Advanced Card Combinations II

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Charles Goren
Charles Goren

Source: Charles Goren

1)

  K 10 9 8
 

   
  6 4 2
 

You are anxious to win two tricks with this holding. The proper play is a small card by South, and when West plays low insert the 8. This play will succeed if West has either the J or the Q regardless of how the rest of the cards are distributed, because the 8 will force let us say the Q. Now the South hand is re-entered and another small card led, inserting the 9 from dummy. Since West has the J, this will force the A, and the North hand now has the tenace of  K 10 over West’s J.

2)

  K 6 4 2
 

   
  Q 7 5 3
 

It is possible for you to win three tricks with this combination?

The answer is yes, provided the player who has the A has only one guard with it and that his partner has three cards of the suit. If you believe that West holds the A you should led low from the South hand and, when, West plays low go up with the K. Now a small card is returned from North and ducked completely, hoping that the A will fall. If you believe that East has the A, the first lead should come from the North hand. When East plays low, the trick is won with the Q and the return is ducked.

In the first case the holding is like diagram A in the second as in diagram B.

Diagram A         

  K 6 4 2  
A 9   J 10 8
  Q 7 5 3  

Diagram B     

  K 6 4 2  
J 10 8
  A 9
  Q 7 5 3  

3)

Diagrama A         

  A 6 5 4
 
     
  Q 7 3 2  

With Diagram A your object is to win three tricks in the suit. This may be done in two ways, depending on who you believe has the K. If you think East has it, you should play the A and then lead a small one toward the Q. If you think that West has it, then your only hope is that it will fall in the second round of the suit. In that case you should play the A and a small one and duck the second round. The holding will then have been as in Diagram B following.

Diagram B     

  K 6 4 2  
J 10 8
  A 9
  Q 7 5 3