Monday, May 29, 2006 12:31 AM

Patterns - Penalty Doubles

PITBULLS:

As stated many many times in my articles , experts use patterns as their basis of thinking on defense. They play a game within a game “ to try and “see” the opponents hand via patterns taking clues from the bidding , showing out of a suit , opening leads & signaling. Having a mental picture of declarers hand then guides you thru the defense like holding & reading a blueprint . This is an acquired skill through practice and after memorizing the common patterns.

If you have not mastered patterns yet , do yourself a favour and at least apply them with the opponents trump suit. This guides you to the “tapping defense” . You have Axxx of trump and they are in 4 of that suit after having opened a weak 2. The board has two trump and you lead an off suit which declarer ruffs. Declarer leads the King of her trump suit and you make her ruff again . So what has happened ? The trump were originally

6-4-2-1 so you have switched the contract to no trump as she is now down to the same tramp length as you are .

Very easy when you are looking at length in your own hand . What if you have a stiff in their suit and you suspect partner has 4 of them or partner doubles to tell you that she has 4 of them ? You still have an obligation to apply patterns in the trump suit on partners behalf . This was demonstrated nicely today in an IMPS match. Chris Buchanan held QJ9xxx Qxx x xxx and everybody was vul . My partner opened 1♦ and Nancy Cook overcalled 1NT and I bid 3♦. Chris forced to game with 3♠ and Nancy bid 3NT which I doubled. Chris bid 4♠ and I doubled. My partner led a diamond and the board hit with Kx Kxx Axx KQ10xx . Chris won the Ace and led the spade king. I won the Ace and returned a diamond which Chris ruffed. You now know that Chris was 6-1-?-? so Chris now leads a club to the board and you duck your club Ace. Partner shows 2 clubs so the pattern is now complete. 6-3-3-1. Chris leads a heart to his queen and your Ace . You now make him ruff again so he is now down to partners length. He can not draw trump by hooking the spade ten and knock out the club Ace as you have switched the contract to 4NT. Down –200 or –500 depending on how he plays the hand. Not applying patterns in the opponents trump suit in a doubled contract results in –790 and a 24 IMP swing and the match.

Patterns are Bridge . Bridge is patterns.