This week’s deals have treated declarer’s hold-up play: refusing to take a winner to break up the defenders’ communication. In a given situation, to execute a hold-up may be effective or ill-considered.
Cover today’s East-West cards. West leads the six of hearts against your 3NT, East plays the ten and you play low. When East returns the jack, do you hold up again or take your ace?
When I watched the deal, declarer let the jack win. East then switched … to the deuce of spades. Declarer huddled and misguessed: He put up the ace, hoping to block the suit, and let the queen of diamonds ride. East took the king and cashed the K-Q of spades for down one.
THIRD HEART
South erred. He should win the second heart and finesse in diamonds. If East wins and has a third heart to lead, South loses only four tricks — three hearts and a diamond — and he has nine winners: three diamonds, four clubs, a heart and a spade.
Don’t hold up when a different suit may pose a bigger threat.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K Q 8 2 H J 10 4 D K 6 3 C 9 6 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner has “reversed” and promises extra strength — in some styles, enough for game. He would, at the least, be confident of playing at the three level if you were obliged to return to diamonds. Bid three diamonds. Almost all partnerships treat this bid as forcing; partner will bid again.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 4 3
H 7 3 2
D A J 9 7
C A Q 10
WEST
S 10 5
H K Q 8 6
D 8 5 4 2
C 7 4 2
EAST
S K Q 8 2
H J 10 4
D K 6 3
C 9 6 5
SOUTH
S A J 7 6
H A 9 5
D Q 10
C K J 8 3
South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
1 S Pass 3 C Pass
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — H 6
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