When to duck
A defender who can anticipate how the declarer is going to play a hand is a dangerous defender indeed. Accurate anticipation is in part a product of experience and intuition, but there are certain situations that can easily be learnt. For example if declarer has a repeatable finessing position and he takes a winning finesse, he is sure to want to repeat the finesse. Look at the ♦s on this week’s deal.
South Deals
None Vul |
| ♠ |
A 8 6 |
| ♥ |
7 5 |
| ♦ |
A Q J 4 2 |
| ♣ |
J 6 5 |
|
| ♠ |
J 9 4 2 |
| ♥ |
J 10 9 8 |
| ♦ |
9 7 |
| ♣ |
A 9 4 |
|
|
| ♠ |
10 7 |
| ♥ |
6 4 3 2 |
| ♦ |
K 10 8 3 |
| ♣ |
K 10 3 |
|
| |
| ♠ |
K Q 5 3 |
| ♥ |
A K Q |
| ♦ |
6 5 |
| ♣ |
Q 8 7 2 |
|
| East |
South |
West |
North |
| |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♦ |
| Pass |
2 NT |
Pass |
3 ♠ |
| Pass |
3 NT |
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
Declarer won West’s ♥ J lead with ♥ Q and led ♦ 5 to dummy’s ♦ J. Say East wins ♦ K – and returns ♥ 3. Declarer wins ♥ K, plays to dummy’s ♦ Q, cashes ♦ A, and concedes ♦ 2 to East’s ♦ 10. East plays ♥ 6 to declarer’s ♥ A and declarer crosses to ♠ A, cashes ♦ 4, then returns to ♠ KQ. Nine tricks.
But, anticipating that declarer would repeat the ♦ finesse, East (smoothly) ducked ♦ J at trick two. Declarer crossed back to his ♠ Q and led ♦ 6 to ♦ Q. This time East won ♦ K – and led ♥ 3. Declarer won ♥ K, crossed to ♠ A, and cashed ♦ A hoping for an even split. West discarded a ♣ so dummy’s ♦s were dead (for the lack of an entry to return to them after conceding the fourth round). Declarer was left hoping that the missing ♠s were split 3-3. He cashed ♠ K then ♠ Q but, when East discarded a ♣ on ♠ Q, was unable to make any more tricks apart from ♥ A. He was one down.
ANDREW’S TIP: As a defender, duck when declarer takes a repeatable finesse.
