How to Manage a Sequence

Source: Asociacion Española de Bridge

Sequence is considered the succession of three or more cards in sequence with each other. How to handle a sequence of cards headed by an honor?

Playing in first and second position:

When we play in first and second position from a sequence of cards we must play the highest card in the series.

                             A 8 3
Q J 10 9
                             2
If West leads he must play the Q. If South is who initiates the play with his 2, West must play the Q.
5 3
                            J 10 9 8
If North begin to play with his 3, East has to play his J, as if he is leading the suit.

Playing in third and fourth position:

• When the trick can be won you must play the bottom card.
• When the trick can not be won you must play the biggest card of the sequence.

                        A 6 2
4                                             J 10 9 8
If West attacs with his 4 and North plays the 2 you must play the 8. If North playes his A you must play the J.

If the trick is won by our partner.

In these cases you must play your highest card (with a two or three cards sequence).
                         7 6
K                                      J 10 5

In both cases you have to play the J, since we know that West has the Q. What is important is to convey information and hope that our partner has the capacity and desire to process it. So …

a) South opens 1NT and plays 4
b) West attack with the A. East plays his Q
c) West now knos that East has the J and plays the 8
d) Easte wins with his J and returns his Q
e) The defence makes two diamond tricks before North can pitch his loosers

Asking for or sequence.

The generosity when playing high cards can be called misleading if the player is used to an Spartan austerity. Nothing more easier than to throw light on this ambiguity:
• Honors dont ask neither give count…They are honors
• When an unexpected honor appears there are only three valid hypotheses:
a. It is the head of a sequence
b. It is a singleton
c. Our partner has slept badly last night.

Two hand to bid and play:

Hand1/ We lead in West: Q. North wins with the A and our partner plays the 2 and the declarer the 4. South plays two trump rounds, finishing in dummy and plays a club, East plays the J in East and South the K. ¿Can you tell me the declarers hand? ¿How do you continue?

Hand 2/ South playes 4. We lead the 3. East plays the J and South wins with the A. Declarer plays a spade to dummy’s A, East plays his J and continues with the Q. After winning with the K. ¿How do you continue? ¿What hand do you expect in South to defeat the contract?

A 7 2 Q 6 3 J 10 9 6 6 5 4 Q 6 5 K 2 K 8 7 3 Q 8 7 3   S       N 1    3 4    Fin

Solutions:
Hand 1) South has K Q 8 6 2 K 10 3 A 10 7 K Q
So we have to make a pasive move play the 2
Hand 2) South has K 4 3 A J 10 9 7 A 2 A K 10
So we have to return the Q thanking our partner the sharpness with which he played his honors.

Esta entrada también está disponible en: Spanish