 2 ♥ 2 ♦ A 5 ♣ J 8 6 4 2
West		East (you)
♠ A ♥ A K 9 ♦ Q 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ 9 7 3		♠ J 5 ♥ J 8 7 5 4 3 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ Q 5
	South
	♠ K Q 8 6 3 ♥ Q 10 6 ♦ J 3 ♣ A K 10

Notice that if you simply follow with a low heart, partner will interpret that as a preference for clubs. Declarer wins, knocks out the ♠A, wins the return in any suit, draws the last trump and sets up dummy’s club suit in order to discard her diamond loser; making five. If West switches instead to a diamond, declarer must lose a diamond either immediately, or, if she plays the ♦A immediately, then later when West is in with the trump ace; thus making only four.

My friend Steve liked to say, "When I'm your partner, the secret to this game is Help Stupid Partner." Not that partner is stupid, not by any means. She can't read your mind, but she can certainly read your signals.

a practice finesse

Practice is always a good thing, right?

A variation of this hand came up about a month ago. After a spirited auction, you are declarer in 7♣.

North

♠ Q J 6 4 ♥ Q J 8 2 ♦ A Q ♣ Q J 5

South

♠ A 8 ♥ A K ♦ 7 3 ♣ A K 9 8 7 4 3

West leads the 6♦. Do you take the diamond finesse now, or play the A♦ and take the spade finesse instead?

ANSWER: Don’t take either finesse!

You have 13 top tricks here: 7 clubs, 4 hearts, and the other two aces. Play the A♦ on the first trick. Then play two rounds of trump ending in your hand, unblock the ♥ A K, and cross to the Q♣ in order to cash dummy’s ♥ Q J, discarding the spade and diamond losers from your hand. The only possible way you can go down is if one of the opponents has a singleton heart and all three of the missing clubs – less than a 5% chance of that. Compare that to the 50% chance of a losing finesse. And oh by the way, if the diamond finesse works, you still have to deal with the spade loser. If you put your hopes on both finesses working, your chances are only about 25% -- bleah!

A “Practice Finesse” is a derogatory term meaning a finesse that gains you nothing if it wins, and puts you in worse shape if it loses. If you take the time to think the hand through, you can avoid taking those practice finesses.

THE PRINCIPLE: As declarer, before playing to the first trick, remember to ARCH. Analyze the lead, Review the bidding, Count your tricks, and decide How to play the hand. Then, only after all that, play to the first trick.

Maintaining control

You are sitting East, the opponents are vulnerable. Partner is the dealer.

  ♠ J 6 5 2    ♥ A K 7 4   ♦ 8 6 5 3   ♣ 7

West		North	East (you)		South
1 ♣ 2 ♥		1 ♦ 3 NT	Double All Pass		1 NT
North
♠ 10 8 3 ♥ 2 ♦ A K Q J 9 7 2 ♣ 6 4
				East (you)
				♠ J 6 5 2 ♥ A K 7 4 ♦ 8 6 5 3 ♣ 7

Partner leads the ♥8 to your ♥K. Now what?

ANSWER: Switch to the ♣7. Yes, it’s usually a good thing to return partner’s lead. Especially when defending notrump, and in a suit that you and partner have bid and raised. But partner’s ♥8 is a top-of-nothing lead, denying any heart honors; declarer has them!

Note that declarer has 7 diamond tricks, and after you cash both top hearts, she’ll have 2 heart tricks. Not to mention whatever tricks she has in the black suits.

So which tricks does declarer have in the black suits? We can’t tell; she probably has a club stopper for her 1NT bid, and she might have a spade trick as well. But partner did have an opening bid, and it obviously didn’t contain any red-suit honors. All of partner’s strength is in spades and clubs, so you need to lead through declarer’s hand in those suits. By switching now, partner can get back to your hand with the ♥A so that you can lead a black suit again.

THE PRINCIPLE: When defending notrump, don’t cash top tricks in a suit if that would set up tricks for declarer. Maintain control of the suit, and save those high cards for use as entries.

The complete hand:

	North
	♠ 10 8 3 ♥ 2 ♦ A K Q J 9 7 2 ♣ 6 4
West		East (you)
♠ A Q 4 ♥ 8 6 5 3 ♦ 10 ♣ A Q 10 8 3		♠ J 6 5 2 ♥ A K 7 4 ♦ 8 6 5 3 ♣ 7
	South
	♠ K 9 7 ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦ 4 ♣ K J 9 5 2

You switch to clubs, partner wins as cheaply as possible, and returns her highest heart (the ♥6) showing preference for spades. You then switch to spades, partner wins two spade tricks and another club trick for down two.

BONUS MINUTE: By convention, after the 1♦ overcall your negative double promises both major suits, at least 4-4. With only one major suit, just bid it naturally.

Help Stupid Partner, Episode 3

You are sitting East, vulnerable against not, and pick up

  ♠ A 10 3    ♥ 4 3   ♦ 7 6 3 2    ♣ A K 6 5

South, on your left, is the dealer and starts the auction.

South	West	North	East (you)
1 ♥ 3 ♥	Pass All Pass	2 ♥	Pass

Partner leads the ♣9, and you get a look at dummy.

North
♠ J 7 6 ♥ K 6 2 ♦ K 10 8 ♣ 10 8 7 3
	East (you)
	♠ A 10 3 ♥ 4 3 ♦ 7 6 3 2 ♣ A K 6 5

Partner’s ♣9 goes to your ♣K, as declarer follows with the ♣2.

You play the ♣A, declarer the ♣4, and partner shows out with the ♦4. Now what?

ANSWER: Give partner a ruff by leading the six of clubs – not the five! The ♣6 suggests to partner that she should return a spade.

THE PRINCIPLE: When giving partner a ruff, the card you lead indicates suit preference with respect to the other two non-trump suits. A higher card suggests the higher-ranking suit (spades, in this case), a lower card suggests the lower-ranking suit (diamonds here).

In this hand, you now know declarer has a fourth club. You are indicating to partner how to get back to your hand so you can give her another club ruff. By playing the ♣6, the higher of the two clubs you hold, you suggest to partner to lead the higher-ranking suit. She’ll lead a spade to your ace, and you’ll lead another club for her to ruff. Two club tricks, a club ruff, the ace of spades, another club ruff; the defense takes the first five tricks for down one.

Will partner really notice the difference between the ♣6 and the ♣5? Yes, she will. Having led her singleton club, and hitting the jackpot with your ♣A and ♣K, partner has been watching the club spots very carefully. She saw the ♣2 and ♣4 and ♣J from declarer’s hand, and the ♣3 and ♣7 from dummy. When you play the ♣6, she will realize the ♣5 has not been played and must still be in your hand. She’ll then know to return the higher-ranking spade suit.

Note that even in cases where partner won’t get any more ruffs, you have the opportunity to signal to partner how best to proceed with defense on the rest of the hand; take advantage of that opportunity!

The complete hand:

	North
	♠ J 7 6 ♥ K 6 2 ♦ K 10 8 ♣ 10 8 7 3
West		East (you)
♠ Q 8 5 4 2 ♥ J 7 5 ♦ Q 9 5 4 ♣ 9		♠ A 10 3 ♥ 4 3 ♦ 7 6 3 2 ♣ A K 6 5
	South
	♠ K 9 ♥ A Q 10 9 8 ♦ A J ♣ Q J 4 2

If you play the ♣5 at trick three, partner will dutifully return the lower-ranking suit (diamonds). Declarer will win, draw trump, and take the rest of the tricks except for the ♠A – making three. Not so good for the defense.

My friend Steve liked to say, "When I'm your partner, the secret to this game is Help Stupid Partner." Not that partner is stupid, not by any means. Though she can't read your mind, she can certainly read your signals.

Partner, that's super!

Here’s a simple and useful tool that should be part of your bidding arsenal.

In this example, you and your partner are playing 15-17 HCP for a 1 NT opening. After a 1 NT opening, your agreed responses include Stayman and Jacoby transfers.

♠ K Q x x   ♥ A K x x   ♦ Q x x   ♣ K x

You	Partner
1 NT ??	2 ♦

Partner’s 2♦ bid is a transfer to hearts. Your call?

ANSWER: Bid three hearts, a “super-accept” of the transfer to hearts.

THE PRINCIPLE:  A “super-accept” of a Jacoby transfer – accepting the transfer, but one level higher – tells partner that you have a "super" hand for playing in the transfer suit. Specifically, you should have very good four-card support, and be at the upper end of your notrump range. Partner can take it from there based on her hand.

When I held that notrump opener recently, my partner had a weak hand with an unimpressive six-card heart suit. He was planning to pass after a routine heart transfer:

♠ x x   ♥ 10 9 7 6 x x   ♦ K x   ♣ Q x x

But after my super-accept 3♥ bid, partner realized that four hearts was now within reach. The heart suit split 2-1, so we only lost the obvious 3 aces, making four. Other pairs, who didn’t play the super-accept bid, were only in two hearts.

So the super-accept can help you find skinny game contracts, but where it really pays off is slam bidding. Recall that responder, holding game-going values but only a five-card major suit, usually bids 3NT after opener accepts the transfer. If opener has a three- or four-card fit, opener can correct to four of the major. But the correction to four of the major doesn’t show extra values, and opener has no way to know if responder has extras.

For example, suppose partner holds a decent hand for game but not quite enough to push for slam:

♠ A x   ♥ Q 10 x x x   ♦ K x   ♣ A x x

Without the super-accept, your auction will probably go

You	Partner
1 NT 2 ♥ 4 ♥	2 ♦ 3NT Pass

Partner is stuck after your bid, knowing you might have three baby hearts and a minimum 15-point hand. If that’s really the case, you’ll be lucky to make four, much less five or six.

But look what can happen when partner knows you have good four-card support and a maximum. Now she knows the heart suit has, at most, one loser. From there it’s just a matter of making sure we have enough aces, either by Blackwood or a cue-bidding sequence. Partner’s hand again:

♠ A x   ♥ Q 10 x x x   ♦ K x   ♣ A x x

You	Partner
1 NT 3 ♥ 5 ♦	2 ♦ 4 NT 6 ♥

Super-accepts are also on after a 2NT opening and a Jacoby transfer at the three-level; in this case, opener jumps to four of the major.