INTERMEDIATE DECLARER PLAY

LESSON 1

Start with a free 1.5 hour assessment and then choose among individual and/or partnership lessons, supervised play groups (typically limited to 4-6 players) or a larger course format. You can expect lesson notes sent out prior to each session, on the spot feedback as you play non comp online and detailed analysis of hands played sent out after sessions. You can also make financial arrangements to play in online tournaments with your BRIDGE FORUM teacher. Now let’s see a portion of a lesson note geared to enhancing your declarer play.

COUNTING THE OPPONENTS' HANDS

Do you remember the first time you took a finesse? The lure of a "cheap trick" is really quite addictive, isn't it? No doubt you have also noticed how good players seem to have an uncanny knack of avoiding losing finesses. Believe it or not, this is not a skill restricted to experts. One reason for taking what looks like a wild anti-percentage line of play is that you know the finesse will fail. How do you play this hand and, more importantly, why?

Dummy has 11 points but its flat shape does not help. It looks like the contract depends on the spade finesse. Can you see anything better?

Watch the early play and then ask yourself the question again.

West leads §2. You play low from dummy and East wins the queen. East cashes the §AK and then switches to the ª10. You play low and win in dummy with king. You draw trump in two rounds, and note that East held the jack. Now what?

It is generally good practice to delay a decision as long as possible, so you mark time by playing three rounds of diamonds, ruffing in hand. Both defenders follow with East playing the jack on the third round.

Ready to take that finesse yet?

Have you seen why you should spurn the finesse and cash the ace and king instead?

As you can see, refusing the normal finesse is the winning play, but why should you?

Think back to the bidding. East had a chance to open but did not. You subsequently saw him play §AKQ, ¨J and ©J. If he also had the ªQ that would give him 13 points. Don't you think he would have opened the bidding with that?

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