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More Declarer Play The Bergen Way

 
 
   
 

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Bergenisms - Index to More Declarer Play the Bergen Way


Chapter 2: Two For the Price of One ................................ 23


© 2006 - Marty Bergen

 

Chapter 3

Suit Combinations For Fun & Profit

© 2006 - Marty Bergen


Page 35
Suit Combinations For Fun & Profit

The Hookers Know Best

North (dummy)
Q J 8 4

South
A 10 7 6 5 3

Assuming no other considerations, the question is: with 10 cards missing the king, should declarer finesse or play for the drop?

Many players think that it is correct to play for the drop here, but that is not correct. The right answer is:

With 10 cards missing the king, the percentage play is to finesse rather than play for the drop.

Because understanding is always preferable to simple memorization, let’s try to learn why the finesse is the percentage play.

Explaining the logic for some suit combinations is difficult to do with actual cards, let alone a few pages in a book. However, because E-W have only three cards in the suit, I believe that an easy-to-understand presentation can be achieved. I also hope that once you’re exposed to the correct thought process, it will enable you to also understand the logic of other suit combinations.

© 2006 - Marty Bergen


Page 36
Suit Combinations For Fun & Profit

{N-S cards repeated for convenience}

North (dummy)
Q J 8 4

West                    East

South
A 10 7 6 5 3

The opponents’ three cards are the king, nine, and two.  First, let’s define a couple of useful terms. I refer to the group who believe that playing for the drop is correct as “the droppers.” I used to refer to players who prefer the finesse as “the finessers.” However, because “hook” is a colloquial bridge synonym for “finesse,” I prefer to call this group “the hookers”  (which is also easier to spell).

The first order of business is to identify (and dismiss) the E-W holdings where declarer’s technique does not make any difference.

If East started with the singleton king, both the hookers and the droppers will be happy campers.

On the other hand, if West started with K 2, K 9 or K 9 2, declarer will always lose a trick in the suit.

© 2006 - Marty Bergen


Page 37
Suit Combinations For Fun & Profit

 

So much for the irrelevant cases. We are now ready to deal with the E-W holdings where declarer’s technique does make a difference (relevant cases).

Let’s first deal with the droppers. They are going to cash their ace and hope that the king falls. When will they succeed while the hookers fail? Only in the following layout:

West                     East

  K                         9 2

Therefore, there is only one case for the droppers. How about the hookers? They will take the finesse.

When will they succeed while the droppers fail?

West                    East

case 1:                                        9                        K 2

case 2:                                        2                        K 9

case 3:                                      void                      K 9 2

That’s three for the hookers. Case closed.

Important Note: The technique of eliminating the irrelevant layouts and concentrating only on the relevant ones has many bridge applications for bidding and defense as well as declarer play.

© 2006 - Marty Bergen


Chapter 4: Life in Notrump .............................................. 47


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