MIT/DL Session Note, November                                  29 Nov 96
-------------------                                           Paul Wendt

SEMISOLID TRUMPS

Tuesday 26 Nov, I played this deal in four spades (and not alone).
As dealer, white on red, I opened 3S, and partner raised optimistically.

        T
        AKQJxx
        Jxx
        Axx
  K5x         AJ
  xxx         xxx
  T????       ?????
  ?????       ?????
        Q9876xx
        x
        Ax
        xxx 

Lefty led the d10 which I won in hand.  Three hearts survived but then "a
cow flew by" and, in shock, I switched to my semisolid trumps.  Poor
righty held the doub Jack, so partner scored up +420, maybe no wiser.

That is a 16% play in trumps: doub Jack or stiff Jack on my right.  

Much better is to play a fourth heart and pitch the last side loser
whatever righty does.  Defenders need four trump tricks, presumably the
three honors on power and one spot, ruffing.  Supposing no unlikely minor
ruff later, they must now ruff with a small trump (else no gain now) *and*
ruff with the doubleton trump, if any (else trumps now break 2-2).  So I
win on any 3-2 break with two honors doubleton.  Also, I win against any
doub Jack (since the Jack now drops) or stiff Jack (ditto).  It turns out
that that is half of all 3-2 breaks plus the stiff Jack, just under 40%.

Better yet is a simple modification: if possible, overruff righty, return
to dummy in clubs, and play a fifth heart.  That wins against all the same
holdings plus Ax or Kx onside, in sum just over 50%.

The lessons, I think:
 - consider pitching a sure loser 
 - consider giving a ruff and sluff when defenders hold few small trumps
(a roundabout description of your own trump quality).

====

HIGH FROM A DOUBLETON, REVISITED

Back to my trump attack: righty played low from doub AJ, which settled the
matter.  Is that a good play or should righty reflexively pop the ace
--high from a doubleton? 

A good play, I think, and in keeping with that Gary Schwartz lesson, low
from AQ (see October).

Certainly it would not help to pop the Ace here.  I would drop the Jack
next, judging that righty would never cover from AJx (a bad play) and
would often play King from doub AK (the Rule of Restricted Choice: play
for split honors). 

With a singleton led from dummy, and presuming declarer holds 7 spades or
KQ-sixth for the opening bid, A from doub AJ is hoping to save the Jack
when partner holds Kxx (no 9).  In contrast, J from AJ is hoping to save
partner's 9xx or 8xxx (no honor).  For example: 

	T

  8xxx      AJ

	KQ9xxx

Popping the Ace blows the suit.  The Jack wins if declarer judges that you
would often cover with AJ8 or J8 --or judges that you would often pop the
Ace with AJ.  Fat chance of the latter now, against those declarers who
know that you subscribe to this column.  But there is a good chance that
they still think you would cover with AJ8 or J8. 

. . . which reminds me.  Let me bypass the J8 and go pronto to the J9.

	T

  Axx       J9

	KQ8xxxx

Try the 9, low from a doubleton.  As long as declarers expect you to cover
reflexively, and as soon as partners duck their Aces, you will win some
tricks with your doub Jacks. 


----Paul

Paul Wendt, Watertown MA