15: Choice of Promotions
06 Nov 2013, by in Bridge BitesHere’s a deal which illustrates the technique of promoting trump tricks for the defense. In fact, as you are about to see, this deal provides three distinct examples of trump promotion!
None Vulnerable
East’s 2♠ was a “Weak Two”, showing a 6-card suit and less than opening values.
The contract is 3♥, played by South, with you in the West seat. What is your choice of opening lead?
It’s a comradely thing to lead Partner’s suit, that way you don’t get any bleating in the post mortem with comments such as “Why didn’t you lead my suit?” or sarcasm such as “You did notice that I bid Spades, didn’t you?” But you need a really good reason not to lead your Ace-King suit, and a top Club seems like the obvious lead to us. Nowadays, most players lead Ace from Ace-King, so let’s assume that this is your choice. Partner follows with the Six and Declarer plays the Queen. Does Declarer have a singleton, or is he false-carding?
The Clubs in the hidden hands are Queen-Eight-Six-Two. If Partner had the Eight-Six-Two she would not play the Six, she would play the Two, so don’t be fooled by Declarer’s feeble attempt at deception, he has another Club! So, you cash a second Club, everyone following. Now what? Partner probably has the ♠A and if so that will take the defensive trick count up to four. Where’s the fifth trick coming from?
Yes, of course, you can arrange a trump promotion! Cash the ♠K at Trick 3, then lead a Spade to Partner’s Ace. She will return a third round of Spades and now, whether Declarer ruffs high or ruffs low, your Queen scores the setting trick.
Note the importance of cashing that second Club before switching to Spades. If the defense cashes only one Club, then plays on Spades, Declarer will pitch a Club on the third round. West scores a trump trick, but only at the expense of a Club trick.
There are a couple more trump promotions on this deal:
– Suppose that West, in deference to Partner, makes an opening lead of the♠K. East wins the second Spade and can give Partner a trump promotion but, again, only at the expense of a Club trick. So, East must shift to Clubs. West takes his two Clubs, and now the defense promotes a trump trick with an “uppercut”. On the third round of Clubs, East ruffs with the Jack, and once again the ♥Q is the setting trick.
– Finally, suppose that East declares 2♠ (perhaps South was snoozing through the auction). Can N-S beat this contract? Yes! South cashes two Hearts, shifts to the ♦K, and when North leads the fourth round of Diamonds there is yet another trump promotion! Down one.
This post is courtesy of: BRIDGE BITES from the American Contract Bridge League by Brian Gunnell
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.