(Declarer Suits in 1 Hour) -- Getting Rid of Losers

In suit contracts, we should always take the same approach as declarer:

1) Count losers--counting losers requires picking a "master hand" which is the hand that you count losers from. If the contract is spades and one hand has a heart holding of ♠A432 and the other has ♠6 then one of the hands has no heart losers and the other has three. You see why it's important to pick one to be the master? In general, we pick the hand that has longer trump to be the master hand. For more information on how to pick the master hand, read this article.

2) Decide how to get rid of the losers. If you have a long suit in the other hand, or extra winners, you can use those to discard losers in the master hand. You might also be able to ruff in the other hand.

3) Draw trump--yes, no or somewhat? If you need to use trump to get rid of losers, you can not draw them all.

For more information on declarer play at suit contracts, you can find my book and dvd on the subject in our store.

  • How many losers do you have and how should you get rid of them?

    Contract: 4♠

    Lead:♠J

    Dummy

    ♠ 54
    ♥ A74
    ♦ 9876
    ♣ 7654

     

    Declarer

    ♠ AK2
    ♥ KQJ102
    ♦ AK
    ♣ J109

    Choose One:
    1. -

    3 losers. Draw all trump and play clubs.

    2. -

    3 losers. Draw two rounds of trump and play diamonds.

    3. -

    3 losers. Play spades. 

    4. -

    4 losers. Draw two rounds of trump and play spades.

    5. -

    4 losers. Draw all trump and play clubs.

    6. -

    5 losers. Play on diamonds immediately.

    Answer: 4

    You have one loser in spades and three club losers. Since you don't have to let your opponents get the lead, you can afford to draw two rounds of trump (keeping the ♠A in dummy) and then ruffing your last spade with the A before coming back to your hand with a diamond to draw the rest of the trump.

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • How should you get rid of your two losers?

    Contract: 6♠

    Lead: ♠K

    Dummy

    ♠ AQJ43
    ♥ A5
    ♦ Q4
    ♣ Q1094

     

    Declarer

    ♠ 7
    ♥ 82
    ♦ KJ10
    ♣ AKJ8753

    Choose One:
    1. -

    Draw trump and take a spade finesse. If it wins, throw a heart.

    2. -

    Draw two rounds of trump and then play the ace of spades and the Q of spades, If they don't cover, pitch a heart.

    3. -

    Play on diamonds, pitching a heart from dummy.

    4. -

    Win and ruff spades, using trump as entries back to dummy.

    5. -

    Duck a heart and then run clubs.

    Answer: 4

    Why did they have to lead a heart? If they lead anything else, you draw trump and play diamonds. With a heart led, if you try diamonds, they take the ace and then a heart. As for your other options--you might be a better guesser than I am, but finesses are 50-50 propositions. There's an old saying about how suits divide: "When you are missing an even number of cards, they divide oddly. When you are missing an odd number, they divide evenly." Here you are missing seven spades, so you hope that they are dividing 4-3. If they split worse than that, we hope they do it the right way (with the king falling singleton or doubleton). After winning the first trick, you will play ♠A and ruff a spade with the ♠A. Next play a club (not the 3!) to dummy and  ruff another spade with the ♠K. If both opponents follow or if your LHO shows out, you will make. If LHO shows out, just take a ruffing finesse in spades. What if they split badly? Then you go down. But going down on bad splits is a much better option than a 50-50 guess. 

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • Dummy

    ♠ KQJ107
    ♥ 865
    ♦ 92
    ♣ 542

     

    Declarer

    ♠ A98
    ♥ AK
    ♦ KQ73
    ♣ 9876

     

     

    WestNorthEast

    South

        1NT
     Pass 2♠ Pass 2♠
     All Pass   

    Lead: ♠J

    How many losers do you have and how should you get rid of them?

    Choose One:
    1. -

    4 losers. Play on diamonds.

    2. -

    5 losers. Play on diamonds to throw a club or heart.

    3. -

    5 losers. Draw trump and then play diamonds

    4. -

    5 losers. Play two rounds of trump and then lead a diamond.

    5. -

    5 losers. Play hearts, return to dummy with a trump and ruff a heart. 

    Answer: 5

    Here you have five losers: one loser in hearts, one in diamonds and three club losers. It's important that you think of counting from a "master hand" here that master hand is North since North has more trump. Thinking of dummy as the master hand will most frequently happen after a notrump opening, but it can happen other times too--try to be flexible when counting your losers. Just because you only have 5 losers and you will be making your contract doesn't mean that you shouldn't try for more. Overtricks are worthwhile especially if you are playing duplicate. 

    Your result so far:
    Next

  • Dummy

    ♠ 10432
    ♥ 43
    ♦ 10987
    ♣ AK5

     

    Declarer

    ♠ AKQJ
    ♥ AK52
    ♦ 4
    ♣ Q983

    Contract: 4♠

    Lead: ♠J

    Choose One:
    1. -

    2 losers. Draw trump and play clubs

    2. -

    3 losers. Play a diamond and try to cross-ruff the hand

    3. -

    3 losers. Cash three rounds of trump and ruff a heart then play a diamond

    4. -

    4 losers. Draw one round of trump and then play hearts, ruffing the third round, returning to hand with a trump to ruff the last heart

    5. -

    4 losers. Win and lead a diamond. Win the return, cash two rounds of clubs and attempt to cross-ruff the hand

    Answer: 4

    You have two losers in hearts, one in diamonds, and one possible loser in clubs. Our plan should be to ruff the hearts in dummy. Since dummy has such small trump, you want to try to draw a little bit of trump first. Here play one round of trump and then ruff a heart (with a low spade). This allows you to return to hand with a trump (drawing two rounds of the opponents' trumps) and now you can ruff high. 

    Your result so far:
    Next