In the column hand, once Brian Senior ducked, I think I would simply lead another trump from hand. This appears to make any time trump are 3-2.

Hi Bobby,

BWTA raises an interesting point today. How often does the obsession with 8 card (especially 4-4) fits rebound on fairly balanced hands when NT is better? Today’s example was one obvious example; another might be SJxxx HQJx DAJx CK10x after a 15-17 NT opposite. Trotting out Stayman instead of just 3N (OK, pairs may be an exception) is a fair risk of going minus for no reason. There will be occasional exceptions, but I’d be interested in whether you think this modern trend has gone a little too far.

Regards,

Iain aka GOF (Grumpy Old F**t)

Hi Jim2,

Yes, yours is an instinctive play which became available after declarer received his fortuitous lead.

The obvious reason to fear is the what if trumps are 4-1 onside, and my long time experience, while certainly not proclaiming what is right or wrong, seems to create a mind set, out of not believing what apparently is right in front of one’s eyes, the AQ being onside and thus, often in the heat of battle, are afraid to take such a critical decision of immediately leading a small trump back from hand.

In addition, there are way too many teammates, rarely though have I ever played with them, at least once I had started improving, who might say later, why throw away an extra IMP for no really good reason.

Those types of remarks and almost anything else which could be interpreted as critical or demeaning should NEVER be said aloud and while being Captains of teams came down hard against those who did.

All the above is well worthy of so many (my guess all) of your comments since by discussion and thus sharing, if we were half as smart as we think we are, would be powerfully important of getting there from where ever we now think we are.

Suppose East DID begin with AQ105 of trump.

1) East now is a heavy favorite to have fewer clubs than West. Even if the clubs are 4-3 as in the column layout, East ruffs the fourth club with the 10S and declarer must lose a diamond and the two master trumps.

2) Declarer seems to need East not only to have four clubs, but also to have at least three diamonds. Otherwise, when West wins the second diamond later, East would be able to over-ruff the Board on the third diamond. Also, if East had four or more diamonds, then East would be 4-1-4-4 or 4-0-5-4 and would ruff a high heart with the 10S (when declarer strips the hearts before leading late from the Board).

Thus, the column declarer had a choice after winning the KS:

A) Play trump to be 3-2, or
B) Play East to have precisely same distribution as the South hand.

However, holding 1-6-3-3, how likely was West’s actual Club lead instead of a Heart?

Hi GONG (grumpy old nice guy),

The advantages of 4-4 fits (usually pertaining to majors for games and all suits for slams) instead of NT are now, have been, and are still:

1. A surplus trick because of an extra ruff (sometimes necessary, but not always to receive 3-2 breaks) in each hand making a total of 5 tricks instead of the only 4 when playing NT.

2. The hiding of the 4 card major from those worthy opponents by not using Stayman with either 4-3-3-3 or 3-4-3-3 so then naturally more percentage favorable leads for declarer.
(I do not recommend this advantage while playing against cheats). Only kidding, I think!

3. The additional strategical advantage for the NTer to not at least partially give away distributional features to those same wily opponents.

4. The small percentage advantage from completely mirrored declarer hands (exact distributions) including specific suits, facing each other).

Disadvantages of 4-4 fits:

1. Bad to horrible breaks in what then turns out to be the trump suit.

2. Sometimes better defense planned and followed through by those same talented opponents with once in a while a very effective trump lead wrecking havoc. (note: against KCBW when the queen of trumps is known to be with declarer’s side makes it much easier to lead a trump for the defense because of the less likelihood of losing a trump trick because of the opening lead, especially when the opening leader is holding either Jx or Jxx.

3. Although most sensationally played hands involve suit contracts (usually more complicated with many more options) occasionally that advantage switches to NT hands when throw-ins can be effective, but only by cashing out side suit sold tricks, before using the likely trump suit to be the throw in suit.

4. (not always known or thought about by everyone). The leads against NT are not suggested to never lead away from aces, but rather to try and establish which figures to be side tricks knowing the opponents will not be able to trump anything, therefore their opening lead is more likely to give away a trick than would be the recommended lead against a suit contract.

Now, as if my answer was not long enough, my conclusion is that, No, 4-4 fits are not overrated, but while holding any 4 triple 3 hand
I prefer keeping it in NT, once NT has been the opening bid by partner up through the game level, but before bidding a slam I think it wise to use 5NT, (not having bid first 4NT) to ask for 4 card suits up the line to play it in what I think will figure out to be the better percentage contract. Just in case anyone asks, that convention is known as Baron and was invented about when I was born, IOW (long ago).

Hi Bobby,

Many thanks for that but my wife will tell you I’m more GOF than GONG. It was still very kind of you!

Iain

Hi Jim2,

Your cogent argument, of course, in addition to making sense, helps make bridge the great mind game that it is.

So many options, therefore much to consider, some of which is technical play (percentage plays which, at least, theoretically work out the best), reasons for all the play up to then, and then the very telling psychological plays which often cause surprises in the result.

Brian Senior’s duck of the spade jack undoubtedly caused that assumed competent declarer to go set, by perhaps not engaging in Jim2’s suggestion to just lead another spade from hand, after his jack held the trick.

Will we ever know, or perhaps even care, whether Senior could foresee exactly what may happen when he performed his magic?

Likely no, but since similar (but in actuality, likely very different) opportunities often arise in both defense and declarer play, our game (especially the high-level variety) will continue to both entertain and therefore challenge all who take it on.

The skill represented by our consistent posters is, in fact, extraordinary, therefore a wonderful promotion for others to aspire and therein rise to what our game never fails to represent.