Beginners guide to suit combinations

[inquiry]

This will be a thread on basic suit combinations. Everyone should feel encouraged to add suit combinations to this thread. I guess we should number them so we can talk about them in subsequent replies... So I will get us started with some very, very basic ones. We will then cover more sophisticated ones and defensive ones as we go along.

 

Excuse the simplicity of these first ones, but we have to start somewhere.

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Best play is lead Queen and play low if not covered. 50% chance of success. Leading the Queen and playing the ACE works only 2.8% of the time (when north has singleton King

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Lead Queen and let it ride if north fails to cover, 50% chance. Playing the ACE when WEST plays low. Playing the Ace hoping to drop the king singleton offside only has 13% chance to win. This line has 50% chance to win.

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

The odds favor leading the queen, and if WEST plays low, go up with the ACE.. you can also just lead the ACE... Odds of a singelton King is 52%. Odds of Kx or K on side is only 50%, but odds of South having specifically Kx is only 24%

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Chance to win 4 tricks requires 3-2 split, with the club queen with South. Win ACE, then lead towards KJx.. if South plays low, play the jack. Chance of sucess is 33.9%

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Same line.. ACE and then to the Jack.. This wins three tricks, unless North has QTxx or QTxxx. Chance of winning 3 tricks? 86.7%

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Play ACE and then lead low towards QJ. chance of success 87.7%, loses to Kxxx, KTxxx, or KTxx with north

 

[hv=n=s&w=sqjt9&e=saxxx&s=s]399|300|#1. Win four tricks[/hv]

BEST PLAY

Same thing as other hand with QJxx. Start with the ACE, and then lead low towards QT.. cover what card south plays (Ten or if jack, then play Queen). Odds of success for 3 tricks reduced to 63.5%. BTW, same play to win 2 tricks, has 89.6% chance to win 2 tricks

 

[sceptic]

1/. lead Q to A if finese holds lead J to A and so on

 

2/. same as above for 1

 

3/. lead Q whatever LHO plays of that suit play A

 

4a/. Play A the small to finese against J

 

4b/. Play small to finese against J K

 

5/. Play Q and if LHO covers play low let them win the trick, then win the A and J

 

6/. Play A then finese against the the 10 Q

[jillybean]

Hi, thanks Ben.

I'll try.

 

1. lead Q to Ace, let it run if North plays low.

 

2. You can only guard against North holding Kxx, Kx

lead Q to Ace, let it run if North plays low.

 

3. Same play as 2?

 

4a. Play low to ace then low to Jack.

This fails when North holds Qx or Qxx?

 

4b. Play Ace, King then low to Jack

win against Qx or QTx?

 

5. Play low to Q, if it wins back to Ace and low to J?

 

6. Play low to 10, if South plays K, T to Ace playing north for Jack

If South plays Jack, cover with Q

 

I need a lot more practice before I could work these out at the table !!

[myfish]

let me try :)

 

1.run Q,J,T,9 if N do not play K(50%)

2.run Q,J,T if N do not play K(50%)

3.in theorm,just play A,practically lead Q and then play A(52%)

4.win A and then low to jack(34%)

5.win K,win A,low to jack(~82%)

6.win A,low to jack,low to Q(assume there is no entry/ruff problem)(~82%)

7.win A,low to T,low to Q(cover if neccesary)(i don't know :D )

[inquiry]

Got a complaint that the hidden text in the first post prints when you print the puzzle out... so i will not include the answers on this lot (who know,I probably wouldn't get these all right anway).

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

 

[hv=n=s&w=sa863&e=sq942&s=s]399|300|7. You need three tricks[/hv]

[xx1943]

Hi all,

Ben opened a threat about how to play suit combinations.

 

Suit combinations 1-4

 

To continue here a very common situation:

[hv=n=s5432&w=s&e=s&s=skj1098]399|300|#5a Lose only 1 trick!

You have enough entries to dummy[/hv]

[hv=n=s5432&w=s&e=s&s=skj1098]399|300|#5a Lose only 1 trick!

You have enough entries to dummy[/hv]

 

Sincerly

Al

[cherdano]

Here is one that is frequently misplayed, although it is not so difficult:

[hv=n=sqt9&w=s&e=s&s=sa32]399|300|[/hv]

Goal is maximum number of tricks (think MP).

 

Arend

[sceptic]

here are some examples of what I struggle with occasionally

 

[hv=n=sa1098xx&w=s&e=s&s=sx]399|300|

A

[/hv]

 

[hv=n=sa1098xx&w=s&e=s&s=sx]399|300|

A

[/hv]

 

[hv=n=sa1098xx&w=s&e=s&s=sx]399|300|

A

[/hv]

 

[hv=n=sa1098xx&w=s&e=s&s=sx]399|300|

A

[/hv]

 

 

Please note I will be answering these myself before I check them out in books, as they represent the sort of hand I have probs with

[sceptic]

Sorry I never identified them, Please refer to them as Hand A,B,C,D

[sceptic]

7/. A then small to Q

 

8/. same as 7

 

9/. A then low to finese 9 whatever card is played play 9

 

10/. low finese 8 then play A

 

11/. end play opps and ruff sometricks

 

12/. lead 10 to A, play ace if 10 is covered then low to Q

[myfish]

hi :P

 

7. win A and then low to Q(34%)

8. low to 9(cover if needed),win A,low to Q

9. win A and then low to Q(~78%?)

10. low to 9,win A and then low to Q

11. i don't have 5 tricks unless it is the trump B)

12. win A and then low T,low to Q(properly wrong)

 

A. low to T,win A

B. win A and hope K drops,finnesse with 9(6 tricks)

win A and then low to Q(5 tricks)

C. can't win 5 tricks in any combination,must take 4 tricks if the suit breaks 4-3

in 5-2 breaks only a doubleton K helps,so low and then A/A and then low

D. win A and then X

[xx1943]

Hmhhh

 

I'm wondering why there are no responses to these puzzles.

 

Are they too easy?

 

I set the second in my today's Indy and only two declarer got it rite.

 

traveller

 

The other 5, who won 4♥, got it, because RHO took A of ♥ at once in the hope of a diamond ruff.

 

cheers

 

Al

[inquiry]

When you play these suit combination, remember how to play them in isolation like in this puzzle is one thing, how to play them in the wild depends upon some other issues, like, who need to keep off the lead, what you have found out about the distribution in other suits, etc. But most of the times knowing the right play in the suit is the secret to the entire hand. Here is two cases to demonstrate this.

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sq5hj74dq932ca652&w=sat92hq83dkjt84c8&e=sj3ht9652d76ckt97&s=sk8764hakda5cqj43]399|300|Scoring: IMP

West North East South

 

 Pass  Pass  Pass  1♠

 2♦    2♠    Pass  3♣

 Pass  3♠    Pass  Pass

 Pass  [/hv]

 

DT DQ D7 D5 <<----- good lead for your chances.

 

Now you can afford to lose 3 trumps (an unluck 4-2 spade split), as long as you lose only one club trick. First let's see what declarer did.....

H4 H2 HA H3 <<--- heart to dummy, good.. now sapde to queen and duck Spade

CJ C8 C2 CK <<--- but NOOOOOO declarer didn't know position #5 from 1st post

D6 DA D4 D2

S4 S2 SQ S3

S5 SJ S6 S9

HT HK H8 H7

C3 D8 CA C7

C5 C9 CQ ST

SA D3 H5 S7

HQ

 

This hand should be auctomatic.. 2S, 2D, 3C, 2H for 9 tricks... The player who made this club play, btw, was an "expert" on his profile. No expert would have played this hand this way..... because they ALL know how to handle position #5.

 

This next one was played in july by one of our beginners I am trying to help out. This one, at least, is harder to get right. But after this thread, we will all get these right from now on.

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sq5hj74dq932ca652&w=sat92hq83dkjt84c8&e=sj3ht9652d76ckt97&s=sk8764hakda5cqj43]399|300|Scoring: IMP

West North East South

 

 Pass  Pass  Pass  1♠

 2♦    2♠    Pass  3♣

 Pass  3♠    Pass  Pass

 Pass  [/hv]

 

H5 H8 HT HJ <<---- this give you 3H and you will win a club, so if you can get 3D you are almost home.. how best to play this one?

D3 DT DQ DK <<---- this isn't it the way...

 

We haven't covered Axxx opposite Q9xx but we did look at Axxx opposite QTxx, (position 6, first post) and found ACE and then low to the dummy... queen (if west plays low). Same line works best for Q9xx

 

Look how well.. Diamond ACE and Diamond would work

H2 H3 H4 HK

D9 D4 D7 DJ <<--- true she "might" have guessed right here, but you get the point

H9 C4 C8 HA

S2 SA S3 S8

HQ C7 C5 H6

H7 S4 S9 C3

C6 S7 CK CA

DA S6 D2 D6

D8 C2 D5 CT

S5 C9 SK ST

SJ SQ CJ CQ

[inquiry]

Here is one that is frequently misplayed, although it is not so difficult:

QT9 [space] [space] A32

Goal is maximum number of tricks (think MP).

 

Arend

Leading the QUEEN and let it ride if not covered and lead the TEN and let it ride then in both cases repeat the finnessee both have 87% (76%... the 87% was a frame shift typo) chance of wining two tricis... but, leading the QUEEN first is best.. because if WEST has singleton JACK you can win three tricks. There is no way to win three tricks if WEST has the singlton King.... so that "EXTRA" chance makes QuEEN the matchpoint play.

 

Ben

Edited October 18, 2004 by inquiry

[cherdano]

Here is one that is frequently misplayed, although it is not so difficult:

QT9 [space] [space] A32

Goal is maximum number of tricks (think MP).

 

Arend

Leading the QUEEN and let it ride if not covered and lead the TEN and let it ride then in both cases repeat the finnessee both have 87% chance of wining two tricis... but, leading the QUEEN first is best.. because if WEST has singleton JACK you can win three tricks. There is no way to win three tricks if WEST has the singlton King.... so that "EXTRA" chance makes QuEEN the matchpoint play.

 

Ben

But leading the 10 picks up a singleton K with RHO, so I think there are the same. Anyway, what you should not do is cashing the Ace, and leading to the Queen or 10.

 

Ben, I would have expected the success chances to be closer to 75% (need either J or K with RHO). I would guess you must have miscalculated.

 

Finally, a hidden remark for intermediate+ players:

There is a 3rd way to play it, that has technically almost the same chances for 2 tricks, but allows defenders go wrong: Lead low from hand to the 10, finessing against the J. If that loses, lead the queen, playing low if not covered, thus finessing against the king. This only loses if RHO has the J, and LHO has the king. But when LHO has Kx(xx), he may well go wrong and play the king on the first round.

 

[Free]

I also have a nice one:

 

[hv=n=s&w=skj42&e=sa953&s=s]399|300|13. 3 tricks with 100% success[/hv]

[Free]

I think it's quite silly to start a new thread, when all other posters read and post in the first thread... Why didn't you post them there anyway? 1 thread, 1 topic, ALL info together...

[xx1943]

I think it's quite silly to start a new thread, when all other posters read and post in the first thread... Why didn't you post them there anyway? 1 thread, 1 topic, ALL info together...

Hi

you are rite. Sry for this. I didn't want disturb Ben thread.

Al

[xx1943]

Hi all,

 

To continue here a very common situation:

I set the second in my today's Indy and only two declarer got it rite.

 

traveller

 

 

[hv=n=s5432&w=s&e=s&s=skj1098]399|300|#14a Lose only 1 trick!

You have enough entries to dummy[/hv]

[hv=n=s5432&w=s&e=s&s=skj1098]399|300|#14a Lose only 1 trick!

You have enough entries to dummy[/hv]

How do play?

 

 

Sincerly

Al

[xx1943]

I also have a nice one:

 

[space] KJ42 A953 [space]

13. 3 tricks with 100% success

Billies put this to your standard safety-plays:

It seems strange, but if you think over it, it makes sense.

 

Hidden solution:

 

Play first where you have 2 honours: i.e the K, then small to A, 9 inserting the 9.

 

 

Ciao

 

Al

[Free]

Sry to disappoint you Al, but your sollution on #13 is wrong :) You lose against QTxx in north...

[inquiry]

Hi all,

To continue here a very common situation:

5432 [space] [space] KJ1098

#5a Lose only 1 trick! You have enough entries to dummy

5432 [space] [space] KJ1098

#5b Lose only 1 trick! You are after the lead the first and last time in dummy

 

Sincerly

Al

I merged the two threads... into one. Al, no "thead" is mine.. I started it because of the votes in the poll. IF more votes come in for another topic, I will start that, but if any wanted to start a Topic in the poll before then, I think we can all participate.

 

Now to your two problems. In case 14a.. low and finessee against the queen is clearly best to win four tricks when "sufficient entries exist to dummy".

 

In case 14b, you will not be able to make four tricks if Either hand has three cards to the AQx or all four cards. That leaves 2-2 splits and 3-1 with singlelton honor, let's lit hose.

 

1) WEST-A EAST Qxx

2) WEST -Q EAST -Axx

3) WEST Axx East -Q

4) West Qxx EAST- A

5) WEST Qx EAST Ax

6) WEST Ax EAST Qx

7) WEST xx EAST AQ

8) West AQ EAST xx

 

Of these, the ones in red will lose two tricks if you are in dummy for the last time. So they can be eliminated from consideration. The two lines of play are low towards the KJ and if EAST plays low, play either the JACK or the KING. Let's examine the outcome in the remaining five cases.....

 

When you lead low in case 3 and 7, your problem is solved and both lines (low to jack and low to king) become the same. So those two hands can be eliminated from consideration in choosing between the two lines. This leaves...

 

2) WEST -Q EAST -Axx

5) WEST Qx EAST Ax

6) WEST Ax EAST Qx

 

Without getting too technical, the odds of WEST holding Ax (ending 6) are exactly the same as the odds of WEST holding Qx (ending 5). So when in ending six, low to the JACK works, and in ending 5 low to the king works. The odds of these are the same... But what line works best here? Ah yes, low to the King. When the queen falls you safely knock out the ACE. See why this doesn't work if WEST has the singleong ace? You can duck one, but then you have to lead from your hand and EAST will score his queen after all...

 

For those interested, the odds of winning all but one trick with low to the JACK is 26.6%, and with low to the king 32.8... the difference being the exact odds of a singleton Queen in west hand (6.2%)... but YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT ODDS to work out which line is better...

 

Ben

[inquiry]

Sry to disappoint you Al, but your sollution on #13 is wrong :) You lose against QTxx in north...

err.. free are you sure about half your statement? When the nine wins (north having QTxx), you have your three tricks.. the 9 and then the AK. I think what you meant to say, is that it loses to north holding Q87x and south stiff TEN...

 

But if leading low to the NINE is wrong? What is the right line? Well, I think I may have a good guess... hidden below....

 

 

 

If the suit is split 3-2 you always have at least 3 tricks. You are trying to protect againt 4-1 or 5-0 split and you misguess. The way to do this is frequently cash one top honor and lead towards the others... here is how in this case...

 

Cash the club king... If north shows out, play to your ace and lead towards the JACK... If south shows out, lead the JACK from WEST forcing north to cover. Win, go back to dummy, and lead towards you nine through north's T8.

 

If both follow the king, you are essentially home....now you play a low one from dummy. IF norht show out, jump up with ace and lead back towards the jack. If north plays low, insert the nine... And if norht plays Ten, win ace, and use the nine to set up the jack.

 

 

[inquiry]

You are right, Leading the TEN will cater to singleton KING with EAST. So they are roughly equal. So you should probably lead TEN or QUEEN based upon best bridge judgement who might have a hidden six cards in this suit. If only one has room for six cards, that will influence your play.

 

I estimated 76% based upon the same reason why playing for the drop of the king in missing two cards in a suit is not 50%, but rather 26%. This extra 1% is based upon the principle of vacant space.. too complicated for a beginner thead...but, using odds tabled, I looked this up. The double hook here has a 76.26% chance of winning three tricks in the suit. Now, if you want to estimate that as 75% that is fine... I don't see a big difference one way or the other. I would never calculate it out at the table.. i just add a tad for vacant space and move on.. 75, 76 no biggie.... Table feel is worth a lot more than this 1% difference anyway.

 

Ben

[cherdano]

Oh, I don't quarrel about 75% or 76% or 77% (and I agree that's just "slightly more then 3/4" at the table) -- just 87% seemed a little too much to me. O giess upo were tu[omg wotj upir rogjt jamd ,pved pme [;ace tp tje rogjt :)

 

Arend