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VOLVER AL INICIO - AGREGAR A FAVORITOS

         

   Krzysztof Martens

 COMPLEX COUNT II: A SIGH OF RELIEF

 

 Krzysztof is a bridge player, a bridge coach and journalist.

 

 He has his own web page: Bridge University,  where you can get his books

 

http://www.martensuniversity.com

 

     Complex count relieves us of having to guess.

 

NS vulnerable

 

W         N           E          S                                                            

2NT     pass       3        pass

3     pass       6        pass…

 

3 = Puppet Stayman

3 = 5 hearts

 

 

 

K 10 8 5 3 2

K 10 8 7 5   

Q

 

 

  

J 4   

A J 8 6 3

Q 2    

K J 8 3

 

 

Lead:  4.

Declarer pulls two rounds of trump, South following with the 7 and the 5, and plays a club to the 10 (partner plays the 7).

 

 Plan the defense

 

 South, who has a very weak hand, is obligated to give complex count in the heart suit.

By playing high-low South showed that he has an odd-suit oriented hand, or three odds and one even.

South has an even number of trumps.

 

Declarer’s shape becomes clear:  2; 5; 3; 3.

 

 

 

K 10 8 5 3 2

K 10 8 7 5  

Q

 

A Q 

K Q 10 9 2

A J 9

A 10 5

 

J 4   

A J 8 6 3

Q 2    

K J 8 3

 

9 7 6  

7 5

6 4 3

9 7 6 4 2 

 

 

After winning the queen of clubs it’s safe to get out with a spade.

 

Variation B)

 

 

 

K 10 8 5 3 2

K 10 8 7 5  

Q

 

 

J 4   

A J 8 6 3

Q 2    

K J 8 3

 

Lead:  4.

Declarer pulls two rounds of trump, South following with the 5 and the 7, and plays a club to the 10 (partner plays the 7).

 

 Plan the defense

 

 By playing the hearts low-high South showed that he has an even-suit oriented hand, or three evens and one odd.

South’s play of the 7 shows an odd number of clubs.  Spades and diamonds have to be even.

Declarer’s shape is clear:  3; 5; 2; 3.

  

 

K 10 8 5 3 2

K 10 8 7 5  

Q

 

A Q 9 

K Q 10 9 2

A J

A 10 5

J 4   

A J 8 6 3

Q 2    

K J 8 3

 

7 6  

7 5

9 6 4 3

9 7 6 4 2 

 

 

Now, after winning the queen of clubs, it’s safe to get out with a diamond.

 

SUBTLE DISCARDS

 

This is undoubtedly a higher stage of development to which the civilized world (of bridge) will get to only in the next few decades (or at least decade and a half).

 

W         N           E          S                                                            

1NT     pass      3NT     pass…

      

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 9 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

 

 

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2    

K 9 3

 

Your lead:  2.

 

Declarer wins partner’s J with the queen and plays a heart to the king and a heart to the ten in his hand.  You win the ace of hearts and play the ace of spades and a spade.  Spades divide evenly (3-3-3).  West cashes the two heart tricks in dummy.  First you pitch the thirteenth spade.

Partner follows to the fourth round of hearts as declarer pitches a club.

What do you discard?

 

Partner, not having any points in his hand, should play complex count to declarer’s first attack suit.

 

Variation A-1)

 

South plays the 5 and the 4, showing an odd-suit oriented hand.  The number of hearts and spades in South’s hand we know.

Does this solve all of our problems?

The two middle heart cards played (South had an original heart holding of  6543) also gives the information that his minor suit length is the same.

 

Now we know declarer’s shape:  3; 3; 3; 4.

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 9 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

K Q 9 

10 7 2

A Q 10

A 10 5 2

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2    

K 9 3

 

J 7 6  

6 5 4 3

9 4 3

8 7 6  

 

 

On the fourth heart we can freely pitch a diamond.

 

Variation A-2)

South follows in hearts with the 4 and the 3, showing an odd-suit oriented hand.  The number of hearts and spades in South’s hand we know.

By playing the two lowest hearts (South had an original heart holding of  6543), South shows that he has a longer lower-ranking suit in this case clubs.

West’s shape is known to be:  3352.

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 3 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

K Q 9 

10 7 2

A Q 10 9 4

A 2

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2    

K 9 3

 

J 7 6  

6 5 4 3

3

10 8 7 6 5  

 

 

We come to this end position:

 

 

---

--- 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

--- 

---

A Q 10 9 4

A 2

  

---   

K 6 2     

K 9 3

 

---

6

3

10 8 7 6 5  

 

 

On the fourth heart, West cleverly pitches a club.

Thanks to the precise information we have, we can also pitch a club.

 

Variation B)

 

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 9 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

 

   

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2    

K 9 3

 

 

Your lead:  2.

Declarer wins partner’s J with the queen and plays a heart to the king and a heart to the ten in his hand.  You win the ace of hearts and play the ace of spades and a spade.  Spades divide evenly (3-3-3).  West cashes the two heart tricks in dummy.  First, you pitch the thirteenth spade.

 

Partner follows to the fourth round of hearts, as declarer pitches a club.

 

Partner plays from an original heart holding of 6543:

 

1)     the 3 and the 4

2)     the 5 and the 6

 

What do you discard in B-1) and B-2)?

 

Variation B-1)

 

South plays the 3 and the 4, showing an even-suit oriented hand.  The number of hearts and spades in South’s hand we know.

The two lowest heart cards played (South had an original heart holding of  6543) shows that he has a longer lower-ranking suit in this case clubs.

 

West’s shape is:  3; 3; 4; 3.

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 9 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

K Q 9 

10 7 2

A Q 10 4 

A 5 2

   

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2     

K 9 3

 

J 7 6  

6 5 4 3

9 4 

10 8 7 6  

 

 

On the fourth heart we pitch a club, counting on the fact that partner will have the 10.

 

Variation B-2)

South plays the 5 and the 6, showing an even-suit oriented hand.  The number of hearts and spades in South’s hand we know.

The two highest heart cards played (South had an original heart holding of  6543) shows that he has a longer higher-ranking suit in this case diamonds.

 

West’s shape is:  3; 3; 2; 5.

 

 

A 5 3 2

A 9 

J 8 7 5  

Q J 4

 

K Q 9 

10 7 2

A Q 

A 10 6 5 2

  

10 8 4   

K Q J 8

K 6 2    

K 9 3

 

J 7 6  

6 5 4 3

10 9 4 3 

8 7   

 

 

On the fourth heart we have to pitch a diamond.