Dan Romm’s Bridge Quiz

Posted 2013-01-07

How do you play the following hand at MP’s? At IMP’s? (Answers below)

 

Contract: 6♥ 
Lead: ♦ Q
No adverse bidding.

Answer

This hand illustrates two points:

1. There are different strategies for MP’s and IMP’s.
2. It is frequently better to count winners than losers.

Solution at MP’s: Throw a spade on the king of diamonds and hope clubs are no worse than 4-3 (about 50-50) in which case you can ruff two clubs and make 7.

Solution at IMP’s: Lead a club to your hand at trick 2 and lead a spade! If clubs split 4-3 you will always make 6, but if they split 5-2 you need the king of spades for your 12th trick.

Originally posted: November 17, 2008