14: A Couple of Undercuts
06 Nov 2013, by in Bridge BitesAs West, your opening lead is the ♥A. Then you try the ♣K on which Partner plays the Seven and Declarer the Nine. Next, you cash the ♣A (everyone following). You’ve now cashed your three winners, where’s the setting trick? You can be sure that Declarer has the ♦K to go along with his good Spades, so is giving Partner a Diamond ruff the only chance?
No, it seems unlikely that Partner is void in Diamonds. How so? Well, he can hardly have more than two Spades (surely Declarer has at least six of that suit) … we know Partner started with two Clubs … so a Diamond void would leave him with 2=9=0=2 distribution, in which case he would presumably have competed to 5♥.
Both Vulnerable
How about leading a Diamond anyway, hoping that Declarer’s King is singleton? That way, Dummy’s only entry is knocked out before trumps are drawn, and it won’t be possible for Declarer to pitch his Heart losers on the Diamonds. Is that a good plan?
Actually, it’s not a bad plan at all! However, it would mean that Declarer’s original distribution would probably be 7=3=1=2, with good Spades and the singleton ♦K. Perhaps with that hand South might have preempted with 3♠ or 4♠, but that’s no sure thing either. So, if your chosen defense was to shift to a Diamond, after cashing your three winners, then well done for a well-thought out plan, but it’s not the winner on the actual hand.
Still looking for that fourth defensive trick? Here’s a clue! The humble Spade Six is a vital ingredient! And the winning defense is …
Yes, the winning defense is a Club continuation. You hope that Partner can ruff with the Six, forcing Declarer to overruff with an honor and promoting your ♠J!
Partner does indeed have the Spade Six, and that is enough for the defense to promote your ♠J into a trick! This form of trump promotion is known as an “uppercut”, and East must ruff with the Smashing Six to deliver the knock-out blow. Ruffing with the Feeble Four would be no more than a tickle under Declarer’s chin.
Next, imagine that South, perhaps being in an enfeebled state, allows East to play in 4♥. Our timid South is on opening lead and has the chance to redeem himself with the winning defense. He cashes two Spades, then cashes the ♦K, then leads a third round of Spades. Bingo! North ruffs with the Jack, delivering a sock on the jaw of Declarer’s trump holding. Another uppercut! Note that South had to cash the ♦K before leading the third Spade, otherwise the uppercut would fail, Declarer pitching his losing Diamond instead of overruffing.
This post is courtesy of: BRIDGE BITES from the American Contract Bridge League by Brian Gunnell
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