In Bridge there are no second chances. Hence it pays to pause before you hurriedly play to the opening moves made by the opponents. For one needs to plan his play in a manner whereby he can extract the maximum chances in the making of his contract.
Today we shall illustrate by a few examples how a hasty play by the declarer can jeopardize his contract, while on the other hand proper planning with logical reasoning can increase his chances to the maximum. Taking our first illustration, we have north south in 4 hearts as under:
The opening lead of course is the QD taken with the AD by east who continues diamond noting your singleton KD dropping under the ace. Obviously you can afford to discard a spade - a loser on the second diamond. But the opponents are relentless in mounting that pressure of diamond ruff to shorten your trumps by playing the third diamond. Well how do you go about it if you ruff the third one? The fate of many contract is determined by the way you handle a suit contract knowing when to ruff and draw trumps, when to make a loser on loser play by keeping trump control, when to establish a side suit and protect winners from being ruffed and at the same time ensuring that an enemy over ruff does not lead to an opponent's trump promotion.
You see there are so many hurdles that come in the declarer play and good declarer keeps track of all the options to prevent any adversity that may jeopardize his contract otherwise making on the lie of the cards. Well, in our illustration, if you ruff the third diamond, you need a 3-3 break of trumps with clubs dividing 3-2 and you know from your percentage table of odds that the suit breaking with 6 outstanding cards is more likely to be 4-2 rather than 3.3. Here let me give you the east west hands:
East holds 4 trumps and if you ruff one of the diamonds you are in serious trouble with east retaining trump control. What then should south have done? Simple. Let the third diamond go too unruffed discarding a club instead. Now whatever east does, south is in control on a 3-2 club break and even on a 4-2 trump break.
Let us move on to our second illustration which is again of a subtle maneuver that needs to be thought of as early as the second trick. The north south hands spread below are playing 4S as under: The opening lead is the 8C from west east takes the ace and plays the JC. What is your move as south? Do you foresee any snags in your otherwise good contract of 4S which comprise of 5 trumps in hand, the 2 red aces and king besides KC adding up to 10 tricks?
Well, life is never a smooth sailing always. What did you do? If played KC, you are down. For KC was a senseless play, not akin to any logical reasoning or common sense.
The vital question you should pose to yourself as south is as to what significance does the opening lead of 8C mean? Is it from a three carder to an honour - likely QC since east returned JC. For if it is so, you will always get your KC safe and sound wouldn't you? At most east with a doubleton can ruff. But still your contract is ensured. The real danger lies if 8C is a singleton. Now KC covering on JC spells disaster, giving the defender all club tricks plus a ruff. The solution - simple duck and cover QC with K to get 10C good otherwise let 9C ride to your 10C. The lesson for today. In Bridge take deep breath first!
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North South North South
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A8763 Q2 532 AKQJ10
A72 KQJ10 A74 K8
432 K 10654 K7
85 AK10743 10654 K732
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West East
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K54 J109
63 9854
QJ1087 A965
J92 Q6
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