Play of the Hand
All of the things
This deal from Bridge Master, a free, interactive declarer-play program on Bridge Base Online, wraps up many of the card play concepts Deal Me In has covered this year.
North (Dummy)
♠Q 3
♥4 3 2
♦A Q J 10 9 8
♣A 5
South (You)
♠A 2
♥A K Q J 10 9
♦2
♣Q J 10 9
West leads the ♠J against your 6♥ contract. You cover with the queen, but East plays the king, and you win with the ace.
You have potential finessing positions in both minor suits. However, if the finesse loses, you will go down when the defenders cash a spade winner.
Because dummy has a sure entry – the ♣A – you do not need to take a traditional finesse in either suit. Instead, you can take a “ruffing finesse” in diamonds. Here’s how it works:
Start by drawing trump, then play the ♦2 to the ace. Now play another diamond. If East covers with the king, you can ruff and go to dummy with the ♣A to discard your club losers on dummy’s good diamonds.
If East doesn’t cover, toss your spade loser. West can win the ♦K, but you still have the club entry to dummy and enough discards for your losers.
The full deal:
Best Bidding
Stayman
One of the first bidding conventions bridge players learn is Stayman.
What is a bidding convention? It’s an agreement about an artificial call. Stayman – a 2♣ response to a 1NT opening bid – says nothing about clubs. It’s conventional and artificial and asks partner, the 1NT opening bidder, if they have a four-card major. Why do this? To discover if a 4–4 major-suit fit exists.
What are the requirements for bidding basic Stayman?
| West | Partner | East | You |
| 1NT | Pass | 2♠ |
The second requirement for basic Stayman (there are many variations) is at least one four-card major suit. Having both is fine, too!
Opener’s rebids are simple. With no four-card major, opener (the 1NT bidder) bids 2♦. With four hearts, opener bids 2♥, and with four spades, opener bids 2♠. If opener has both, he bids 2♥.
Here are two hands that could start with the Stayman convention:
1) ♠K Q 3 2 ♥A 6 2 ♦K 8 6 2 ♣4 3
2) ♠6 3 ♥4 3 2 ♦A K 3 ♣Q 9 7 2
In example 1, you have enough combined points to be in game. If partner rebids 2♦ (no major), bid 3NT. If partner rebids 2♥, bid 3NT. This guarantees four spades, denies four hearts and shows enough points to be in game. If partner has four spades along with four hearts, they can bid 4♠ over 3NT.
If partner rebids 2♠, bid 4♠.
In example 2, you don’t have a game-forcing hand, it is only invitational, meaning if opener has 15 HCP, you probably don’t want to be in game. Even though your heart suit is anemic, you still start with Stayman. If partner rebids 2♦ or 2♠, you will bid 2NT, showing your invitational values with four hearts. Partner will bid game with 16 or 17 HCP.
If partner rebids 2♥, you must decide if you will pass or invite game with 3♥.
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