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
4
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
4
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
4
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
4
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
|
|
---
Q
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.