ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks Ward Trumbull
May 2, 2009
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Objective
The object of the declarer’s line of play should be to make the
contract with over tricks if possible, but never at the expense of going
set.
Extra Tricks
Part of the ARCH checklist is counting winners and losers. After
you count your winners, if the total is not the number of tricks you need
to make your contract, you will have to develop an extra trick or tricks
to do so.
Likewise, if the winner count is enough, then you should try to
develop extra tricks for over tricks if possible.
Developing Extra Tricks
I know of 12 ways to develop extra tricks. The phrase to help
learn/remember them is:
Double C, E, F, P, R and S (1st letter per items below)
Skill
No. Description Level Reference ID
------ ---------------------------------------- -------- ------------------------
1 Crossruff Adv ACBL31
2 Counting opponent’s discards Adv
3 End play Adv
4 Establish a long suit by ruffs Adv
5 Finesse Beg ABL14, A, B
6 Favorable distributions Intr
(4-3-3-3 and 5-3-3-2)
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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Skill
No. Description Level Reference ID
------ -------------------------------------- -------- ------------------------
7 Patience with testy suits Intr
(wait for opponents to lead)
8 Poor defenders Adv
9 Ruff in the hand with the Beg ACBL26
fewer trumps
10 Ruff and slough Intr
11 Squeeze play Intr
12 Safety play Intr ACBL19
1. Crossruff (advanced)
In a suit contract, when both the dummy and declarer hands have a
singleton or void, the declarer should certainly consider the possibility for
cross ruffing out the hand. The basic rules for a crossruff are:
a. Avoid pulling trump.
b. Cash all outside winners (aces, kings, etc.) first.
c. You may have to give up the lead to get rid of a
singleton. Typically, the opponents will sense the
pending ruffs and return trump.
2. Counting Opponent’s Discards (advanced)
Whenever the opponents discard on a trick, declarer should make a
mental note of:
a. Which suit was discarded – high or low card?
b. Is it a suit that you may later attack?
c. With multiple discards, does that opponent discard the
same suit or play one of each?
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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3. End Play (advanced)
End plays are made at the end of a hand’s play. They are used to
avoid a finesse that might fail or when you have no more cards in that
suit to try the finesse. You play a card to put an opponent in, and then
hope they will lead the finesse suit.
Example: Last 3 cards
Dummy Hearts A Q 6
Opponent Spades A
Hearts K J
Declarer Spades 7
Hearts 5
Clubs 9
Declarer leads the spade 7, RHO takes the trick
and is end played. Declarer loses only one trick.
Taking the heart finesse would lose two.
4. Establishing a Long Suit by Ruffs (advanced)
In this case the long suit may be in either hand. It need not be a
strong suit, only long, 5 or more cards. Let’s say it is in dummy. You
would have to cross to the dummy and then return with a ruff of the suit.
You will of course, need dummy entries to make it work. Actually, you
will need as many entries as you expect ruffs, PLUS ONE MORE. The
last entry is to cash the final good card(s) in that suit. Typically, you
would cross to dummy early, pulling trump each time. The last entry
would be to a good outside suit ace or king.
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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4. Establishing a Long Suit by Ruffs (continued)
Example: A 4 spade contract (opening lead of A, K & Q of
hearts)
Dummy S K Q 9
H J 4
D A 8 7 5 3
C K 6 2
Declarer S A J 6 5 4
H 9 7 4
D 10 7
C A 10 8
You have to ruff the queen with dummy’s 9. You have 2 hearts, a
diamond and a club to lose. You can put the club on the 5th diamond if
2 ruffs will establish the suit. At tricks 4 and 5, play the diamond ace
and then the 3. You now have the needed 3 dummy entries, two in
spades and the club king. Ruff the 4th diamond with the jack, cash the
spade ace, and then cross to the club king.
5. Finesse (beginner)
Most all common finesse situations are explained in detail in
ACBL14, 14A and 14B.
6. Favorable Distribution (intermediate)
As declarer you should make note when you have a suit that is:
a. 4 opposite 3 – if the suit breaks 4-3-3-3, you will have the last
good card in that suit.
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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6. Favorable Distribution (continued)
b. 5 opposite 3 – if the suit breaks 5-3-3-2, you will have the last 2
good cards in that suit.
c. 5 opposite 2 – if the suit breaks 5-2-3-3, you will have the last 2
good cards in that suit.
In all three cases above, the declarer should consider this as a
possibility for an extra trick. Note to see if all of the opponents cards
are gone the third time the suit is played. If the opponents have no
more, the suit is set up for an extra trick(s).
7. Patience with Testy Suits (intermediate)
Avoid playing a suit when you have finesse problems. For
instance, with queen third opposite jack third, wait for the opponents to
lead that suit, and you will be assured of one trick.
Another example, is when you have a two-way finesse in a suit.
Avoid guessing, and hope they will lead the suit.
Example: Dummy A 10 8 6 Declarer K J 4 3
You could bang down the ace and king, hoping for a doubleton
queen. Or you could finesse either opponent. But see what happens if
they lead the suit.
8. Poor Defenders (advanced)
Skilled players tend to know the bad defenders from the good ones.
When you play against such people, it often pays to give up the lead to
them, because they’ll make one of their frequent misques to give you
an extra trick.
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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8. Poor Defenders (continued)
Their misplays are such as:
a. They give you a ruff and slough.
b. They cash an ace setting up your king and queen.
c. They give you a finesse on their own king or queen.
9. Ruff in the Hand with the Fewer Trumps (beginner)
You will gain no tricks when you ruff in the hand with the long trump.
You should make that kind of ruff, only for the purpose of transportation
between hands, but don’t mislead yourself into thinking you’re getting
an extra trick. YOU”RE NOT.
However, ruffing in the short trump suit hand, does give you an
extra trick.
10. Ruff and Slough (intermediate)
In a suit contract when you have a side suit which is short in both
hands, it often pays to clear out that suit before letting the opponents
in. You have now made a ruff-and-slough possible. You’d be
surprised how many defenders don’t see what you are doing and will
lead that suit
11. Squeeze (intermediate)
In a suit or notrump contract it is a good declarer technique to run a
long suit squeezing the opponents for discards. If you have stoppers
in all suits, you may even play out all your trump. Watch them discard.
When they start to suffer, they’ll tip you off to which suits they have
high cards in. Do you use this extra trick skill?
ACBL26A – Declarer: Extra Tricks May 2, 2009
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12. Safety Play (intermediate)
ACBL19 explains safety plays, but the most common one is to play
the ace or king before finessing for the queen. Once in a while you’ll
drop a singleton queen and avoid what would have been a losing
finesse