The Middle Way

 

            One of the first techniques a beginner learns, as declarer, is how to take simple finesses.  By the time one has learnt about more complex finesses such as double, triple, reverse, and compound, it should have dawned that defenders are able to finesse too.  To be successful in defence, however, which card to lead is much more of a problem.  It is not always what one may have been taught as a standard lead, as perhaps displayed on one’s convention card.  Such lead tables apply primarily to the opening lead of a contract.

            Most novice defenders will nevertheless lead “correctly” in this situation:

 

                                                                        10 4 3

                                                Q J 9

 

You are South defending against 3NT.  At some point in mid-play you decide to lead from the above combination, seeing dummy on your right.  The Q is led, and if covered by K & A, partner returns the suit to your tenace over the 10.  Of course with that particular holding a good declarer will not play the K, and you will have to switch to another suit.  Even if declarer holds both A & K, however, no trick has been lost.

 

Middle for Diddle

 

Consider the following situations though:

 

A                                                                     10 7 3

K J 9 (or A J 9)

 

B                                                                      J 9 6

                                                A Q 10

 

C                                                                     9 5 3

                                                Q 10 8 (or K 10 8)

 

Against a 3NT contract it is likely that declarer has a stop, or a potential stop, in each case.  Your problem is how to minimise its effectiveness.  The answer in each case is to lead your middle card!  This will retain a tenace over dummy whatever declarer and partner hold, without sacrificing a trick if declarer holds all the missing honours.  Declarer could likely hold

in case A:   Q x x;

in case B:   K x x; and

in case C:   A J x.

 

            Let us now return to the “simple” example I first addressed:

 

                                                                        10 4 3

                                                Q J 9

I observed that after leading the Q declarer with K x x may hold off.  What will declarer do, however, if you lead the J?  You could be leading from J 9 x with North holding A Q x.  In which case it would be correct for declarer to cover, setting up a trick for the 10.  If one makes a declarer guess sufficiently often, sooner or later a guess will be wrong and you will profit.

Opportunities for taking the “middle way” are well worth studying, whether or not it is regarded as politically correct.

                                                                                                copyyright © David N King 2003