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duck the king?


What does 'duck the king' mean?  

49 members have voted

  1. 1. What does 'duck the king' mean?

    • Your opponent plays low to AQ and you don't play the king
      31
    • Your opponent plays low to KQ and you don't play the ace
      18


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You forgot an option for "who cares" :rolleyes:

 

I suppose if want to be nitpicky, I would argue that "duck" as used in bridge is an intransitive verb, so the proper usage in either case is simply "duck", with no object. For example, "he finessed and I ducked" or "he played up to the king and I ducked".

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You forgot an option for "who cares" :rolleyes:

 

I suppose if want to be nitpicky, I would argue that "duck" as used in bridge is an intransitive verb, so the proper usage in either case is simply "duck", with no object. For example, "he finessed and I ducked" or "he played up to the king and I ducked".

To duck is noth a transitive and intransitive verb.

 

South ducks in order to sever declarer's communications.

South ducks declarer's king, severing communications.

South ducks his king, severing communcations.

 

I think the more common object is declarer's card but as you point out this is ambiguous. Using a possessive pronoun is simple whenever the speaker/writer needs to break an ambiguity.

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Csaba: English can be a tough language, for sure.

 

What would it mean in Romanian language?

 

DHL

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Csaba: English can be a tough language, for sure.

 

What would it mean in Romanian language?

 

DHL

 

I haven't read much Romanian literature but I think they just say 'play small'. In Hungarian you would say a word (kihagyni) that you'd usually use for "miss" (like miss a goal in soccer/hockey) but now I'm confused as I can't seem to remember if you miss the king or the queen! I think you "miss" the trick usually but they also use both K and Q. my head is spinning!

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I haven't read much Romanian literature but I think they just say 'play small'. In Hungarian you would say a word (kihagyni) that you'd usually use for "miss" (like miss a goal in soccer/hockey) but now I'm confused as I can't seem to remember if you miss the king or the queen! I think you "miss" the trick usually but they also use both K and Q. my head is spinning!

The Romanian word is "to delay" and if you want to say "delay the king" of course it means you have the king and you delay the moment that you play it.

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If you hold Axxx, and dummy on your left has KQxx, and declarer leads towards the King, you have ducked the Ace not the King, so maybe it is the same when sitting over dummy.

 

(Hmm, 'Review the complete topic' button used to open a small new window, now it opens a new tab for me... annoying, but perhaps there is an option to change it back to a window...)

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I have my opinion on this but wanted to see if people agreed with it :-) but maybe for 655321's example people who like option 2 think you shouldn't say duck the Ace you should say duck from the Ace or just duck?

 

dictionary.com is again unhelpful:

 

5.

to lower suddenly: Duck your head going through that low doorway.

6.

to avoid or evade (a blow' date=' unpleasant task, etc.); dodge: to duck a hard right; to duck an embarrassing question.

7.

to plunge or dip in water momentarily.

8.

Cards Informal . to play a card lower than (the card led).

[/quote']

 

5 and 6 seem contradictory for the purposes of the situation and 7 seems too specific. I don't understand 8 fully but it would seem to indicate option number 2

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IMO: You duck the king when an opponent plays the king and you withhold your ace.

For example, at no-trump, with Axx opposite xx, you might elect to duck the first couple of honour leads.

(cf "You duck a blow or a responsibility")

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Nigel writes:

"....when an opponent plays the King and you withhold your Ace". He called it "duck(ing) the King"...

 

I read it as:

You duck ( the trick by withholding ) the Ace. Obviously you play a lower card ( than the K ) when you "duck the Ace" ).

 

And when you don't have the Ace, do you really "duck" the King ?? There is no choice involved.

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But hey, I'm not sure which is grammatically correct, and I usually agree with everything Nigel posts.

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