Michael O’Loughlin has enjoyed teaching bridge for over 40 years; his book, “Bridge: Basic Card Play” is available from the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (01 4929666), price:€10.
Bridge
Calling all Novices – Intermediates! by Michael O’Loughlin
The Rule of Seven is to exhaust the partner of the person that number from 7, giving 1. This tells When you as declarer hold just one on lead of her cards in that suit – thereby declarer how many times to duck: once. dge ridge byby Bridge Michael Michael byO’Loughlin Michael O’Loughlin O’Loughlin Win themaking ♦A on the round. You have five Diamonds between your ownreturns (a). a(a). Win(a). the ♦A on round. You have fivehave Diamonds between your own Win thethe ♦Athird on the third round. five Diamonds your own certain stopper in the suit which it third impossible forYou her to return Sobetween when East a Spade declarer hand and and dummy’s. Subtract fivefive from seven to give you you two. Therefore, you you hand and dummy’s. Subtract five from seven to give you two. Therefore, you hand dummy’s. Subtract from seven to give two. Therefore, defender has led versus a No Trump her partner’s suit because she will have does not duck again but rather takes her hold up/duck twice and your win win youryour Acethe onthird the round. up/duck twice win round. hold up/duck twice and Ace on third the third contract, count the number ofhold cards in noand cards left inAce heronpartner’s suit. By round. Ace. If declarer were to duck again, then Calling lling Calling allall Novices Novices all Novices – – Intermediates! Intermediates! – Intermediates! (b). Win the ♣A on the second round. 7 – 6 = 1.Hold up/duck just once. (b). Winhold the ♣A on round. 7 round. – 6 = 1.Hold just once. (b). Winholding thethe ♣Asecond on second 7 – 6number =up/duck 1.Hold up/duck just once. switch to a Heart and defeat that suit which yourself and dummy upthe the recommended West could Basically what you’re concerned about is the situation where the person on lead Basically what you’re concerned about is the situation where the person lead he Rule Rule ofThe of Seven Seven Rule of Seven Basicallyofwhat you’re about is the situation wherethe theon person on–lead between you. Subtracting that total from times youconcerned are cutting your opponents’ contract the defence winning three has a 5-card suit. TheThe rationale for holding up is toisexhaust the partner of the has a 5-card suit. The rationale for holding up is to exhaust the partner of the has a 5-card suit. rationale for holding up to exhaust the partner of the seven guides you asdeclarer to how many times means of communication. Heart tricks to go with their two Spade he Rule Rule ofThe of Seven: Seven: RuleWhen of When Seven: you you asWhen as declarer you hold ashold declarer justjust one one hold certain certain just stopper one stopper certain in in the stopper the in the person on lead ofcards her in suit that suit – thereby making it impossible fortoher person onperson lead of in that thereby itmaking impossible for her onher lead of cards her cards in –that suit – making thereby it impossible for to her to u K (now a certain towhich holdhas act up is often (c). Like (a), win the tricks. which it which asuit defender a defender aup. has defender ledThis led versus versus hasaof led No a holding No versus Trump Trump areturn contract, No contract, Trump count count contract, the the number count number the of of number of return her partner’s suit suit because she have willwill have no cards inpartner’s her herreturn partner’s suit because she will no cards leftcards inleft herleft suit. suit.suit. her partner’s because she have no in partner’s her partner’s srds in in that that cards suit suit which inwhich that yourself suit yourself which andand yourself dummy dummy and hold hold dummy between between you. you. between Subtracting Subtracting you. on Subtracting that that that stopper) thenumber third round. called ducking. By hold holding up the number of times youcutting are cutting youryour By holding the recommended of times youtimes are By up holding up recommended the recommended number of you areyour cutting After declarer wins trick two with the tal from from seven total seven guides from guides seven you you as guides as to to how you how many as many totimes how times many to to hold hold times up.means up. This toThis hold act act up. of act♠K of straight away. Duck and opponents’ means ofofThis communication. (d). Win the opponents’ ofmeans communication. opponents’ of communication. ♠A she must force out the uA in order ing lding upup isholding often isExercise: often called upcalled is often ducking. ducking. called ducking. may never win it – ifstopper) West holds the round. Declaring No Trumps, when do (a),you (c). (c). Like win♥K the(now ♥K a certain onthird the (c). Like (a),Like win the a certain on the round. (a), win the (now ♥K (now astopper) certain stopper) on third the third toround. make her contract. Fortunately for ♠ A. Not a Rule of Seven position as you you win your Ace or King? xercise: cise: Declaring Exercise: Declaring No Declaring No Trumps, Trumps, No when when Trumps, dodo you you when win win your doyour you Ace win Ace oryour or King? King? Ace or King? Win thestraight ♠K straight away. Duck and may you you may never win itWest – if holds declarer it’s East (d). (d). Win(d). the ♠K away. Duck and you never win it – if holds Win the ♠K straight away. Duck and may never win it –West if West holdswho holds the uA. do not have a certain stopper. a)(a) Dummy (a) Dummy Dummy the ♠A. the Not ♠A. a Rule of Seven position as do you dohave not have a certain stopper. Because declarer held up the ♠A until aNot Rule ofaSeven position as you not a certain stopper. the ♠A. Not Rule of Seven position as you do not have a certain stopper. (e). Win the uA immediately to ensure a ♦K♦K ledled ♦K led ♦75 ♦75 ♦75 the second round, East is out of Spades (e). Win the ♦A immediately to ensure a second stopper with the ♦J10. Not a the ♦A to ensure second the with ♦J10.the Not♦J10. a Not a Winimmediately the ♦A immediately toa the ensure astopper second second stopper with uJ10. Not with astopper Rule Declarer Declarer Declarer(e). Win(e). Rule of Seven position as have you have more than one one stopper. and therefore is unable to return a Spade Rule of Seven position as you more than one stopper. Rule of Seven position as you have more than stopper. ♦A82 ♦A82 ♦A82 of Seven position as you have more than to her partner. Had declarer won the one stopper. opening lead with the ♠A on the first b)(b) Dummy (b) Dummy Dummy Deals SouthSouth Deals South Deals ♠ 7 5♠ 27 ♠5 27 5 2 round of the suit, then East, when in ♣K♣K ledled ♣K led ♣754 ♣754 ♣754 Vul Vul None 9 J9 Vul None ♥ A♥ J 9A♥J A None Declarer Declarer Declarer with the uA, would still have a Spade ♦ K ♦Q K 10♦Q2K10Q210 2 ♣A82 ♣A82 ♣A82 in her hand to return and the defence ♣ A Q J ♣ A Q J♣ A Q J would defeat the contract, taking four ♠ K J 9 4 3 ♠ K J 9 4♠ 3K J 9 4 3 ♠Q6 c)(c) Dummy (c) Dummy Dummy N N N ♠ Q 6 ♠ Q 6 spade tricks plus the uA. If East held ♥ K 8 7 4 ♥ Q 10 610 2 62 ♥ Kthe8 7♥A ♥4 K 8 7 4 W W E E ♥ Q 10 ♥5♥5 ledled ♥5 led ♥73 ♥73 ♥73 East East wins wins the East the ♥A♥A wins W E ♦ A6♥82Q 7 38 7 33 Spades in her hand then West would ♦ A 8 7 3♦ A Declarer Declarer Declarer && leads leads back back &the leads the ♥J. back ♦ ♥J. 5 4♦ 5the ♦4 5♥J. 4 S S S ♣ 9 6♣29 6♣ 29 6 2 only have 4 cards in the Spade suit and ♥K82 ♥K82 ♥K82 ♣ 10♣8 10 ♣ 810 8 the defence would only be able to take ♠ A8♠10A810 8 ♠ A 10 3 Spade tricks. This is why the Rule (d) d)(d) Dummy Dummy Dummy ♥ 5 3 ♥5 3 ♥5 3 ♠73 ♠73 East plays plays the East the ♠Q. plays ♠Q. the ♠Q. ♠4♠4 ledled ♠4 led ♠73 East of Seven works: When the Spades are ♦ J 9♦6J 9♦ 6J 9 6 5 47 35 4 3 Declarer Declarer Declarer ♣ K 7♣5K4♣73K divided 5-2, by applying the Rule of ♠K82 ♠K82 ♠K82 Dealer: North East-West Dealer: North East-West Vul Vul Vul Dealer: North East-West Seven declarer cuts communication between the defenders because whenever West North East South West North North East South West East South e)(e) Dummy Dummy Dummy (e) 1♦ Pass 1NT(1) 1♦ Pass 1NT(1) ♦75 ♦75 East plays plays the East the ♦Q. plays ♦Q. the ♦Q. ♦3♦3 ledled ♦3 led ♦75 East 1♦ Pass 1NT(1) East holds the uA she will be out of 2NT(2) Pass 3NT(3) Declarer Declarer Declarer Pass PassPass 2NT(2) Pass 3NT(3) 2NT(2) Pass 3NT(3) Spades when she gains the lead. ♦AJ10 ♦AJ10
♦AJ10
Pass PassPass Pass PassPass Pass PassPass
(a). Win the uA on the third round. You (1) Not strong enough to respond 2♣. (1)strong Not strong enough to respond 2♣.you’re have five Diamonds between your (2) Invitational: if (1)own Not enough to respond 2♣. (1) Not strong enough toPass respond 2♣. minimum, (2) Invitational: if3NT you’re Invitational: Pass if you’re (2) Invitational: Pass ifminimum, you’re minimum, hand and dummy’s. Subtract five(2) from go Pass onto if minimum, you’re maximum. seven to give you two. Therefore, you (3) Near maximum with 8 points and a hold up/duck twice and win your Ace on 5-card suit. the third round. (b). Win the ♣A on the second round. 7 Opening lead: ♠4. East plays the ♠Q and – 6 = 1.Hold up/duck just once. Basically declarer has to decide whether to duck what you’re concerned about is the or not. Using the Rule of Seven, i.e., situation where the person on lead has a count the number of Spades in her own 5-card suit. The rationale for holding up and dummy’s hand: 6. Then subtract 68 Senior Times | May - June 2022 | www.seniortimes.ie
If West holds thetips uAfor together with 5 players ca More Intermediate cards in the Spade suit then declarer https://www.andrewrobson.co.uk/an cannot make the contract. All declarer / can ever do is give herself the best chance. More tips for Intermediate players can be found at: https://www. andrewrobson.co.uk/ andrew/tips_for_ intermediates/
