Help
Hi,
When I got my remaining diamonds to Q and 4, I ran into a problem.
If I led diamond 4 to the dummy, I could successfully ruff it with a heart. (East just followed with a spade.)
If I led diamond Q to the dummy, I would not be able to ruff it with a heart because East followed with heart A.
Why is it this case?
Why should I lead the low card to the dummy here?
I truly appreciate your reply.
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BBO Bridge Master Level 4 A-21 Why does East only ruff my high card?
#2
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Posted Yesterday, 23:46
One thing to note is your trumps are all high except for the ace. If you lead ♦4 and East overruffs with the ace. What can East do? If he returns a trump, you can draw trump, making all 6 trump in your hand, the 2 top diamonds already played, ♣A and good ♦Q for 10 tricks. If East returns say a club, win the ace, the ruff the ♦Q with dummy's last trump. Whether East overruffs or not, that's 10 top tricks for declarer.
As you discovered, if you try to ruff the ♦Q first, East can overruff and return a trump, leaving you with a losing diamond, and a trick in spades, and a trick in clubs for down 1.
As you discovered, if you try to ruff the ♦Q first, East can overruff and return a trump, leaving you with a losing diamond, and a trick in spades, and a trick in clubs for down 1.
#3
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- Joined: 2024-February-07
Posted Yesterday, 23:54
johnu, on 2026-May-22, 23:46, said:
If East returns say a club, win the ace, the ruff the ♦Q with dummy's last trump.
If East overruffs with the ace and returns a club, you can also just draw trumps; your ♦Q is already high and doesn't need ruffing, which is the main reason you shouldn't waste it the first time.
It only needs ruffing on the second round if East holds up the first time, because now you can't draw trumps without losing control.
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