Ducking!

 

Duck: vt. the act of not playing a high card when you can in order to maintain or sever  communications or cause the defence or declarer to mis-guess the position of the high card.

 

1. Vulnerability:   Nil Dealer: N   Bidding 4; Play 6; Defence 8;

 

♠ AQJ83

♥ 42

♦ AJ3

♣ 1087

♠ 952                                       ♠ K104

♥ J53                                       ♥ K98

♦`Q854                                    ♦ K1072

♣ Q96                                     ♣ J54

                        ♠ 76

                        ♥ AQ1076

                        ♦ 96

                        ♣ AK32

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

1♠        P          2♥        P

2♠1       P          3NT2    P

 

  1. 2NT would not be wrong here
  2. 3♣ would not be wrong here making North declarer in the same contract.

Either way the defence should lead a low diamond.   If West leads the 4 and declarer plays low from dummy East must play the 10 otherwise the defense is already dead.   It is perhaps easier for the defence if North is declarer as East will lead 2♦.   When North wins the A♦ at trick one or two she will surely lead a ♥ towards her hand. If she plays the Q she then has a choice of plays for the contract (cash A and another ♥ hoping they break 3-3 (30%).   The spade finesse looks obvious so will probably try that next as at least 2 tricks will be needed from the suit.   So a ♠ to the J and ??? If East puts up the K declarer cannot go wrong.   4♠, 2♥, 1♦ and 2♣ are already 9 tricks.   What if East ducks the ♠J?   Surely declarer will come back to hand in a rounded suit and take another finesse.   Now the spade suit is dead and 8 tricks is the limit.  

If East is on lead and declarer takes the Q♦ with the ace.   A similar defence is required with E having to be carefull when in with K♠ not to try to cash the ♦ (best to exit a ♣.   This is not too hard as your partner’s Q♦ denied the J at trick one... didn’t it?

 

 

 

 

2. Vulnerability: N/S   Dealer: E   Bidding 8; Play 3; Defence 8;

 

♠ 852

♥ KQ10

♦ K87

♣ KQ32

♠ A3                                        ♠ J94

♥ 8632                                     ♥ J9754

♦`J96                                       ♦ Q105

♣ 10974                                  ♣ 65

                        ♠ KQ1076

                        ♥ A

                        ♦ A432

                        ♣ AJ8

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

            P          1♠        P

3NT1    P          4NT     P

5♣       P          6♠        All pass

 

The 3NT response to one of a major should show 13-15 points and either 2 card or 3 card support (by agreement with you partner)...I prefer the former and 2344 shape but you should get to the small slam if N responds 2♣.

 

West leads a club (which one is up to the agreement between you and your partner) or 6♥.  Declarer’s only possible problem is if West has AJx(x) in ♠.   However, if it looks like a duck... Winning the lead in dummy she plays a ♠ to the K.   What if West ducks?  Surely that means East has the Ace?   So back to dummy to lead another ♠ now it is hard not to play the Q and that results in a one trick defeat.

 

When you are sure to win a trick it may not cost to duck and sometimes like the above hand it pays back handsomely.

 

3. Vulnerability: E/W   Dealer: S   Bidding 5; Play 8; Defence 6;

♠ 104

♥ 7632

♦ AQJ43

♣ 74

♠ J9872                                    ♠ Q63

♥ 94                                         ♥ QJ108

♦`K7                                        ♦ 9865

♣ KQ108                                ♣ 96

                        ♠ AK5

                        ♥ AK5

                        ♦ 102

                        ♣ AJ532

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

                        1♣       P

1♦        1P         2NT     P

3NT     All pass

 

1.  It is a bad idea to overcall poor suits unless you expect to buy the contract.

West leads 7♠ and declarer should try the 10 in case West has underled the QJ.   No joy here but the contract is alive.   6 top tricks 4 tricks from diamonds would give the game.   So play the 10♦.   West should cover and now is the critical moment.   Declarer can no longer make the contract if she takes the Ace.   Certainly if the diamonds are 3-3 then it doesn’t matter but would West cover the 10♦with Kxx?   Declarer might have a singleton after all.   Declarer must duck the K♦ to make the contract and so long as ♦ are 4-2 (almost 3 times as likely as 5-1).

 

4. Vulnerability: All   Dealer: W  Bidding 7; Play 6; defence 6;

 

♠ K64

♥ Q102

♦ Q98

♣ 10965

♠ 10                                         ♠ QJ97532

♥ K543                                    ♥ A7

♦`107653                                 ♦ J2

♣ K73                                     ♣ 42

                        ♠ A8

                        ♥ J986

                        ♦ AK4

                        ♣ AQJ8

 

How it might go.

N         E          S          W

                                    P

P          2♠1       2NT2    P

3NT     All pass

 

1 Sometimes opposite a passed partner caution can pay dividends when pre-empting especially when vulnerable.  If East opens 3♠, South should gamble 3NT.

2 Double would not be wrong but it is a poor 19 points.

West leads the 10♠ and declarer thinks that this will be a doubleton as East surely has 6 spades.  In this case it would be fatal to win the first trick as West would win the heart and play his last spade and East would clear the suit or cash spades when in with the other top ♥.  However this is one well though out duck that ends up as char sui.   West switches to a low Diamond.  Now it is East who should take the ♥ immediately and return her last ♦, allowing West to clear the suit when in with the K♥ and cash two winners when in with the K♣.  Note how much easier it is for declarer if East opens 3♠ and South overcalls 3NT.  It is easy to read the opening lead as a singleton – so duck is off the menu.

 

5. Vulnerability: NS   Dealer: N  Bidding 7; Play 9; Defence 5;

 

♠ Q864

♥ 10742

♦ 107653

♣ -

♠ 3                                           ♠ AJ2

♥ AQJ8                                   ♥ K53

♦`K8                                        ♦ J942

♣ AK10632                             ♣ 754

                        ♠ K10975

                        ♥ 96

                        ♦ AQ

                        ♣ QJ98

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

P          P          1♠        X2

3♠1       3NT     All pass

 

1 After the double, the jump to 3♠ based on a 4 card suit and few points is now common.  With a normal 3♠ raise you can either Redouble first (9+) or bid 2NT (see the LAW of total tricks).

2 2♣ would not be wrong but you must follow up with a take out double to show a max if N bids 2♠.  East should bid 2NT and you can raise that to 3NT.

 

East does well to bid 3NT.  Can she match it with the play?   South leads 7♠ to North’s Q and you must take this trick and keep North off the lead. South rates to have most if not all the remaining points for the opening bid but there is a chance that North has the J♣ so play a ♣ to the A.   Sadly North shows out.  You now know that South has 5-4 in the black suits.   Surely also the AQ♦ so only 1 or 2♥.   Cash two hearts ending in hand and lead another ♣ and duck this when South covers with the J.   South now has no winning option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Vulnerability: E/W    Dealer: E  Bidding 4; Play 8; Defence 6;

 

♠ 83

♥ 93

♦ A54

♣ AQJ852

♠ Q92                                      ♠ J10765

♥ KQ874                                 ♥ 1062

♦`863                                       ♦ K9

♣ 97                                        ♣ K104

                        ♠ AK4

                        ♥ AJ5

                        ♦ QJ1072

                        ♣ 63

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

            P          1NT     P

3NT     All pass

West leads a normal 7♥  (the K♥ works better here but there would be only a small story as South must duck this.  East should discourage continuation and West does best to switch to a ♠ to get back to the main story!)

The low ♥ lead is won by the J and the 6♣ played to the Q winning.  Cross back to a ♠ and play another ♣, this time East wins and plays a ♥.  Should you win or duck. Playing pairs, if the ♦ finesse is working you have all the remaining tricks so ducking could give a bad matchpoint score, also if the ♥s break 4-4 it doesn’t matter if you duck.  Well here, failing to duck is fatal unless you spurn the ♦ finesse after all.

 

7. Vulnerability: All    Dealer: S  Bidding 6; Play 8; Defence 5;

♠ AQ643

♥ 108

♦ J9

♣ KJ93

♠ J107                                      ♠ K98

♥ J5                                         ♥ 942

♦`Q10753                                ♦ K86

♣ 875                                      ♣ AQ62

                        ♠ 52

                        ♥ AKQ763

                        ♦ A42

                        ♣ 104

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

                        1♥        P

1♠        P          2♥1      P

3♥        P          4♥        All pass

 

1 This guarantees a 6th heart as opener has not supported spades, bid another suit or bid 1NT.

 

West leads the 5♦ dummy plays the 9 and East the K.  If Declarer takes the Ace she will probably go down as west can get in to lead a spade through before the clubs are established.   Declarer can afford to lose 2♣ and a ♦.   (note that a ♣ lead only gives the defence a chance if East wins and returns a ♦).

 

8. Vulnerability: Nil    Dealer: W  Bidding 6; Play 6; Defence 10;

 

♠ J74

♥ 8753

♦ AQ63

♣ 97

♠ K93                                      ♠ A105

♥ AK92                                   ♥ Q10

♦`K97                                      ♦ J1054

♣ K42                                     ♣ Q863

                        ♠ Q862

                        ♥ J64

                        ♦ 82

                        ♣ AJ105

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

1NT(15-17)    

P          3NT1    All pass

 

1 The flat 9 count has 3 10s so don’t bother to invite.

North led a normal 3♦ which went 4, 8, 9.  Declarer has 2♠, 3♥ and 1♦.  A 2nd trick is available in ♦ and certainly a ♣ trick.   The 9th trick can come from any of three suits (defenders lead ♠ and the QJ honours are split; J♥ falls in 3 rounds; ♣ 3-3 or one defender with A doubleton).   Accordingly, since the J♥ can wait declarer plays a ♣ to the Q... what if South ducks smoothly?  Declarer will surely assume that North has the ace and will hope that either it is doubleton or trebleton so plays a ♣ and ducks South’s 10 hoping N wins the Ace.  Calamity!  South cashes the remaining 2 ♣ and plays a ♦ down 1 when J♥ would have fallen!

 

If it waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck... it probably is a duck.