At the first trick, if we happen to decide
on a trump lead, we can give partner
information about the shape of the rest of
our hand.
NS non-vulnerable
W N E S
1 X
1 pass 2 pass
4 pass…
1 = natural, forcing
Variation A)
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K 9 6
A Q 10 9
K 5
J 7 6 4
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A Q 8
8 7 5
A Q 6 3
Q 10 9
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Lead: 2.
Declarer overtakes the heart in dummy with
the jack of hearts and plays the second red
jack, the J.
Leading a singleton trump isn’t recommended.
Thanks to complex count (in the trump suit),
you already know at trick one that partner
has an even-suit oriented hand. North
follows to the diamond trick with the 8,
showing an odd number.
Plan the defense
You can recreate West’s hand.
? x x
K J x x
J 10 9 x
AK
Why doesn’t declarer’s shape look more like
this?
x
K J x x
J 10 9 x
A K x x
As a result of analyzing partner’s lead, if
he had had
x x x x x x
x x
x x x
x x
he would have had a more attractive lead in
the club suit.
It’s obviously time to lead a spade from the
ace and queen. There’s no reason to wait.
Why?
The full hand:
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J 7 5 4
6 2
8 7 2
8 5 3 2
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10 3 2
K J 4 3
J 10 9 4
A K
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K 9 6
A Q 10 9
K 5
J 7 6 4
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A Q 8
8 7 5
A Q 6 3
Q 10 9
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Let’s follow the likely play of the next few
tricks.
After winning the queen of diamonds we get
out passively with a heart. West cashes the
ace and king of clubs and gets out with a
diamond. Again you get out with a heart. A
club is ruffed and on two good diamonds
declarer pitches two spades from dummy.
Variation B)
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J 7 5 4 2
6 2
8 7 2
8 5 3 |
|
10 3
K J 4 3
J 10 9 4
A K 2
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K 9 6
A Q 10 9
K 5
J 7 6 4
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A Q 8
8 7 5
A Q 6 3
Q 10 9 |
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Lead: 6.
Declarer overtakes the heart in dummy with
the jack of hearts and plays the second red
jack, the J.
Leading a singleton trump isn’t recommended.
Thanks to complex count (in the trump suit),
you already know at trick one that partner
has an odd-suit oriented hand. Note, that
the 6 is the highest missing spot card,
from looking at your hand and dummy. North
follows to the diamond trick with the 8,
showing an odd number.
You can recreate West’s hand.
x x
K J x x
J 10 9 x
A K x
You play a heart and wait for the two tricks
coming to you in the black suits.
DOUBT
Complex count shouldn’t be used when one
defender who has no high cards has already
managed to give count in a suit. In this
situation we give substitute count. It is
more useful. Why?
NS vulnerable
W N E S
1 pass pass
X XX 3 3
3NT pass …
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K 8 2
A K J 9 8
A K 3
10 6 |
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J 9 6
6
Q J 10 9 8 4 2
8 2
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Your lead: A.
South plays the 3 (even count), West plays
the 2.
You decide to cash the ace and king of
diamonds. On the second diamond trick
declarer pitches the queen of spades.
Plan the defense.
Variation A)
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K 8 2
A K J 9 8
A K 3
10 6 |
|
A Q 7
Q 10 2
6
A K Q J 9 7
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J 9 6
6
Q J 10 9 8 4 2
8 2
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10 5 4 3
7 5 4 3
7 5
5 4 3
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In this case you should put declarer in his
hand with a heart.
According to the basic agreement when South
doesn’t have anything in his hand, he is
obligated to give complex count in the
diamond suit.
Partner plays the 5 and the 7, showing an
even-suit oriented hand.
You know partner’s count in the red suits –
even.
The fact that one of partner’s black suits
is odd you know without this genius
convention.
As it happens you need to add the following
additional agreement:
Complex count shouldn’t be used when one
defender who doesn’t have anything in his
hand has already managed to give count in a
suit.
In this situation substitute count should be
given. It is more useful.
In which suit is it applied?
Most often the choice of the key suit on the
hand won’t be the result of a specific
agreement, but from the defenders’
understanding of the situation.
This requires a thorough discussion between
the partners, a lot of bridge knowledge and
analytical abilities.
In this case the agreement is applied that
substitute count is given to the shorter of
the two remaining suits in dummy. The
doubleton in the dummy is the club suit.
By playing to the diamond suit with the 7
and the 5 South shows an odd number of
cards in clubs. We can work out declarer’s
shape.
A Q x
Q x x
6
A K Q Jx x
It’s safe to give declarer a heart trick.
At trick thirteen we’ll get the setting
trick with the king of spades.
Lazily playing the
10
will let declarer make ten tricks.
We have to realize that even if partner
happens to have a higher club spot card than
the 8 it’s not possible to set the contract
two. After cashing the clubs, we won’t be
able to avoid being endplayed.
Variation B)
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K 8 2
A K J 9 8
A K 3
10 6 |
|
A Q
Q 10 2
6
A K Q J 9 7 5 |
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J 9 6
6
Q J 10 9 8 4 2
8 2
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10 7 5 4 3
7 5 4 3
7 5
4 3
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Your lead: A.
South plays the 3 (even count), West plays
the 2.
You decide to cash the ace and king of
diamonds. On the second diamond trick
declarer pitches the queen of spades.
Partner follows to the diamonds with the 5
and the 7. South is showing an even number
of clubs.
We can recreate West’s hand.
A Q
Q x x
x
A K Q J x x x
Now, we can calmly get out of our hand with
a spade.