In a recent club hand, I opened 1♣. My partner bid 2♣, a convention called “inverted minors”*, showing 10+ points, at least 4 card minor support, and no 4-card major. I then bid 2NT to show I had a minimum opener but had all the other suits covered. My partner then bid 5♣. (We later discussed that he should have simply bid 3NT.) When dummy came down, I could see that I had 3 losers.
| Dealer: S Vul: Both |
North ♠ 32 ♥ K ♦ K52 ♣ AJ109652 |
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| West ♠ K654 ♥ A943 ♦ J1073 ♣ 7 |
East ♠ A97 ♥ J1072 ♦ 84 ♣ Q864 |
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| South ♠ QJ108 ♥ Q865 ♦ A9 ♣ KQ3 |
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| Bidding: | |||
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♣ | Pass | 2♣* | Pass |
| 2NT | Pass | 5♣ | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | ||
Analysis
With three losers on dummy (1 ♥ and 2 ♠) there was no way I could make my contract, unless the defense made a mistake. Left-hand opponent led a ♦. I took it in my hand with A♦. I played two rounds of clubs, leading the K♣ and then the Q♣ from my hand, playing a low club on dummy each time. I then played a little heart to the K♥ on dummy, intending to set up Q♥ in my hand. If for some reason the opponents didn’t immediately cash their two spade tricks, I could pitch a little spade in dummy on my good Q♥ in my hand.
LHO took the A♥ and immediately switched to a spade. RHO took the trick with the A♠, thought for a moment, and then led back a diamond! I took the trick on dummy with the K♦, ruffed a small ♦ in my hand, and played Q♥, pitching a small spade on dummy. Hand made!
This is a perfect example of what is called a “give-up play.” A give-up play is one which couldn’t possibly benefit the defense, and allows declarer to regain the lead and the tempo.
It’s obvious that I can take the ♦ on dummy, so RHO should realize that he shouldn’t lead back a diamond. If there’s another trick to be hand by the defense, it’s got to be a spade… so even though RHO can’t necessarily see it, he must lead back a spade.