CP7 - The "Hold
Up"
One side leads, the other deliberately plays low in
both hands
|
| Dummy
♥ 6 2
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|
Lead (W)
♥ K Q J 10 5
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| East
♥ 9 4 3
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|
| Declarer
♥ A 4 2
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|
This is the classic hold up scenario, where the Defenders hold 8 cards in
a suit against a NT contract.
To guard against a 5-3 split,
Declarer must hold up twice (if he can), and win the 3rd trick with his
♥A. This removes all three hearts held by East.
Provided Declarer now loses any other tricks only to East, West's remaining
two heart winners remain isolated and can not be cashed in.
(If Defenders' hearts are split 4-4,
Declarer will always lose 3 trick in the suit.)
When the Defence holds
7 cards in a suit, Declarer must hold up once to guard against a
5-2 split.
The Bath Coup
|
| Dummy
a. ♥ 6 2
b. ♥ A 6 2
|
|
Lead (W)
♥ K Q 10
9 5
|
| East
a. ♥ 7 4 3
b. ♥ 7 3
|
|
| Declarer
a. ♥ A J 8
b. ♥ J 8 4
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|
A standard Opening lead in NT. When holding both the Ace and the
Jack in Defenders' long suit, Declarer must hold up once.
If
West now continues with this suit he will lose his
♥Q to the ♥A, or lose his ♥10 to the ♥J.
The third trick too will then be won by the Declarer's side.
|
|
|
CP8 - Avoidance
play
to keep the dangerous Opponent off the lead
|
| Dummy
♠ 8 4 ..
♥ .. ..
♦ A Q J 9 2
♣ K Q 7
|
|
West (Danger man)
♠ K 9 7 3
♥ .. .. J 10 ..
♦ 8 3
♣ 6 4
|
| East
♠ J 6 5
♥ .. .. ..
♦ K 10
4
♣ J 10 8 2
|
| Contract : 3NT
| Declarer
♠ A Q 10
♥ .. .. ..
♦ 7 6 5 <
♣ A 9 5 3
|
|
West has lead hearts three times, Declarer holding up twice and winning the 3rd
trick with his ♥A (see CP7). But West
has two more heart winners in his hand, so he is clearly the danger man
who should not gain the lead.
Declarer can take two possible
finesses, one in spades, one in diamonds. He choses the one that will
not give the lead to the Danger man if it fails.
He therefore
leads his ♦5 towards Dummy's ♦J. It loses to East's ♦K. East now leads his ♠5. Declarer
must refuse the finesse and win with his ♠A, then cash all remaining winners, making his 9 tricks required.
|
| Dummy
♦ 8 6 3
|
|
West
♦ A Q 9 4
|
| East (Danger man)
♦ J 10 2
|
|
| Declarer
♦ K 7 5
|
|
Here East is the clear Danger man which must be kept off the lead.
For if East
wins a trick he can lead through Declarer's unprotected ♦K, which, when captured, will give four ♦ tricks
to the Defence.
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