When to think?

[wyman]

I am on lead against 6 bananas. I hold the ace of a side suit, but I decide not to lead it.

 

I choose my lead and make it. Typically, I'd like to plan my defense -- in particular, whether or not to duck the ace if declarer leads the suit, but several issues may need to be considered -- after seeing partner's card. In this case, declarer insta-calls a card from dummy. Partner follows immediately, and declarer wins and fires back small in my ace-suit without a second's thought.

 

I would like to -- with or without the ace, with or without a stiff , with or without a problem on this trick -- take some time to consider the defense, a luxury afforded my partner in 3rd seat by all rights that I'm aware of, and certainly one of which the declarer may freely avail himself at almost any time.

 

So am I permitted to take my sweet time after declarer plays to trick 2 with any holding? Do I have to announce that I have no problem (if that is indeed true)? What's etiquette? [surely etiquette calls for slower play at T1 by my partner and declarer, but maybe the defense is obvious to P, and maybe declarer has only 1 clear line]

 

This comes up often in 3rd seat also, when declarer shotguns a card from dummy and I have a stiff or something. If I only play 3rd hand quickly with a stiff, there's a ton of UI, but if I take my time with the stiff, ...

 

Thanks in advance.

[Hanoi5]

You and your partner could announce that you like to take your time on the first trick. You can also hold your card and say you're inspecting the first trick before declarer turns the card (an you turn yours).

 

Of course if you're playing online and you don't like to/can't tell the opponents that you like to take your time as defense on the first trick (which I guess should be your right) then you can write after seeing/making the opening lead: 'BRB', and take your time then.

[manudude03]

I'm no expert in this kind of thing, but my gut says that in the first case, you're screwed either way (unless dummy has KQxx or something where there is no guess).

 

In the second case, partner should wait a bit even with a stiff. I wouldn't consider it UI or misleading. Declarer is expected to take at least 10 seconds before playing a card from dummy. If declarer shotguns, 3rd seat has the right to make up the rest of that time.

[han]

Your partner should take longer at trick 1. He should not only do this for himself, but also for his partner.

 

Taking a long time at trick 2 when you have nothing to think about is not ethical. Of course you can take as much time at trick 2 if you have the ace and want to figure out whether you should duck or not.

[dake50]

Agree Hanoi5.

Don't quit trick one until you think - about 20secs does not convey UI.

Partner in 3rd seat should always assure 20 secs. think time.

Gamesmanship is to imitate a slow declarer.

Even to late play - you have just as much ownership of "bridge time" as he.

Slow play verses a rat-a-tat-tat declarer - his mind races off topic.

[gnasher]

You should do your thinking during trick one. Trick one ends when all four players have turned their card face down. If you haven't finished thinking, don't turn your card over.

 

That's legal, ethical and sensible. If you always do it in this situation (when the other players have rushed through trick one), it doesn't convey any UI and can't reasonably be construed as misleading.

 

If declarer leads to the next trick before you've turned your card over, just ignore it and continue to think, or say that you're still on trick one. If declarer's being particularly irritating, ask to see the trick again, or acidly ask if he would mind playing in accordance with the rules.

 

 

As others have said, if you're third to play to trick one and declarer plays unreasonably quickly, you can and should take some time before playing. Again, if you always do this it converys no UI. In England that is written into the regulations:

It is normal for third hand to think before playing to trick one. Such thought is normally while declarer is thinking about his play. However, sometimes declarer plays quickly from dummy. At such a time third hand may legitimately think whatever his holding in the suit, and no inference can be or should be taken from such a pause. For example, if third hand has a singleton and declarer plays quickly from dummy, it is entirely legitimate for third hand to consider the hand generally.

Edited March 11, 2011 by gnasher

[blackshoe]

I'm not so sure your reading of the law is correct, Andy. Mind you, I'd like it to be, but as I read it there's no prohibition against leading to the next trick when there are still cards face up on the table from the previous trick.

[jschafer]

Here's what I do: after the lead I close my hand and put it on the table before any play is made by declarer, then inspect dummy after the lead. Imo that makes it pretty clear I'm thinking about the whole hand, irrespective of how fast partner and declarer play. Since I'm not even looking at or holding my hand I don't think any opponent would complain if I don't lead my singleton in tempo or duck my ace.

[Finch]

What gnasher suggests is the second best solution. The problem is that you are most likely to be thinking about whether to duck your ace or not, if you aren't prepared to complete trick 1.

The best solution, as already pointed out, is for partner to think at trick 1 even if declarer doesn't.

[gnasher]

I'm not so sure your reading of the law is correct, Andy. Mind you, I'd like it to be, but as I read it there's no prohibition against leading to the next trick when there are still cards face up on the table from the previous trick.

 

You're quite right. All these years (OK, maybe two or three times in my life), I've been acidly asking people to play by the rules when they already were.

[jogs]

I am on lead against 6 bananas. I hold the ace of a side suit, but I decide not to lead it.

 

I choose my lead and make it. Typically, I'd like to plan my defense -- in particular, whether or not to duck the ace if declarer leads the suit, but several issues may need to be considered -- after seeing partner's card. In this case, declarer insta-calls a card from dummy. Partner follows immediately, and declarer wins and fires back small in my ace-suit without a second's thought.

 

 

Turn your head and eyes away from declarer. Look at dummy. Tell declarer not to play to the next trick until you're ready.

Educate your partner. If declarer doesn't think before playing from dummy, he should wait 30 seconds before playing to trick one.