Odd and ends on developing dummy's side suit

Larry Hammick
larry@hammick.com
2000.06.17

Contents
;Establishing 4-card length by ruffing
;A trap when needing a ruff with dummy's last trump

;Establishing 4-card length by ruffing
In exceptional circumstances a weak 4-4 or 4-3 side suit can provide a
long-card trick without losing the lead. Declarer needs two or three
discards and several trump entries, all in the same hand.
      KQJ
      AKQ
      xxxx
      xxx

      ATxxx
      --
      AQxx
      Kxxx
West opened 1H and leads HJ against 4S. Since CK and DQ are doubtful
assets, declarer makes an unusual effort for a long-card trick in
diamonds: He pitches three diamonds on hearts, takes DA, and tries to
establish dummy's fourth diamond by ruffing.

When the suit is a little stronger, you can hope to ruff down a king
or ace.
      KQJ
      Qxxx
      AKQ
      xxx

      ATxxxx
      Axx
      x
      Axx
Against 6S West leads a club. Declarer wins, cashes HA, throws two
hearts on diamonds, and then ruffs two hearts in hand, using trumps
for entries. A twelfth trick materializes not only if hearts are 3-3
but if the K is doubleton.

;A trap when needing a ruff with dummy's last trump
      JTxx
      AKxx
      AKxxx
      --

      KQ98x
      xxx
      x
      Axxx
Against 6S a trump lead goes to East's ace and a trump comes back to
your 9, West shedding a club. You have nine on top and at most one
long diamond to come (perhaps by aid of a squeeze), so you need two
club ruffs. It seems normal to begin with DA and a diamond ruff,
saving the club ruffs as entries. But then club ruff, diamond ruff
(high), club ruff, and you are in the wrong hand: The long diamond is
good but there is a trump out, and you have no route to hand to pull
it. You should start with a club ruff at trick 3. Then, after two
diamond ruffs, you are in hand and can pull the last trump.