Losing tricks to establish skaters

Example 1

Dummy
♥ 5 4 3
West
♥ Q 8 7		East
♥ J T 9
You
♥ A K 6 2

This example is similar to the first example from the “Cash Winners” page, but with one key difference: the ♥Q is now in the opponents’ hands.

As a result, you no longer have enough high cards to win three rounds of hearts and still retain the lead to cash your ♥2 as a winner.

You can play three rounds of hearts, establishing your ♥2 as a winner, but you’ll lose the lead on the third round. If you can regain the lead, you’ll then be able to cash the ♥2.

It’s usually best to establish extra winners early before cashing your high cards in other suits, as those high cards can help you regain the lead later.

Example 2

Dummy
♠ K 7 2
You
♠ A 4

How many spades do they have?

You have 5, so they must have 8.


If your finesse loses, might you still have skaters in this suit?

Yes, if their 5 cards are split 3-2, your last two clubs will become winners, regardless of who takes the first three rounds of the suit.

After losing the finesse, you’ll need to regain the lead to take advantage of your established winners.

You will have extra winners as long as their cards split 3-2. However, you’ll need to regain the lead to take advantage of those established winners.

Assume you recapture the lead in the South hand after your finesse loses. Can you cash your skaters now?

Oops… You forgot to count their cards. They have 5 clubs, so a favorable split is 3 and 2. But you’ve only led clubs twice – once leading to the ♣K, and then losing the finesse. You have to lead your ♣A now to remove their last club before you can lead one of your skaters.

Correct. I hope you saw how I was trying to trick you.

You will indeed have two skaters to cash, but you have to lead your ♣A first. Even with a favorable 3-2 split they still have a club left. Cash the ♣A to remove their last club. Then you can cash your two skaters.

Example 3

Dummy
♦ T 7 5 3
You
♦ 9 8 6 4 2 

You have no masters in this suit. Nevertheless, you may have three winners – skaters.

If all goes well, how many times will you have to lead diamonds to establish your skaters?

One? No… You’re going to be disappointed when you try to cash a skater and it loses.

Your opponents have 4 diamonds. If they split 2 and 2, it will take two leads to run them out of diamonds. After that, you have three skaters.

Yes, two. If the diamonds split 2 and 2, two leads will make them play all their diamonds. After that, you’ll have three skaters.

It may well take three leads, if their four diamonds split 3 and 1. But that could hardly be described as “if all goes well”.

A 2-2 split is better, and would require only two leads to establish three skaters.

What a pessimist you are! It will take four leads to establish one skater only if their four cards split 4-0.

An optimist would hope for a 2-2 split, requiring only two leads to establish three skaters.

How many times will you lose the lead while you are establishing your skaters?

Two will be the right answer only if the diamonds split 2 and 2. You don’t usually know how a suit will split until after you’ve led it repeatedly.

Three will be the right answer only if the diamonds split 3 and 1. You don’t usually know how a suit will split until after you’ve led it repeatedly.

Surprisingly, “I don’t know” is the correct answer. If the suit splits 2-2, you’ll lose the lead twice. If it splits 3-1, you’ll lose the lead three times. And if it turns out to be 4-0, you’ll lose the lead four times.

When you begin leading diamonds, you typically won’t know how the cards are distributed, so you won’t know how many leads it will take to establish extra winners.

Surprisingly, “I don’t know” is the correct answer. If the suit splits 2-2, you’ll lose the lead twice. If it splits 3-1, you’ll lose the lead three times. And if it’s 4-0, you’ll lose the lead four times.

When you begin leading diamonds, you generally won’t know how the cards are distributed, so you can’t determine how many leads it will take to establish your extra winners.

Example 4

Dummy
♠ K T 8 4
♥ Q
♦ Q T 6 5 4 
♣ A 3 2
You
♠ Q J 2
♥ A K J 6
♦ J 2
♣ 8 7 5 4

In which suits might you be able to develop skaters?

…clubs? 

They have 6 clubs. If clubs split 3 and 3, you will have one skater. You will lose the lead twice to establish one skater.

Count your clubs – 7. So they have 6. Six cards might divide 3 and 3, so your fourth round might be a skater.


…diamonds?

They have 6 diamonds. If they split 3 and 3, you will have two skaters in the dummy. You will lose the lead twice to establish your two skaters. Play the honor from the short hand first.

Remember to cash your third round master to draw their last diamond before leading your skaters.

Count your diamonds – 7. So they have 6. Six cards might divide 3 and 3, so your fourth and fifth rounds might both be skaters. Even with a 4-2 split you will have a skater.


…hearts?

Sorry, you missed this one. It doesn’t matter how their hearts split. You will have no skaters because you can win all four rounds of hearts with master cards.

Unblock the ♥Q first.

Correct. No skaters. You will win all four rounds of hearts with master cards.

Unblock the ♥Q first.


…spades?

No skaters this time. It doesn’t matter how their cards split.

Drive out the ♠A and you will have three masters. Play the honors from the short hand first.

No skaters this time. It doesn’t matter how their cards split.

Drive out the ♠A and you will have three masters. Play the honors from the short hand first.

Playing contracts with skaters

Example 5

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

You are playing a 1NT contract, so you need seven tricks to fulfill your contract.

The opening lead is a low club, and your ♣K wins the first trick. How many additional tricks can you win using your high cards?

Five. The ♦A and four hearts.


Can you establish any tricks by driving out their master cards to promote your lesser honors?

I’m glad you saw how to do this.

You have the ♠K and the ♠Q. You can use one of them to drive out the ♠A, establishing your remaining honor as the new master.

Yes, you can.

You have the ♠K and the ♠Q. You can use one of them to drive out the ♠A, establishing your remaining honor as the new master.

Do you have any losing honors you can lead toward, making a trick when their critical card is on sides?

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

Yes, you can lead toward the ♦Q, making an extra diamond trick when the ♦K is on sides.

There’s also a hard-to-see option. You can lead low toward your ♦AT, and finesse the ♦T. If the ♦J is on sides, this finesse will lose to the king, promoting your ♦Q to master status.

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

Actually, there are two options for leading toward losing honors. Look again and see if you can find at least one of them.


Will you have any skaters if their cards split favorably?

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

Yes, in the diamond suit. If their 5 cards split 3 and 2, you will have two skaters.

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

There most definitely are potential skaters on this deal.

For each suit, start by counting your cards and figuring out how their cards might split.

You have potential skaters if you would still have spot cards left after they have played all their cards in a suit. The best candidates for skaters are your longest suits.


Only one of these options guarantees that you can take seven tricks and make your contract. Which one?

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

You cannot take seven tricks if they take seven before you. There would then only be six tricks left for you.

If your luck is very bad on this deal, the clubs will split 6-1 and your opponents will be poised to take five club tricks plus the ace of spades. If you give them a diamond trick as well, you will go set.

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

Drive out the ♠A and you will have six masters to go with the club trick you already won.

They cannot defeat you when they get the lead with the ♠A because they don’t have enough clubs left to take seven tricks.

Example 5 (repeated)

Dummy
♠ K 8 6
♥ K 8 6
♦ Q 7 6 5 4 
♣ 5 2
You
♠ Q 2
♥ A Q J 5
♦ A T 2
♣ K 8 7 4

This is the same hand as in Example 5, but now your contract is 3NT, meaning you need nine tricks. The opening lead is the ♣2.

After reviewing your options, you determine that you need to generate tricks from the diamond suit. If the diamonds split 3-2 and the ♦K is favorably positioned, how many diamond tricks can you take?

No, not 3.

You will win tricks with your ♦A, your ♦Q, and with two skaters. You will lose one diamond trick to the ♦K.

Yes, four diamond tricks.

You will win tricks with your ♦A, your ♦Q, and with two skaters. You will lose one diamond trick to the ♦K.

No, not 5.

You will win tricks with your ♦A, your ♦Q, and with two skaters. You will lose one diamond trick to the ♦K.


Your diamond skaters, your heart masters, and your club trick on the opening lead, add up to the nine tricks you need for your contract. Can the defenders do anything to defeat you?

Unfortunately, yes they can.

They can cash 5 tricks (leaving only 8 for you) before you can recapture the lead. You will lose the ♦K, the ♠A, and at least 3 clubs.

Unfortunately, yes they can.

They can cash 5 tricks (leaving only 8 for you) before you can recapture the lead. You will lose the ♦K, the ♠A, and at least 3 clubs.

Your left-hand opponent (LHO) wins the second trick with their ♦K, cashes three clubs, and then pauses to think. If they had the ♠A, there would be no hesitation—they would simply cash the setting trick.

If they lead a heart or a diamond, you’ll be able to cash your nine tricks and fulfill your contract.

It’s worth noting that the correct play at trick two was to establish a spade winner when playing in 1NT, but to establish additional diamond tricks when playing in 3NT.

Review

Sometimes you have to lose tricks intentionally to establish skaters.

Count how many times you will lose the lead while establishing skaters.

Preserve winners in other suits for recapturing the lead.

Go to the next topic:

Trumping

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