ACBL19 – Declarer: Safety Plays Ward Trumbull
May
2, 2005 Rev 12/2/2019
Page 1 of 4
What if the suit doesn’t break favorably?
That is the key phrase to making safety plays. The bridge player who
is a pessimist has it all over the optimist.
1. Don’t Lose to a Singleton Queen
Dummy Declarer
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A J x x K x x
You are going to finesse your left hand opponent (LHO) for the missing
queen. However, before you lead small to the jack, play the king in
case the right hand opponent (RHO) has a singleton queen. It do
happen.
2. Going for a 4-3-3-3 Split
Dummy Declarer
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A x x x K x x
You’re either in a notrump contract or a suit contract after trump has
been pulled. You need to get three tricks out of the suit.
1st - Leave the suit alone as long as possible. An opponent with
4+ cards in that suit might discard one or more.
2nd - Give up a trick in the suit before you cash your ace and
king. That way you will still be in control if you can’t pick
up the last trick in that suit.
ACBL19 – Declarer: Safety Plays May 3, 2005
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3. The Split Ain’t Always 3/2
When you have an 8 card suit headed by the Ace/King, the outstanding
cards will hopefully be 3 and 2. That way you can cash the ace and
king and let the queen sit. In the real world they split 4 and 1 about as
often. So if you want to take four tricks in such situations, learn to be
cautious and make safety plays.
Dummy Declarer
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10 8 5 A K 7 6 2
. A. You cash the ace and RHO plays the jack. If you need all five
tricks in the suit to make your contract, cash the king and pray
the RHO has the doubleton queen/jack.
BUT if you need only four tricks in the suit to make your contract,
then after you see the jack (on your right), lead the 2 to the 10.
Whether the queen is left or right, you’ll take four tricks. Because
if she’s on the left, the ten/king will be good four 4 tricks; and if
she’s on the right, the king/seven will be good for 4 tricks.
. B. You cash the ace and LHO plays the jack. Again, if you need all
five tricks in the suit to make your contract, cash the king
and pray the LHO has the doubleton queen/jack.
BUT if you need only four tricks in the suit to make your contract,
then after you see the jack (on your left), lead the 2 to the 10
(SAME AS IN “A” ABOVE). If the queen is on your left, the ten/king
will be good for 4 tricks. If she’s on the right, the nine (on the right)
will be finessable by the king/seven for four tricks..
ACBL19 – Declarer: Safety Plays May 3, 2005
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4. Eight Card Suits with the Ace, King and Ten
Whenever your 8 card suit has the ace, king and ten, it’s prudent to
take a finesse to the 10 first. In this case you are finessing for
both the jack and queen in one hand.
Examples:
Dummy Declarer
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A 8 5 K 10 7 6 2
OR
8 6 5 A K 10 7 2
In both examples, start by leading dummy’s 5 to declarer’s 10. If
The finesse works, the queen/jack are in RHO’s hand. If not, you
still have a chance for the 3/2 split.
NOTE: In the first example, the RHO can split the queen/jack to defeat
a finesse to the ten. BUT usually they don’t make that good
play. DO NOT cash the ace first. It tips off good players to
split the queen/jack.
In the second example, splitting the queen/jack does no good.
Most defenders don’t recognize the difference, and thus never
split the queen/jack.
ACBL19 – Declarer: Safety Plays May 3, 2005
Page 4 of 4
5. Limited Entries to a Long Suit
Dummy Declarer
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7 5 2 A 8 4 3
8 4 3 J 10 9 2
J A K 5
A K Q 9 4 3 5 2
You are in a 3 notrump contract, and the opening lead is the 4 of
diamonds. The jack of diamonds holds the trick. You now have ten
tricks.....1 spade, 3 diamonds and 6 clubs (if the clubs break no worse
than 3/2). But you don’t need 6 club tricks to make the contract you
only need five. ENTER THE SAFETY PLAY.
If clubs split 4-1 after you cash the ace/king/queen, you can’t get back
to dummy for the 5th and 6th clubs. So…….lead dummy's club 3 to declarer's 5.
Don't lead a spade because you have only 1 spade stopper. You will now get 5
club tricks if the split is either 3/2 or 4/1. Aren’t those better odds?