Thursday, March 16, 2006 2:08 AM
Hand
Evaluation – Visualization ( Card Combinations )
PITBULLS:
Playing with an experienced player tonight who does not “think in
patterns”
. I found out what a horrible handicap that
is to your game of Bridge. How you play certain suit combinations for
maximum tricks is based on the application of patterns. She was in 3NT
with 10xxxx opposite AJx . How do you play this combination for the maximum number
of tricks ? You count the number of cards in the suit
on the board with the number in your hand & apply a
pattern. In this case the pattern is 5-3-3-2 . You now place cards
within the pattern. If there is a doubleton Qx or Kx to your right , you get 4
tricks in the suit. You play small & insert the jack. That loses so when
you play the Ace the honour drops ,
you take your 4 tricks. With no spots in the suit ,
our declarer led the 10 which got covered by
There are entire books on card combinations which you can study &
memorize. However, if you have patterns memorized instead, you can work out the best way to play various suit
combinations at the table. If you do not have patterns memorized , the
likelihood that you will mess up the handling of the suits increases.
Suit establishment or just realizing whether your tricks are good
, require patterns. The
habit of counting the number of cards in a suit on the dummy &
plugging them into a pattern with those in your hand is an
essential Bridge skill. Visualization in Bridge is defined as applying hand patterns. You “think in patterns”.
Applying
patterns help you with card combinations on defense also. Whether
you cover an honour with an honour
is total done via applying a pattern. You apply the hand pattern first & well
in advance
, to determine whether covering an honour
with an honour makes sense. Here is an example where
Tom Gandolfo applies a pattern to determine whether he should cover an honour. The opponent was in 3♥ with a diamond
holding of ♦109x & Tom held ♦J7xx . The
declarer ( a good player ) leads the ♦10 so do you cover ?
Of course not , as you would cover the 2nd
time if the pattern dictates it’s the right play. Anyway ,
Tom did not cover so I won the ♦Q & exited another suit. Declarer now led
the ♦9 so
now do you cover ? Apply patterns as usual to give you
the answer. If declarer has the ♦AK8x he is misplaying the suit
combination. He should have played his ♦AK playing for a doubleton honour
( 4-2 break with split honours
) . Since he did not do that , he does not hold the ♦AK ! Tom does not
cover, so I win my now stiff ♦K . 3♥ goes down one for a
top our way.
Club
players know virtually nothing about card combinations & the safety plays
that evolve from them. In a Thursday nite game the entire
field ( except one who played a pseudo safety
play as he proudly announced at the table ) went down in 6♠ with ♠A98xx opposite ♠KJx . The correct line of play is
found by visualizing a spade pattern where there will be two trump losers. ♠Q10xx onside or offside. The correct line is cash the
♠K , return to the board and lead a spade. If
they follow , you are home as your jack will win the
trick when LHO is showing out. If RHO shows out , simply
play the jack again & you can finesse the 10 later. Our hero won 17 IMPs
for cashing the ♠K and leading a spade inserting the 9 which won as RHO
showed out. He announced he made a safety play but it was actually
a silly play instead , as Q10xx to his right always beats him !!
Try these card combinations with patterns
to assist you .
A K 10 3 2 opp. Q
4
with a 5-2 fit the
probable pattern is 5-4-2-2 but the heart jack can be doubleton or tripleton . The correct way to play the suit is just play
your top honours
A K 4 3 2 opp. Q 10
Probable pattern is 5-4-2-2 so finessing the jack is correct . Losing to a
doubleton jack does not hurt you as there are still 4 to the 9 which would have
taken a trick anyway.
A Q 6 5 4 opp. J
3
Pattern 5-4-2-2 so leading towards your jack
provides for a doubleton king to your right
A K 10 9 8 opp. 7 6
Pattern is 5-4-2-2 so QJxx
to your left . Finesse twice wins on all 4-2 breaks to
the left with an honour in the 4 card side.
A 10 9 8 7 opp. K 6
Pattern is 5-4-2-2 but this time with the
nice spots play top honours as any doubleton honour gets you 4 tricks
Q 10 9 8 7 opp.
A 6 5 Pattern is 5-3-3-2 so double
finesse is correct . Wins with honour 3rd or doubleton to your right so prevents
guessing.
Q 10 9 8
7 opp. A 6 5 4 Pattern is 5-4-3-1 so cashing Ace prevents a guess the 2nd
time as an honour will pop.