Guide to Good Play (Min 4)

[jchrist1]

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This is my first post and I make it because I'm sick of ****s play in zany.
Here's my guide sorted by cases:

Case 1:
Someone has just bid 4 heart and choose Ace spade as his p (who is you). On that match, you make the first move (You in South, Bidder In East).

What to do:
NEVER EVER show ur Ace spade at the very beginning (unless u want to give another cards that can win afterwards). Play another suits that u think can help the bidder to eat or make suit void ASAP.
Ex: You have 5 diamond cards, one of which is K. Put the most little diamond first.

The reason why u shouldn't show Ace spade at first move:
1. It's possible that the bidder have 1 and only spades that is K spade (he/she makes super try bid).
2. The faster u show u're p, the more benefit ur enemies had because they won't be eating each other anymore.
3. It wouldn't be an OPTIMUM game - the game that played nicely & efficient. Consider that the bidder need assist to take the winning. (Ex: You should consider that maybe bidder have Ace & Queen of other suits. Instead of showing Ace spade followed by another spade, u can play let say club, then if win, he/she will play spade that would be taken by you, then u play diamond afterwards.)

That's it for now... will be continued (Maybe).

PS: scscsc has post "A Guide to Min Bid 4". It's very helpful.

[tlautrec]

Firstly, why not show your ace spade?

1. If declarer had a singleton king, what are the odds that he/she would call Ace spade? Low, I'd say. If the declarer had common sense, he/she would know that spades is not the trump (in the case of your example) and the chances of the opening lead is ace spades/opening lead suit is spades is high. Therefore, he/she probably knows that the singleton king will be gone anyways. Also, if declarer had 2 short suits (most likely the case during a min4 game) it is more likely that he/she would call the partner to be in the less protected suit. Better have more protected suits than have all your honors congregated in 1 suit, in the case of short suits.

2. It is more likely for declarer to be eating his/her partner up usually. Firstly, you will be leading into declarer's hand. What if you played a lukewarm card (intending to finesse) and the finesse passed for both your opponents but the declarer does NOT know that you're the partner and kills the finesse by taking your J/Q with his or her Ace? Also, even with the partner revealed, the declarer partnership is still at an advantage compared to the defenders' partnership. Why? Because declarer made a bid, so his/her partner can more or less figure out his hand shape with simple counting. But the defenders do not know each other's cards, so even with the partnership revealed it is still easier for the contract to be made rather than be upsetted. Talk to me anytime if you wanna argue over this.

3.You should show Ace spade in the following circumstances:
a. Ax, Always place Ace then small.
b. AK, cash both winners before it's too late.
c. Axxxxx (5 or more of the suit) For an early ruff, so declarer can draw trumps asap.

Side note: for the case of switching suits, there are so many factors that need to be considered that I won't even bother posting here. But just note that switching suits usually serve signalling purposes, like 'I don't want to continue in this suit because I have no more honors' or 'I have a shortage' or 'I want to finesse something else first'

Secondly, underleading K from Kxxxx is a sin. Try to avoid it. Try not to UNDERLEAD AN UNPROTECTED KING. However, like I said earlier, if you REALLY want to try for a finesse in the first trick, you can play Jack from KJxxx or 10 from KJ10xx or something like that. That will definitely be an ambivalent move for both your partner and defenders.

TS, I have nothing against you, just that ... =X you make it sound so absolute that it really makes my hands itchy if I don't say this. ^^ Hope to play with you someday.

PS: sorry for wall of text.

[Kiwi8]

Yup. In the threadstarter's case 1, if the partner is sitting to the left of the bidder, it is almost always good to lead the card (if it's a non-trump card) that the bidder had called, cos the bidder most likely is going void very soon in that suit. And if u also had the King of the non-trump card, then the bidder can then dump his loser non-trump cards.