Inference I – Answers Q974 Contract: K4 4 1. Q86 KT65 West’s Lead: 2. East wins 2 Heart tricks, than plays and ♠A ♠2, 83 collecting defender’s trumps for you. Your thinking at this point: 52 A2 ? AQ see: West started with 5 Diamonds so East had 1. East “Let’s 7 ? responded in a 4-card Heart suit and West raised with 3 (We have 6 83 Hearts, so they’re 4-3). They have 8 spades but neither of them bid KJT65 or opened them, so they must be 4 4. 83 – A AJ942 HCP don’t matter, as either one have the Solution? ♣Q. And the answer is . . More Counting! have 9 Clubs; they have 4. They have played 3 of them at this “I point. But, if East has the Q, she had 3 of their 4 Clubs, leaving West with a singleton. With a singleton to lead to your opening partner, would you lead it if you were West? Probably. Did she? No, she led a Heart, so you should not take the Finesse; instead play for the drop; not because of some dumb slogan, but because the logic of this particular hand tells you that it is probably the right play. Good Luck! K43 Contract: 2. 964 3♣ QT65 KT4 counted all the suits, mostly by inference about what they “I’ve 7 didn’t bid, so I have a complete picture of East’s shape: 4=4=1=4. 3 5 So . . . West has only 1 Club and therefore the finesse goes thru East. AKJ 3 I’ll lead to the K and the Ten back thru East’s 4 Club cards for a sure 2 3 winning finesse*.” Brilliant ! A7 A82 743 AJ965 Inference II Problems – 3. AT753 Contract: Q852 4 Hearts
Inference – I Answers 1. 83 52 ? 7 Q974 K4 Q86 KT65 KJT65 83 A AJ942 Contract: 4 A2 AQ ? 83 West’s Lead: 2. East wins 2 Heart tricks, than plays ♠A and ♠2, collecting defender’s trumps for you. Your thinking at this point: “Let’s see: West started with 5 Diamonds so East had 1. East responded in a 4-card Heart suit and West raised with 3 (We have 6 Hearts, so they’re 4-3). They have 8 spades but neither of them bid or opened them, so they must be 4 – 4. HCP don’t matter, as either one have the ♣Q. Solution? And the answer is . . More Counting! “I have 9 Clubs; they have 4. They have played 3 of them at this point. But, if East has the Q, she had 3 of their 4 Clubs, leaving West with a singleton. With a singleton to lead to your opening partner, would you lead it if you were West? Probably. Did she? No, she led a Heart, so you should not take the Finesse; instead play for the drop; not because of some dumb slogan, but because the logic of this particular hand tells you that it is probably the right play. Good Luck! 2. K43 964 QT65 KT4 Contract: 3♣ “I’ve counted all the suits, mostly by inference about what they didn’t bid, so I have a complete picture of East’s shape: 4=4=1=4. So . . . West has only 1 Club and therefore the finesse goes thru East. I’ll lead to the K and the Ten back thru East’s 4 Club cards for a sure winning finesse*.” Brilliant ! 3 AKJ 2 7 5 3 3 A7 A82 743 AJ965 Inference – II Problems 3. AT753 Q852 Contract: 4 Hearts
DeclarerTechniques%20Final%20I.docx