4. DEALING WITH DANGER HAND ========================= (i) NORTH S:A 3NT by S: Lead S H:QJxx ---------------- D:J109 C:KQ10xx You can count 2S, 2H, 1D and 4C=9 tricks, -------------- but don't be tempted to play C first as in WEST |||||||||||||| EAST case E has CA, he will back a S and you S:Qxxxx |||||||||||||| S:10xxx still have to go to W with HK. Therefore, H:Kxxx |||||||||||||| H:xxx play HQ and give K to W, who cannot play D:xx |||||||||||||| D:KQxx S. Now contract is safe. E was the danger C:xx |||||||||||||| C:Ax hand to be kept out of lead. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:KJx H:Ax D:Axxx C:Jxxx (ii) NORTH S:xx 3NT by S: Lead S H:Jxx ---------------- D:J10xx C:A109x You duck once and take SK. The only entry -------------- with W can be DK, which has to be killed WEST |||||||||||||| EAST first. You have 2S, 1H, 3D and 3C=9 tricks. S:Qxxxx |||||||||||||| S:J10x Therefore, don't finesse C first. Play DA H:Qxx |||||||||||||| H:K9xx and Q. Now when W returns a S, you can D:Kx |||||||||||||| D:xxx finesse CK and E has no S to return back. C:xxx |||||||||||||| C:Kxx -------------- SOUTH (D) S:AKx H:A10x D:AQ9x "W IS DANGER HAND WHOSE ENTRY IS TO BE C:QJx KILLED" (iii) NORTH S:--- 4H by S: Lead SK H:Kxx ---------------- D:Q10xx C:AKQxxx You ruff in the dummy. You cannot takeout -------------- trumps as E, on getting DA, will lead WEST |||||||||||||| EAST back S, and you will have 3S and 1D loser. S:AKJx |||||||||||||| S:xxxxx E's entry has therefore to be killed before H:Axx |||||||||||||| H:xx drawing trumps. Therefore, lead low D from D:Kxxx |||||||||||||| D:AJxx dummy and now whatever is played by E or W, C:xx |||||||||||||| C:xx W cannot get 3 S. Trumps can be played by -------------- you and W gets HA but cannot get to E's SOUTH (D) hand. S:Q10xx H:QJ10xx D:x "COUP WITHOUT A NAME: PLAYING LOW TO KILL C:Jxx AN ENTRY" (iv) NORTH S:J1084 4S by S: Lead H9 H:xx ---------------- D:AKQxx C:AK E takes H10 and backs a D, which you smell -------------- as a singleton. E has opened the bidding WEST |||||||||||||| EAST(D) 1H and contested upto 4H. There can be no S:x |||||||||||||| S:KQ7 entry in W's hand except H8. If you pull out H:982 |||||||||||||| H:AKQJ105 SJ, E when he gets SK, can play H5 giving D:xxxx |||||||||||||| D:x W an entry and get a D ruff by S7. To kill C:xxxxx |||||||||||||| C:QJ10 the entry, play CAK , SJ to SQ and A, and -------------- play C9 discarding a H from dummy(loser on SOUTH loser). Now W can never get an entry. S:A9654 H:xx "COUP WITHOUT A NAME: DISCARD ON A LOSING D:Jxx CARD TO KILL AN ENTRY OR SCISSOR'S COUP" C:9xx (v) NORTH S:K10xx 4S by S: Lead CK H:KJ54 ---------------- D:xxx C:AJ W has overcalled 2D. If H finesse goes -------------- wrong, there will be 1H and 3D losers. WEST |||||||||||||| EAST E has to be kept out of lead. Take CA S:Jx |||||||||||||| S:x take out trumps, play HAK and now CJ, H:32 |||||||||||||| H:Q1086 discarding a H from your hand. Even if W D:AQJxx |||||||||||||| D:10x has a third H, you will ruff and 4th H in C:KQ10x |||||||||||||| C:xxxxxx dummy will be good. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:AQxxxx H:Axx D:Kxx C:x (vi) NORTH S:xxx 4H by S: lead H H:AQx ---------------- D:Kxx C:AKxx If SA is with W, there will be 3 S losers. -------------- Therefore, E has to be kept out of lead. WEST |||||||||||||| EAST Therefore, try D finesse first after taking S:AQx |||||||||||||| S:J109x HA. If it works, 1C or S can go on DK. W H:xx |||||||||||||| H:xxx takes DQ and backs another H. You take it D:Qxxxx |||||||||||||| D:xxx with K in hand, cash CAK and discard a C C:10xx |||||||||||||| C:QJx from hand. Now ruff a C in hand and 4th -------------- C is good. Now you can go to dummy with SOUTH (D) HQ and discard a S on C. S:Kxx H:KJ109x D:AJ C:xxx (vii) NORTH S:xxx 4H by S: Lead D H:10xxx --------------- D:Axx C:Qxx You have to discard SQ on third C to avoid -------------- the finesse. E has to be kept out of lead WEST |||||||||||||| EAST so that he cannot play S before CQ is S:Kxxxx |||||||||||||| S:J109 established. Therefore, take DA and H:Jx |||||||||||||| H:xx immediately pull out low C. E cannot put D:xx |||||||||||||| D:QJ10x up CK. Now you can always get a discard C:Axxx |||||||||||||| C:Kxxx on CQ. If E has both CA, then depend on the -------------- finesse. SOUTH (D) S:AQ H:AKQxx D:Kxxx C:J10 (viii) NORTH S:xx 3NT by S: Lead S H:Axx ---------------- D:KQJ C:107xxx You have 1S, 2H and 3D=6 tricks and must -------------- get 3 from C. You duck SK, J and take SA WEST |||||||||||||| EAST on the third. You go to dummy with DK, S:Q10xxx|||||||||||||| S:KJx and play a low C. E drops the K. The only H:QJ9 |||||||||||||| H:10xxx entry that W has is the CJ. Therefore, D:xx |||||||||||||| D:10xxxxx duck CK and let E win it, thus keeping C:Jxx |||||||||||||| C:K the danger hand W from getting the lead. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:Axx H:Kxx D:Axx C:AQ9x (ix) NORTH S:Axxxxx 4H by S: Lead SK H:109xxx ----------------- D:---- C:xx W had overcalled 1S. You don't want E to ruf -------------- and get the lead to play C. Therefore, don't WEST |||||||||||||| EAST put up SA, but ruff second second S lead. Now S:KQJxxx|||||||||||||| S:--- you will make 6H. If E is alert, he should H:KQ |||||||||||||| H:x ruff W's SK even if don't put up A and back a D:xxx |||||||||||||| D:J10xxxx C to take the contract down. C:A10 |||||||||||||| C:QJxxxx -------------- SOUTH (D) S:x H:AJxxx D:AKQx C:Kxx (x) NORTH S:AJx 4H by S: Lead S H:109xx --------------- D:Kxx C:xxx E has to be kept out of lead till D's are -------------- cleared, so that C can be discarded and before WEST |||||||||||||| EAST that E should not be able to play C's. S:10xxx |||||||||||||| S:Kxx Therefore, don't duck. take SA and back a D H:xxx |||||||||||||| H:x first. D:xxx |||||||||||||| D:Axxxx C:K7x |||||||||||||| C:J1098 -------------- SOUTH (D) S:Q9x H:AKQJx D:QJ C:AQx (xi) NORTH S:xxx 3NT by S: Lead C10 H:Kx ------------------ D:AKJx C:KJxx N had bid C and D and S had jumped to 3NT. -------------- W therefore made a passive lead of C10. E WEST |||||||||||||| EAST has to be kept out of lead, therefore, duck S:AQxxx |||||||||||||| S:J109 C10. If W continues with a C you get 3 H:Qxxx |||||||||||||| H:J10x tricks in C. If W's lead is from Q109x, then D:xx |||||||||||||| D:xxxx E will have a singleton, which will be known C:107 |||||||||||||| C:Q98 when you play CA later and you will always -------------- get 3 tricks. SOUTH (D) S:Kx H:Axxx D:Qxx C:Axxx (xii) NORTH S:xx 4S by S: Lead CK H:KJxxx ---------------- D:KQJ C:xxx W had opened the bidding. On CK, E signals -------------- high. W now leads a D. E has to be denied WEST(D) |||||||||||||| EAST entry of CA so that he cannot give W a S:Axxx |||||||||||||| S:---- D ruff. Take DK and play HK, discarding a H:Axxx |||||||||||||| H:Q1098 C from hand. Now E cannot get an entry. D:x |||||||||||||| D:xxxx C:KQJ10 |||||||||||||| C:Axxx -------------- SOUTH S:KQJ10xxx H:----- D:A10xx "COUP WITHOUT A NAME OR SCISSOR'S COUP" C:xx (xiii) NORTH S:xx 5D by S: Doubled by E H:Jxxx --------------------- D:8x C:xxxxx Lead HK. If S don't break 3-3, you may have -------------- to ruff but if W ruff's high, he can go to WEST |||||||||||||| EAST W by CA who plays another S in which case S:Qx |||||||||||||| S:10xxx W gets another ruff. Therefore, on HK, drop H:KQxx |||||||||||||| H:Axxxx CK, a loser in any case. Or if you have D:J9xx |||||||||||||| D:---- ruffed HK, play SAK and when SQ falls, play C:Jxx |||||||||||||| C:AQxx CK. Now W can get only one ruff. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:AKJxx H:---- D:AKQ10xx "COUP WITHOUT A NAME OR SCISSOR'S COUP" C:K (xiv) NORTH S:xx 5D by S: Lead HK H:Ax ---------------- D:Q98 C:AJ9xxx E has to be kept out of lead to avoid 2 -------------- S losers. Therefore, duck HK and next time WEST |||||||||||||| EAST you can discard a C on HA. Now you can ruff S:AJx |||||||||||||| S:Q109x C's twice and establish C for S discards. H:KQJxx |||||||||||||| H:xxxxx D:xx |||||||||||||| D:x C:Qx |||||||||||||| C:K10x -------------- SOUTH (D) S:Kxxx H:x D:AKJ1054 C:xx (xv) NORTH S:KJx 4S by S: Lead D H:Kx --------------- D:10xxxx C:AJx E takes DA and backs DQ. If you cover with -------------- K, W ruffs and plays a C. E then gets CK WEST |||||||||||||| EAST and DJ. W has to be kept out of lead till S:xxx |||||||||||||| S:x D's are established for a C discard. There H:Q10xx |||||||||||||| H:Jxxxx fore duck DQ. Now E's D9 is covered by K D:x |||||||||||||| D:AQJ9 and W ruffs and plays a C. You take CA and C:xxxxx |||||||||||||| C:K10x ruff a D and then take out trumps and -------------- discard a C on last D. SOUTH (D) S:AQ10xxx H:Ax D:Kxx C:Qx (xvi) NORTH S:Kx 3NT by S: Lead C H:Jx ---------------- D:AQ10xxx C:Qxx N plays low, E plays 10 and S takes CK. -------------- Your tricks are 2S, 1H and 1C. You need WEST |||||||||||||| EAST only 5 D tricks, but W must be kept out S:Q10xx |||||||||||||| S:Jx of lead so that he cannot play second C. H:Kxx |||||||||||||| H:Qxxxx Therefore, be willing to concede free D:Jxxx |||||||||||||| D:x trick in D by playing K and then C:xx |||||||||||||| C:AJ10xx finessing with the 10. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:Axxxx H:A10x D:Kx C:Kxx (xvii) NORTH S:xx 3NT by S: Lead S H:J10x ----------------- D:A109xxx C:Jx You take SK on second round. You have 2S, ------------- 5D, and 1C trick = 8. You need only one H. WEST |||||||||||||| EAST D finesse will go to E, but HA of W will be S:Qxxx |||||||||||||| S:J10x an entry for cashing S. Therefore, first H:Axx |||||||||||||| H:xxxx play HK. If W ducks, now finesse D's. D:xx |||||||||||||| D:Kx C:Kxx |||||||||||||| C:Qxxx -------------- SOUTH (D) S:AKx H:KQx D:QJx C:A10xx (xvii) NORTH S:Ax 3NT by S: Lead SQ H:AJxxx ----------------- D:1052 C:QJx 3D tricks are required. W is the danger hand -------------- and his D entry should be knocked out first. WEST |||||||||||||| EAST Therefore, duck SQ and play low D from S:QJ10xx|||||||||||||| S:xxx dummy. E may play low in which case W's H:Kx |||||||||||||| H:Qxxx D entry is gone. In fact, E should go up with D:Ax |||||||||||||| D:Kxx the DK to preserve the entry of W if he has C:10xxx |||||||||||||| C:xxx DA. Also his K is useless if S as AJ9 of D's. -------------- SOUTH (D) S:Kxx H:10x D:QJ9xx C:AKx (xix) NORTH S:Kxx 4S by S: Lead DK H:xxx ---------------- D:Ax C:KJxxx W had opened the bidding by 1H. Now E has -------------- to be kept out of lead which he can get WEST(D) |||||||||||||| EAST only in C's. Therefore, duck DK. W switches S:x |||||||||||||| S:xxx to a C. You take A, SAQ, CK and discard a C H:AQ10xx|||||||||||||| H:Jx on DA and ruff a C. Now 2 C's are established D:KQJxx |||||||||||||| D:xxxxx for 2H discards with SK still as an entry. C:xx |||||||||||||| C:Q10x -------------- SOUTH S:AQJxxx H:Kxx D:x C:Axx (xx) NORTH S:AK83 3NT by S: Lead C H:10xxx ---------------- D:xxx C:xx You have 2S, 4H, 1D and 1C = 8 tricks. You -------------- cannot duck CQ since he will play another WEST |||||||||||||| EAST second club which W will duck. Then either S:Q94 |||||||||||||| S:J105 E or W will play C's when they get an entry. H:xx |||||||||||||| H:Jxx You have to develop a S trick, but without D:Jxx |||||||||||||| D:KQxx giving a trick to E. If W plays 4, you take C:A10xxx|||||||||||||| C:Qxx SK, come to hand with HA and lead another -------------- S. If W plays 9, you take SA and put W in SOUTH (D) with a SQ. If W puts up Q to unblock, you S:762 don't take A but leave him on lead. H:AKQx D:Axx C:KJx (xxi) NORTH S:1098x 4S by S: Lead HK H:Ax ---------------- D:Kxxxx C:xx E is to be kept out of lead so that he -------------- cannot play C's. His only entry can be WEST |||||||||||||| EAST in D's. Therefore, duck HK and then S:Kxx |||||||||||||| S:--- discard a D on H A and establish D's by H:KQxx |||||||||||||| H:Jxxxxx ruffing once, for 2 C discards. D:xx |||||||||||||| D:QJ10 C:A10xx |||||||||||||| C:QJ9x -------------- SOUTH (D) S:AQJxxx H:x D:Axx C:Kxx (xxii) NORTH S:xxx 4H by S: Lead SK H:KJx ---------------- D:AQJxx C:xx W has opened 1S. You have 2S and 3 C losers -------------- but you can discard 2 C's on D's by WEST(D) |||||||||||||| EAST establishing D's, but keeping E out of lead. S:KQ10xx|||||||||||||| S:J9 Therefore, duck SK to kill a likely S entry H:x |||||||||||||| H:xxx with E. Take second S with A, DA and DQ D:10xx |||||||||||||| D:K98x taking aruffing finesse. If W takes it, he C:AQ10x |||||||||||||| C:Jxxx can get only one more S and one C. If E has -------------- K and covers it, you ruff, go to dummy with SOUTH HJ and ruff another D. Now 2D are good and S:Axx HK is an entry. H:AQ10xxx D:x C:Kxx (xxiii) NORTH S:xxx 4H by S: Lead SK H:Axx ---------------- D:Q86 C:K853 W had overbid 1S and E had raised to 2S. -------------- For contract to make, CA has to be be with WEST |||||||||||||| EAST W and C has to be 3-3 for a D discard. W has S:KQ1086|||||||||||||| S:J97 to be made to continue S and not lead D. H:J2 |||||||||||||| H:xx Therefore, duck first S, take SA in second D:J74 |||||||||||||| D:K10xxx round and play 2 rounds of trumps. Then C:AJ4 |||||||||||||| C:Q10x play a low C. If W is not alert and does not -------------- put up CJ, you duck C to E, who cannot back SOUTH (D) a D. Now when W later takes CA and shifts to S:Ax Ds it is too late. H:KQ10xxx D:A9 C:972