דף 1 מתוך 31
LIGHT OPENINGS
This month, we are introducing a new section we are calling “Light
Openings.” This will be an article each month on bridge topics for the
newer players, or for those who simply want a refresher on some less
cerebral things about our game. This month, we discuss a Declarer play
issue – how and when to pull trumps with pips.
When you are Declaring a contract with a trump suit, you may
sometimes wonder whether you should or should not pull trumps.
Everyone says, “Pull Trumps!!!” But, is that always right?
Consider two situations.
♠ K 8 3 2
♥ A K 2
♦ 7
♣ A 9 8 5 3
♠ A 6 5 4
♥ Q 4 3
♦ 10 9 8 4 3
♣ 7
Now what, though, when the opponents lead two diamonds from the
start, you winning the second? Well, let’s play this out after you ruff
the second diamond and then pull trumps with the Ace and King of
trumps.
On this deal, North (partner)
opens 1♣ and you bid 1♠. Your
Partner gets excited and invites
game with 3♠. You dislike your
stiff club, but with distribution
you are close to enough. Heck –
you usually bid too little anyway,
so let’s bid game! Not down yet.
דף 2 מתוך 31
What you will now have is this:
♠ 8
♥ A K 2
♦ --
♣ A 9 8 5 3
♠ 6 5
♥ Q 4 3
♦ 10 9 8
♣ 7
If the person with the spade Queen follows suit helplessly, you make
your contract. Even if he ruffs in at some point, at least you did no
worse. Had you played another spade, however, you would have lost
TWO RUFFS to get that Queen out, meaning two fewer tricks, and you
might not have needed to pull it anyway!
Consider a slightly different situation.
♠ 10 8 3 2
♥ A K 2
♦ 7
♣ A 9 8 5 3
♠ A 6 5 4
♥ 8 4 3
♦ 10 9 8
♣ K Q 7
Win a diamond continuation (ruffing) and NOW play the spade Ace.
With one trump out, start running clubs. As you and the opponents will
Now, the opponents only have 1
trump out, and it is high. Leave
that out! You hope to win all 3
hearts and the club Ace. If the
person with the spade Queen
can’t ruff in, you ruff a club,
ruff a diamond, and ruff a club,
for the 3 remaining tricks you
needed for the making game!
On this deal, you end up in 2♠
when partner just raises spades
and you pass. The defense starts
out the same way, and you ruff
the next diamond. Now, though,
you may want to play a small
spade, losing but keeping control
and keeping a trump in Dummy.
דף 3 מתוך 31
have only one trump each, and as theirs is higher, and as they have
diamonds to cash, cash your clubs first, keeping that trump. If they
ruff in on your clubs, you will ruff in on their diamonds. He who laughs
last laughs loudest!
What you are trying to avoid by pulling trumps early is losing TWO
RUFFS by the opponents! What you never want to do, however, is to
use TWO POTENTIAL RUFFS for yourself to pull ONE RUFF away
from the opponents, if you see that you need these two potential ruffs.
Had you just played the trump ace at trick three and then started
cashing winners, the opponents would likely be able to ruff with their
King, Queen, AND Jack, for THREE TRICKS instead of only TWO
TRICKS. They end up ruffing your club and/or heart winners. That is
really bad!
Kill two birds with one stone; Kill two birds with two stones; But don’t
kill one bird with two stones!
