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Knowing when to duck or decline a trick
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Knowing when to duck or decline a trick
Refusal to take a trick, commonly called 'ducking' or 'hold-up' play, is a useful ploy for both declarer and defenders.
It appears most frequently in no-trump contracts where perhaps declarer has only one stopper (high card) in the suit that has been led.
| Dummy | ||
| A 3 2 | ||
| West | # | East |
| K J 9 7 4 | Q 10 8 | |
| Declarer | ||
| 6 5 |
When the 7 is led against a no-trump contract, if the ace is played on the first or second round of this suit, then both defenders are in a position to attack this suit when either of them gains the lead. Declarer will then inevitably lose four tricks.
Consider the scenario if the ace is not played until the third round of the suit. Then East has no more cards left in this suit and so may be regarded as a 'safe' hand, into which a finesse may be taken, or to which a trick may be lost for whatever reason.
If West has entries outside this suit then of course, the play is wasted but often one key card must be knocked out for a contract to be made, and if this lies with East, declarer is home.
| Dummy | ||
| 9 2 | ||
| West | # | East |
| Q J 7 5 3 | A 8 4 | |
| Declarer | ||
| K 10 6 |
When the five of hearts is led against a 3NT contract, East takes with the ace and returns the suit. If declarer takes the king on this second trick, then East still has a card to attack this suit when she gets in, and declarer will lose five tricks in all. Holding the ace to the third round ensures that East is safe, and unless West has another entry in her own hand, she will take no more tricks in this suit.
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Superstitious
lady (who has been persuaded to make a fourth at bridge)
"No wonder I'm so unlucky. I've got thirteen cards again."
Image by courtesy of 'The Chelwood Gallery' (Tel 01242 251 412)