CONTRACT BRIDGE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20274, 7 April 1934, Page 9

CONTRACT BRIDGE.

Postponing the Trump Lead. (B>; ELY CULBERTSON.) A bridge player has not joined the ranks of the experts until he has mastered the important features of play of a hand at a suit—particularly the proper treatment of the trump suit. A most common fault of the beginner is to lead trumps immediately, regardless of the situation, although most people are aware that the lead of the trump suit should be postponed whenever dummy contains a short suit and also whenever discards must be taken immediately. There is one other rather common situation, which is not quite as clear.

South is the declarer at a contract of four Spades, East having bid Diamonds. West opens the Diamond 3, which marks his fourth best, and East wins the first trick with the Knave. He then returns the Diamond King, which the declarer ruffs. Here is an important question for South to decide. If the adverse trumps break 3-2, they can be drawn in three rounds, which will leave the declarer with one trump. He will then be able to establish his Clubs—assuming a 3-2 break in this suit also—and he should be able also to make one Heart trick. Against this line of play, however, a careful East player will retain the Ace of Hearts and a good Diamond for his last two cards and will defeat the contract. However, there is a simple method of avoiding this contingency. One round of trumps may be safely taken, but after that the Ace and King and a small Club must be laid down immediately. East, on obtaining the lead, will -probably force declarer a second time, and now a Heart is led. After East wins with the Ace of Hearts, he is helpless. He cannot lead Diamonds the third time, as this will give declarer a ruff and a discard, and any other lead he makes will permit declarer to obtain the lead and draw trumps. This line of play will fail to win only against a 4-1 distribution of either Spades or Clubs, but against either of these combinations the contract cannot be made in any event. The complete hand is as follows: