2007-07-27 13:49

Hand Evaluation – Visualization ( Planning )

PITBULLS:

Every Bridge player knows that planning is required before you declare a hand. Patterns are a great tool to assist you in the planning process. Usually when you declare a hand there are key suits ( not necessarily trump ) that you must take into consideration for the planning stage. Suit combinations & patterns bring in probabilities & percentages on how the suit is going to behave. Here is partner in action in the planning phase of declaring a hand. Partner is in 3NT with ♣AQ10xxx opposite ♣9xx . He must make an avoidance play as he has ♥Kx opposite ♥Jx of hearts. So he says to himself 6-3-2-2 or 6-3-3-1 & plans his club play accordingly. By using patterns , he can “visualize” the club suit. When the clubs are 3-1 & the stiff king is to his right that is the worst case scenario so he lays down his ♣Ace & drops the king ! He now goes to the board & takes 6 club tricks for +660.

Recently my partner was in a heart contract doubled. ♠KQxxxx ♥Qx ♦void ♣KJ10xx he received a diamond lead. He has ♠xx ♥AKJ1098xx ♦void ♣xxx so he pauses to plan his declarer play. Hearts are a rare pattern so he applies that at the table . 8-2-2-1 so this means the Qx of hearts is an entry after the trumps are all drawn ! See how patterns allow you to visualize the hand !! Partner takes the ruff in his hand & plans to set up the spade suit. The pattern for the spade suit is 6-3-2-2 so the spades break 68 % of the time as opposes to 50% for the club queen on side. He leads a spade , they take the Ace so they can not attack clubs. If they do not take the club Ace at this time , he makes 6 as he can set up the spades & draw trump ending up on the board. Patterns guide you to the right line of play. Patterns & thinking in patterns is how you reason deductively in the game of Bridge.

Partner is in 4♥X with the opening bidder doubling him after a competitive auction. Partner has ♥K10xxxx opposite ♥xxx so how do you play the trump suit ? Patterns to your rescue. 6-3-2-2 or 6-3-3-1 or 6-4-3-0 . There is no indication from the bidding that LHO has a heart void so we discount that . Leading a heart & inserting the 10 can never win. This means the hearts are 3-1 so you are losing 2 heart tricks anyway given that LHO has the heart Ace. You go up with the king of course , the hearts are 2-2 so you bring home +790 instead of –200.

You are in 4♥ with a ♥Q10xxxxx opposite ♥K9 so you must play this suit for one loser. 7-2-2-2 or 7-3-2-1 . You win on all 2-2 heart breaks & whenever there is a stiff jack on either side. You also win if the stiff Ace floats when you lead towards an honour, These combinations are well over 50 % so you get right after trump rather than playing side suits. Take advantage of the fact that you are favoured to take 6 trump tricks.

Of course , patterns are essential for you to plan your defense. Alex Fowlie is in 4♥ after opening 1♣ & bidding 1♥. They get to 4♥ after your side competes up to 3♠. Partner leads 5^th best spade , the board comes down with ♠A ♥AJx ♦Axxxx ♣QJ10x . You have ♠Qxxxx ♥Qxx ♦Qx ♣xxx so patterns are the basis of your defensive planning. Alex plays the spade Ace & follows suit with the spade jack. He could have only one spade. If so , his probable pattern is 1-4-3-5 . Alex leads a club , plays the Ace & partner plays the club 3. This confirms the clubs are 5-4-3-1. Alex now takes the heart hook & you win your queen. Now what ? You know the hearts are 3-3 for him so returning a spade is no good as this gives him a sluff & a ruff. With the hearts 3-3 , he just ruffs in his hand & takes 5 club trucks , 3 hearts & the outside Aces for 10 tricks. He can even ruff on the board with the Ace of hears & play for the hearts to be 3-3 & make the contract. Applying patterns , partner is aware of all this so knowing that I had a stiff club by applying patterns from the bidding, he gives me a club ruff & we wait for our two diamond tricks for one down. Patterns are like cheating.