Howard Schenken

(USA)

When on defense in third position, cultivate the habit of playing slowly to the first trick. Careful thought will help you defeat many more contracts.

Howard Schenken, who died in 1979 aged 74, was some people’s candidate for the title of “Best Player of All Time”. He was a bidding theorist, many of whose ideas are now widely played in North America and the rest of the world—the weak two bid and forcing two over one response are but two examples. He founded the Four Aces bridge team in the mid-1930s and contributed towards their success, in particular the victory over the French European champions in 1935 for the first World Championship. He was a member of the first Bermuda Bowl in 1950, and successfully defended his world title in 1951 and 1953. He took over the Four Aces bridge column in 1943 and in 1957 merged it with Richard Frey’s and in so doing created the longest continuously running, nationally syndicated bridge column.

Much has been written about the careful thought required of declarer before he plays to the first trick. But little has been said about the player on declarer’s right, East in the normal diagram.

When you are in this position you often have a difficult but vital role to play. Unlike declarer you cannot see your partner’s hand, but by reviewing the bidding and observing the lead you may be able to visualize it.

While South is thinking over his plan of attack, you may have a chance to plan your defense. Even if South plays quickly to the first trick (from dummy), you should not allow yourself go to be hurried. For example:

Both Vul

South Deals

ª 9 5

¨ K Q 2

§ A 10 7 5 3

N ª J 10 7 2

E © Q 8 5 3

¨ A 9 4

§ K 6

SOUTH NORTH

1NT* 3NT

* 16-18

West leads the two of hearts. Declarer quickly plays dummy’s ten and of course you cover with the queen automatically. Or do you? Not unless you have been lulled into following suit without thinking!

So I will assume you are concentrating and are ready to begin the chore of counting points. You and dummy each have ten, South has at least sixteen, so your partner has at most four. His fourth-best lead shows a four card suit with a) no honors, b) the king, or c) the ace.

If partner has a) you lose a trick by covering; with b) you break even. So you focus your attention on c), which gives declarer king doubleton. In this case, of course you must duck, and when sooner or later you come in with the king of clubs your heart return will defeat the contract.

Even when you have an automatic play to the first trick, you can still pause and say, “Sorry, I’m not thinking about this trick.” This may help you prepare for a vital decision at the next trick as in this example:

None Vul

South Deals

ª 7 6 5

¨ K J 10 9 8 7

§ A 3

N ª A 3

E © J 10 8 7

¨ A 6 5

§ K J 10 9

SOUTH NORTH

1NT* 3NT

* 15-18

Partner leads the queen of spades. Counting points presents no problem. You have thirteen, the dummy eight and partner’s lead has shown three. The total is 24, and since declarer surely has fifteen and more likely sixteen, you are on your own as sole defender.

Now you can turn your attention to tricks, If declarer can bring in the diamond suit, he will romp home. But as you gaze at the dummy you notice that the club ace is once guarded. The light dawns! Triumphantly you win the first trick with the ace of spades and play the king of clubs. As Muhammed Ali would say, “The ace will fall in two rounds.”

The next hand is difficult and requires careful planning:

E-W Vul

South Deals

ª A 9 6 2

¨ Q 5

§ Q 10 8 6

N ª K J 3

E © K 8 7 6 4

¨ K 10 8 3

§ 9

SOUTH NORTH

1© 1ª

1NT* 3NT

* 12-14

West leads the two of diamonds and declarer plays dummy’s five. Plan the defense in detail.

From the bidding and lead you deduce that partner’s distribution is probably 4-1-4-4. If his lead is from the jack your ten will force the ace. But if partner had the jack, declarer would have played dummy’s queen, hoping to hold the trick!

So you conclude that your king will win and that you can establish three diamond tricks. You can certainly expect to make the king of hearts, but you will still need at least one trick in spades. With this in mind, you win the king of diamonds and return the eight, thereby deceiving partner into thinking that South started with J 10 7 4!

This produces the desired result as partner wins the ace of diamonds and switches to a spade. Declarer perforce plays low from dummy and you win with the king. Now you shift back to diamonds and are ready to take the setting trick when you get in with the king of hearts. You apologize to partner for your deceit, but he forgives you readily since no other defense would have set the contract.

The full deal:

E-W Vul

South Deals

ª A 9 6 2

¨ Q 5

§ Q 10 8 6

ª 10 8 7 5 N ª K J 3

¨ A 9 6 2 ¨ K 10 8 3

§ 7 5 4 2 S § 9

ª Q 4

¨ J 7 4

§ A K J 3