How to boost your defences Guide for beginners

Press, 14 January 1986, Page 19

How to boost your defences Guide for beginners

A book first published by Pan Books in paperback format late last year offers, at $9.95, exceptionally good value at today’s standards. “Bridge: the First Principles” by Jeremy Flint and Freddie North contains 224 pages and is aimed at beginners, particularly those who, having more or less mastered the bidding, now want to learn about dummy play and defence.

Adopting the well-tried quiz format, the authors first show two hands and then pose the problem. Having reached his decision on how he intends to play or defend, the reader turns the page, sees all four hands and the recommended solution.

There are 100 splendid problems, all of which illustrate several basic principles. At 10 cents per lesson, the book is great value.

The first 50 concentrate on dummy play, the early problems being very elementary. Here is an example entitled “Developing a suit by ruffing.” South is the dealer with both sides vulnerable: —

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignail

North-South reach the best contract of four hearts

4V All Pass The reader is shown the North-South cards, told the opening lead is the king of clubs, and is asked how he should plan the play to make his contract. The answer is that South should win the first trick and play the ace and another spade. Suppose East switches to a diamond? The declarer wins, ruffs a spade with dummy’s nine of hearts (which of course cannot be

over-ruffed), re-enters his hand with a heart to the 10, and ruffs another spade with the king of hearts. Dummy’s last heart is led enabling South to re-enter his hand to draw the last opposing trump, and cash his established spade winner. The declarer makes four tricks in hearts in his own hand, two in spades, two spade ruffs in dummy, and the two minor suit aces.

When he saw the dummy, South could see only seven tricks on top. The remaining three came from establishing his side suit by ruffing the losing cards. It was, of course, essential to plan the play carefully so as to use the entries to his own hand at the right time. From the section on defence comes this very instructive hand:—

♦ QlO South reached three spades after this auction:W N E S

All Pass West leads the eight of diamonds, East winning the first trick with the 10. East’s ace of diamonds wins the next trick, but the king of diamonds which follows is ruffed by South with the king of spades. The reader, who initially is shown the West and North cards only, is now asked how West should defend in order to defeat the three spade contract. Having decided, he turns the page. He is told there is no need to hurry to overruff, for the ace of trumps cannot run away. Instead, West should discard a low club, advising his partner he has no interest in the suit. At trick four, the declarer plays the queen of spades, which West wins with the ace. A club switch gives East the lead again and a further round of diamonds seals the declarer’s fate. If he ruffs low, West will overruff. So South ruffs with the jack of spades and now West's nine is promoted to winning rank. In all the defenders make two tricks in diamonds, two in trumps and the ace of clubs to put the contract one down. Had West over-ruffed the declarer at the third trick, South would have had no difficulty in collecting 10 tricks, but his patience earned his side a £ood result.