(Down Fast -
Up - Top)
BR 20.6 - When NOT to ruff :
Loser on Loser play
In some situations it is to your advantage not to ruff.
In such cases you invariably drop a loser of one suit onto a
loser in an other suit.
This generally occurs in three
different scenarios.
- When, by reducing your trump length through ruffing, you
may lose trump control
- When by not ruffing you may develop a winner in the
suit
- When you are in danger of being over
ruffed
(Down - Up)
Example 7 (Not losing trump
control)
Declarer is in a 1♦
contract.
North leads the King of Hearts, then the Ace,
followed by the Heart Queen.
What do you do at trick 3
?
If you ruff the trick you will have only three trumps left in
your hand. If Opponents trumps break 4-2, which is most likely,
you will lose trump control and never be able to set up winners
in the Club suit.
.
Declarer
♦ - K Q J 4
♠ - A K 6
♥ - 8 2
♣ - Q 8 7 2
|
| Dummy
♦ - 10 9 5
♠ - 9 7 3
♥ - 9 5 4
♣ - K J 10
3
|
Do therefore a loser on loser play and discard you small
Spade loser on the third Heart trick.
Declarer
♦ - K Q J 4
♠ - A K
♥ -
♣ - Q 8 7 2
|
| Dummy
♦ - 10 9 5
♠ - 9 7 3
♥ -
♣ - K J 10
3
|
Now if Opponents continue with a 4th Heart lead you can ruff it
in Dummy with the 10, and the 4 card trump holding in your own
hand remains intact.
In essence what you have done is
transfering your Spade loser to become a Heart loser
instead.
(Down - Up)
Example 8 (Establishing an extra
side suit winner)
Declarer is in a 4♠ contract.
North leads a small
Heart. Dummy plays low and South wins with the King.
At
trick 2 South leads another small Heart. What do you do ?
Declarer
♠ - K Q J 9 4
♥ - 10
♦ - A Q 7 5
♣ - 8 7 2
|
| Dummy
♠ - A 10 2
♥ - Q 7 4 3
♦ - K J 2
♣ - A 6 3
|
If you ruff the trick you gain nothing as North will then play
low of course.
Instead discard a Club loser in your hand and
let North win the trick with his Ace.
Declarer
♠ - K Q J 9 4
♥ -
♦ - A Q 7 5
♣ - 8 7
|
| Dummy
♠ - A 10 2
♥ - Q 7
♦ - K J 2
♣ - A 6 3
|
Dummy's Heart Queen has now become a winner. After drawing the
enemy trumps, ending up in Dummy, you can lead the Heart Queen
and discard the second Club loser in your hand.
You would
always have made your contract, but this way you make 11 tricks
instead of 10. A winning board in any duplicate competition.
(Down - Up)
Example 9 (Avoiding being over
ruffed)
Declarer (West) is in a 4♥
contract, after North openend with a weak two bid of 2♠.
North leads the King of
Spades followed by the Queen, his Partner signalling a
doubleton (playing high - low first the 8 then the
2).
At trick 3 North leads his Spade Ace. What should you
play in Dummy ?
Declarer
♥ - A K Q J 7 3
♠ - 10 6 3
♦ - A 9 4
♣ - 6
|
| Dummy
♥ - 6 4 2
♠ - 9 7
♦ - K 8 3
♣ - A J 8 5
4
|
With only small trumps in Dummy, South is sure to be able to
over ruff.
Discard therefore a small Diamond in
Dummy's hand, and let North win the trick with his Ace.
If he
leads it once more, you can ruff it high in your own hand.
Declarer
♥ - A K Q J 7 3
♠ -
♦ - A 9 4
♣ - 6
|
| Dummy
♥ - 6 4 2
♠ -
♦ - K 8
♣ - A J 8 5
4
|
Whatever North now leads, you win the trick. Now first draw two
rounds of trumps, then play two rounds of Diamonds (winning the
second trick in your hand with the Ace) and ruff you 3rd Diamond
in Dummy with his last remaining trump.
After that return to Declarer's hand to draw the last enemy
trump.
(Down - Up -
Top)
BR 20.7 - Deals 69 to 72
Deals 69 to 72 are examples of play as outlined in this
lesson.
BR 20.8 - Quiz 20
- Answers - Review
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Copyright © 2006 Michael Furstner (Jazclass). All rights
reserved.