How to play a suit w/out KJ

[austin7450]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been wondering what's the best way to play a suit when you're missing the K and J? Say you have AQ10xx with 9xx in dummy, should you try and finesse the king or the jack? What kind of things do you look for when deciding how to play a fit missing the K and J?

 

Thanks!

[steve2005]

There is another option sometimes which is sometimes good (especially if you always misguess honours)

 

Leading ace then lead up to the QT. If lucky singleton honour shows up or other nice things.

 

Case is when can afford to lose one but not two. So happens more at imps but can happen at matchpoints.

[Stephen Tu]

With 8 cd suit, normally you usually finesse the ten first, the idea is to get all the tricks when both the KJ are onside correct position. Most of the time, anyway, when trying to maximize number of tricks. But on certain IMP hands, if 4 tricks guarantees the contract while 3 tricks goes down, one might try the safety play of low to the Q (which saves the day if stiff J offside). But if 9 is in declarer's hand, or you hold the 8 also, then just go ahead and hook vs J first, as you can still then pick up Kxxx onside for just the 1 loser.

 

 

Any specific hand may have other factors (entries, timing, opposing bidding, etc.) that might sway you from the normal play.

 

How to best play also changes a lot when missing the T, or missing the 9, or both, depends on exact spots held, what combos can be "picked up".

 

 

Also changes if it's 9 cd fit and what the goals are (imps vs mp, need max tricks or safety to only lose 1, etc.)

 

 

I'd suggest getting Bill Root's book "How to Play a Bridge hand", which has a section near the beginning covering many of the basic suit combinations and std tactics to consider when tackling them. Afterwards, after learning the principles from that book (and/or other good declarer play books e.g. "Card Play Technique") you can search for the suitplay program which will help you with more complicated combinations and see what subtle differences moving or adding a particular spot card can do.

[Stephen Tu]

There is another option sometimes which is sometimes good (especially if you always misguess honours)

 

Leading ace then lead up to the QT. If lucky singleton honour shows up or other nice things.

 

Case is when can afford to lose one but not two. So happens more at imps but can happen at matchpoints.

With 8 cd fit, this would be a mistake (think KJxx onside). Banging down ace first is more often right when not having the T. Or some positions with say T in the other hand and not having the 9, e.g. Txx vs AQxxx. Or having 9xx vs. AQxxx.

 

[dsLawsd]

The Bridge World magazine features one suit combo to play in each monthly issue. They have published a book about the subject as well.

[GrahamJson]

You should be able to find the answer here:- https://www.bridgehands.com/S/Suit_Combination_4.htm

[GrahamJson]

You should be able to find the answer here:- https://www.bridgehands.com/S/Suit_Combination_4.htm

[steve2005]

With 8 cd fit, this would be a mistake (think KJxx onside).

I said other option. nowhere did I say this was the key to success

[etha]

there is a program called suit play which will tell you all the probabilities for single suits.

[RD350LC]

With 8 cd suit, normally you usually finesse the ten first, the idea is to get all the tricks when both the KJ are onside correct position. Most of the time, anyway, when trying to maximize number of tricks. But on certain IMP hands, if 4 tricks guarantees the contract while 3 tricks goes down, one might try the safety play of low to the Q (which saves the day if stiff J offside). But if 9 is in declarer's hand, or you hold the 8 also, then just go ahead and hook vs J first, as you can still then pick up Kxxx onside for just the 1 loser.

 

 

Any specific hand may have other factors (entries, timing, opposing bidding, etc.) that might sway you from the normal play.

 

How to best play also changes a lot when missing the T, or missing the 9, or both, depends on exact spots held, what combos can be "picked up".

 

 

Also changes if it's 9 cd fit and what the goals are (imps vs mp, need max tricks or safety to only lose 1, etc.)

 

 

I'd suggest getting Bill Root's book "How to Play a Bridge hand", which has a section near the beginning covering many of the basic suit combinations and std tactics to consider when tackling them. Afterwards, after learning the principles from that book (and/or other good declarer play books e.g. "Card Play Technique") you can search for the suitplay program which will help you with more complicated combinations and see what subtle differences moving or adding a particular spot card can do.

Bill Root's book is good. I also have another one (fortunately, I got it used), which is The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge. There are about 40 pages devoted to suit combinations.