Third Hand Play Finessing partner Finessing dummy Holdup on lead of doubleton grizz: Hi all, while we are waiting are there any questions before we start? IraCT: what is today's lesson? BILManager (Lobby): => Club: !D!DGrizz's Lesson Table is now open in the BIL.Lewsson today will be on 3rd hand play. All members are invited to attend this very informative lesson!H!H grizz: Hi everybody, thanks for attending another of a series of lessons on Defense. grizz: Here we go with the usual stuff. grizz: Chat logs and hand records are stored in your computer for later review. For information on how to retrieve them, go the BIL homepage or email me. grizz: I teach private individual, pair, and small group lessons. If you would like to know more please email me at Grizz@GrizzBridge.com. grizz: The new website is up now, thanks to the help of PedroG. Gracias amigo! grizz: And archives of old sessions are available at GrizzBridge.com, on the Lessons page. grizz: There will be lots of questions. I want to address them all, but in a manner helpful to all, so please ask them in open chat. grizz: I cannot respond to private chat during a lesson. grizz: Are there any questions so far? grizz: Last time we talked about notrump opening leads and then went on to 3rd hand play to look at finessing partner, and finessing dummy. grizz: We will do more of that today, with some different examples, but first le'ts review the whole subject of NT defense and opening leads. grizz: Notrump is a race to see which side can establish and cash its winners first. grizz: Both sides usually have enough tricks to get the job done, but one side runs out of time. grizz: Notrump defense is about long suits and entries. Long suits are where the extra tricks are, and entries allow you to cash them. grizz: That is why it is usually best to start with your side's long suit. grizz: For those of you who are tired of hearing this again, please bear with me - we have some newcomers. grizz: The race to develop tricks starts at Trick 1, and if the defense does not get on with its Job #1 then momentum and timing shift to the declarer. grizz: Here are some general rules for NT leads as a review, for those who may not have attended previous sessions. grizz: By the way, these rules are for 1st hand LEADS, they do not apply to 3rd hand FOLLOWING! grizz: That bears repeating, these rules are only for the OPENING LEAD. grizz: 1. If your partner has bid a suit, lead it, unless you have a strong suit of your own and an outside entry. grizz: 2. Strong top-of-sequence leads from 4-card suits (KQJx. KQTx. QJTx) are better than weaker but longer suits (Jxxxx, Qxxxx). grizz: 3. If you have the choice between an unbid major or an unbid minor with similar strength in each, the major is usually a better prospect. grizz: 4. If dummy uses Stayman he can be assumed to have one or two 4-card majors. grizz: If not, he should alert the 2!c bid as not promising a major. grizz: 5. If your hand is dreadful, try to hit partner's long suit, even if he hasn't bid. Any suit that he might have bid at the 1 level but didn't will be an unlikely candidate for ... grizz: this desperation lead. grizz: 6. If dummy has announced during the auction that he has a long, strong suit, you must make an aggressive lead in another suit. AKx. KQx or QJx are better in this case than ... grizz: weaker but longer suits. grizz: 7. Partner needs to know whether you have any honors in the suit you lead. If a switch must be made at Trick 2, partner needs to know and act quickly. grizz: A. The lead of a low card in an unbid suit promises an honor. So if you lead low, expect partner to return that suit if he gets in. grizz: B. Likewise, the lead of a big spot card tends to deny an honor. Partner is notified that he must switch. grizz: C. Leading from a strong 4-card suit like AQTx, AQJx, AJTx, or AKTx usually costs a trick. Odds are that RHO has the missing honor, and a lead from one of these sequences goes ... grizz: right into declarer's tenace. grizz: But it is a GOOD idea to lead from a strong 5-card suit, such as AQTxx, AQJxx, AJTxx, or AKTxx. grizz: D. The lead of a Q shows either the top of a sequence (QJT, QJ9) OR a powerful combination headed by the KQT9. grizz: If the opening leader may have that combination, that is you are 3rd hand and do not see the K,T or 9 but you do have the J, you should play it at Trick 1. grizz: Otherwise you would give a Count signal. grizz: So the opening lead of a Q calls for Unblock the J or give Count grizz: E. The lead of a K shows either a sequence or a short suit (AKx, KQx). grizz: F. Leading an A shows a very strong suit, headed by AKQ, AKJT, AKJ (or AQJ with an outside entry). Since the A is a guaranteed entry, it is rare to waste it on the opening lead. grizz: G. Playing Coded 9's and T's, also known as Jack Denies (and T or 9 Implies), the lead of a J denies a higher honor, but guarantees a sequence if it is an unbid suit. grizz: The lead of a T or 9 now specifically shows 0 or 2 cards higher. If leader has 2 higher cards, they are specifically a touching tenace (KJT9, KT98, AT98, AJT9, etc.) grizz: Remember, these rules are for 1st hand LEADS, they do not apply to 3rd hand FOLLOWING. grizz: We sped through those rules because most of you have seen them many times. Are there any questions? grizz: Now we have the rules for 3rd hand play, and you will be happy to know that they are much simpler. grizz: 1. Win the trick, unless there is a good reason not to. grizz: 2. Give Attitude on partner's lead - tell him whether to continue the suit or switch. grizz: 3. Give Count on declarer's lead, to help partner figure out suit distribution around the table. grizz: Any questions so far? grizz: I have referred in the past to "finessing dummy", as opposed to "finessing your partner" when you are third hand to play at Trick 1. grizz: Today we will concentrate on those two interrelated concepts, and look at some examples. grizz: First let's look at finessing your partner. grizz: We will assume that leader has attended our class and leads in accordance with the rules just restated above. grizz: 1. If the opening lead is low, AND THERE ARE NO HONORS IN DUMMY, then 3rd hand should play high. grizz: Take a look at example #1. grizz: This is a good example of the rule that everybody has heard against finessing parter. If he plays the K, declarer takes no !S tricks. grizz: let's go back to Trick 1 grizz: by playing the J, East has gifted declarer with a !S trick that he was not entitled to grizz: As third hand, most of the time you need to play high to protect honor(s) in your partner's hand. grizz: And that is the reason for Rule 1. above: Win the trick, unless there is a good reason not to. grizz: Playing third hand high can be a good idea, even if it doesn't win the trick. grizz: Let's rearrange the cards in that hand just a little. grizz: East should play the Q, even though it loses to the Ace. grizz: Because that play sets up 3 !s winners for the defense. grizz: If East plays low, or even the 9, declarer wins the trick with the T and the contract makes. grizz: But the Q either wins or forces the Ace, and defense now takes 3 !s tricks when in with the !ds. grizz: Notice that there are no high cards in dummy on either of these examples. grizz: Do we have any questions? grizz: The next example shows that you only play as high as necessary to win the trick. grizz: On a !s lead vs. 3NT, with the Q53 in dummy and AKJ in the East hand, it is clear that East should only play high enough to win the trick. grizz: Whichever card is played from dummy, East covers it, clears the suit and tries to find West's entry to cash the rest. grizz: Let's change the hand just a little bit more now. grizz: On lead of a small !s against 3NT, if dummy plays low it is correct to "finesse the K in dummy" by playing the J. grizz: On this lie of the cards defenders take all 4!ss. grizz: eventually West takes his !ds for down 2 grizz: But what if South has the Q? Does that change things? grizz: Again on the lead of a small !s, if dummy ducks East is correct to play the J, even though it loses to the Q. grizz: Why? If East wins the A, declarer now scores both the !SK and !SQ separately, making the contract. PedroG: wasn't 6!s best lead? grizz: !ST is an honor, so small lead was OK grizz: 2nd highest from 3 or 4 or 5 small tells partner that there is no future in the suit unless he has some honors grizz: If West has the Q, it makes no difference except that the J wins the trick, and declarer scores no !s tricks. grizz: So regardless of who has the Q, East is correct to finesse the J when the K is in dummy. grizz: So to wrap this all up, when West leads low and there is a high card in dummy, East must try to visualize the entire layout of the suit in all 4 hands. grizz: Whenever possible, you should keep dummy's honors trapped. grizz: Common combinations are AT over a K, KT over a Q, etc. grizz: Do we have any questions about finessing dummy? Miksa: no, but I have a Q about the lead from 98642 grizz: go right ahead Miksa: the lead was 4 grizz: right, standard methods require 4th best from length grizz: from a small sequence like that, i would lead 2nd highest, to tell partner there is no future in the suit unless he has some high cards murphyslaw: what happens when you can't see king in dummy you go up with ace right? grizz: the T is an honor, so 4th best is OK. a face card will be driven out to win the trick grizz: with no high card in dummy, win the trick unless there is a good reason not to barbhow: do u do the same thing if it's a suit contract? grizz: generally, yes - but we have an exception hand coming right up, and that is a great segue el tombo: Would that apply in a suit contract? you might lose the Q!s then get the A!S ruffed grizz: quite right grizz: most of our discussion til now has been about NT contract grizz: and the lead rules are the same, but 3rd hand rules have some differences grizz: above all, you must use bridge logic. if the auction suggests that declarer is short in the led suit, then by all means take the A grizz: Rule #1 above is: Win the trick, unless there is a good reason not to. grizz: Here are some good reasons not to: PedroG: conn probs :( grizz->Club: sorry folks, Red Dot of Death rq4mulae->Club: oh, you're SUCH a tease, Pete! "grizz: Here are some good reasons not to:" ... ... ... ... ... ... ... rq4mulae->Club: ... :-o grizz: rofl grizz: let's wait just a couple minutes before plunging ahead grizz: reminds me of a joke about kayaks grizz: if microsoft built kayaks BILAssist->Club: !D!DGrizz's table has reopened in the BIL. Today 3rd hand play Super Lesson!!!H!H grizz: at random times they would just stop moving grizz: can't go forward, can't go back grizz: you must swim back to your launch point, relaunch the boat, and continue IraCT: careful Bill Gates now part owner of BBO leonora3: and maybe while perched on crest of a big one grizz: and for some strange reason, everybody accepts that as part of the sport heavy sigh grizz: lol OK, back to the lesson now. grizz: Rule #1 above is: Win the trick, unless there is a good reason not to. grizz: Here are some good reasons not to: grizz: A. There is an honor in dummy that you need to finesse against. grizz: B. Playing high wastes your honor. grizz: C. You need to drive out declarer's stopper while you still have communication with your partner. grizz: D. Playing in a suit contract, partner may have led from a doubleton. grizz: What? What does that mean? grizz: Let's change gears here and look at defending against a trump contract. grizz: If we were playing in a NT contract, West has an obvious !h lead. grizz: But playing in a trump contract, he has a different line of defense. grizz: what happens if East takes the Ace? grizz: makes 4, losing the 2 aces and !DK grizz: routine contract grizz: but let's back it up grizz: East thinks West might have a plan. grizz: East does not have a trump winner, so West just might grizz: 9 encourages grizz: Different story altogether! grizz: West scores his !CK later for down 1 fiscryder: guarantee if I did that pard had singleton and divorces me lol grizz: lol grizz: no guarantees come on this lead paruljain6: how would he score the k!C..won't the declarer discard the club on A!H Miksa: in this case no more loser for S grizz: on this lie of the cards, there is a pitch that helps grizz: but no other defense has a prayer grizz: this one gives declarer the option of making a mistake paruljain6: true AofHearts: how does E know it is a doubleton? if it was a useless 4-card suit Ewouldnt return it, and even if he did S might ruff grizz: East cannot know that it's doubleton grizz: but it MIGHT be grizz: the auction doesn't tell us one way or the other grizz: and of course if it IS singleton, ducking is all wrong grizz: because West can't get back to East to lead a !d grizz: but East must at least THINK about this layout of the cards, before automatically playing high at Trick 1 grizz: and doubletons happen far more frequently than singletons grizz: so the conditions for this to work are: paruljain6: whenever i lead from a doubleton..everone says that is a really bad lead grizz: aha! i bet you have partners who automatically win the Ace! grizz: in which case, it WAS a terrible lead paruljain6: ok..makes sense ty paruljain6: :)...i will xplain this startegy to them next time grizz: West leads doubleton, when he has trump control and 1 or 2 small grizz: but if partner is savvy enough to hold up once, ... grizz: now that you have seen this play, you may recognize it at the table grizz: as East you must hold your breath, and hope declarer doesn't have a stiff Q grizz: and that pard has trump control grizz: but rq4mulae: i can't remember the last time my side won a trick by leading from or following to a doubleton in an unbid suit. :( grizz: if pard doesn't have trump control, why did he lead a doubleton??? wyoming33: nothing else to lead:) grizz: won't ever work if pd automatically rises with the A grizz: just something else to think about grizz: a possible reason for not playing high at Trick 1 grizz: there is no guarantee that it will work grizz: but when it does, you have a top board rq4mulae: i'd be tickled pink with 1 in 4! :) Campus61: tks Pete :) AofHearts: trymp control means having an honour yes? but would an outside honour not do? grizz: Ax or Kxx grizz: some card to stop the declarer from pulling trumps grizz: it must specifically be a trump honor AofHearts: ah ok grizz: so pulling trump can be interrupted to execute the second card of the doubleton lead grizz: while W still has a small trump left PedroG: so Pete if I understand the trump control, make the doubleton lead more attractive grizz: yes, if you have trump control and a savvy partner, the doubleton lead can be spectacular grizz: back to what East needs to think about grizz: if East has trump control, that suggests that W does not grizz: usually not, anyway grizz: then it would be more likely that the lead is stiff, not doubleton, so rise with the A and return the suit IraCT: if E has first round trump that is also ok? grizz: you may not beat the hand, but you have one more tool for the post mortem lol Miksa: yes :) grizz: yes, if East has trump control it can still work grizz: but pleeeeeeeeease don't email me if it doesn't! lol Campus61: ur email address again :) he he Campus61: the concept is great tks again Pete grizz: can anybody think of another case in which East can win the trick but shouldn't? grizz: A. There is an honor in dummy that you need to finesse against. grizz: B. Playing high wastes your honor. grizz: C. You need to drive out declarer's stopper while you still have communication with your partner. grizz: D. Playing in a suit contract, partner may have led from a doubleton. grizz: That concludes today's lesson, and next week we will look at something different. Miksa: Oh, I was expecting the answer to that question, it seems that it was rhetorical? :) grizz: If anybody needs help retrieving the hand records or chat log, please email me at Grizz@GrizzBridge.com. grizz: Thanks for your interest and participation, and I hope to see you next week. grizz: Thanks also to Maureen, Rosemary, Fred and the wonderful people at BBO who make this all possible. ->Campus61: the lessons are all available on my website, go to the Lessons page PedroG: http://www.grizzbridge.com/ grizz: and please sign my guestbook while you are there :) PedroG: been there, done that :) grizz: :) Pedro was first in line, and he wins a free lesson PedroG: _o_ PedroG: TY grizz: Thanks all for coming, i'll see you in a week grizz: Bye now