Page 66 - Learn Bridge Ver2_Neat

Chapter 5. That loser thing in trumps.

Sometimes trump hands can be difficult and we have to leave the task
of drawing the opponent’s trumps because we have a more urgent job.
That job is, almost certainly, reducing our losers.

Warning - When players fail in their trump contract it is almost always
because they did not count their play losers.

Look at this hand -

Example 1
Í Q 10 5 2
Ì K 7 12 points
This hand looks as if it should be Ë A 8 4
played with a trump suit as we have 9 Ê K 7 6 4
spades and only 1 stop in diamonds. To Í 8 7 Í A 4
the plan! Ì J 6 5 2 Ì 10 9 8 4
Ë Q J 10 7 Ë K 5 3
Keep C. A. L. M.
Ê 9 8 5 Ê A 10 3 2
Í K J 9 6 3
Count your quick tricks by power. 4 Ì A Q 3 13 points
made up of 3 hearts and 1 diamond. Ë 9 6 2
Ê Q J

Add tricks from other sources. Slow tricks by power - 4 in spades and 2 in
clubs. 10 in total. We go game in spades and get the lead of the ËQ.

Loser check. The diamond lead has compromised our contract and we will
go down if we try to draw their trumps. When we lose the lead to the
trump Ace they can cash 1 spade, 2 diamonds and a club. We must reduce
our losers NOW! If we play on hearts we can throw a diamond loser.
Then we can draw trumps.

Manage the hand. Win the lead, play the ÌK (honours from the short
hand first) then our other hearts throwing a diamond on the last and then
draw their trumps. Contract made.

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