May dummy exchange hands with declarer before the opening lead has been made?
You are South, in three no-trump. After West leads the spade queen, what would be your plan?
Duplicate players today open two no-trump with 20 or 21 points. (The total includes high-card points and, if applicable, one point for a decent five-card suit.) I believe that this is theoretically incorrect. A two-no-trump opening bid ought to show 21 or 22 points, with a good 20 counting as 21. (If you have a poor 20 — perhaps your hand contains two honors doubleton — downgrade and call it 19.) There is a longer explanation of my thinking at www.phillipalderbridge.com.
When in no-trump, always start by counting your top tricks, your immediate winners. Here, you have seven: two spades, two hearts, one diamond and two clubs. You will get one extra trick from clubs if the missing cards split 3-2, but you will still need to make something of dummy's diamond suit.
You should not take the diamond finesse, because the suit will be blocked, whether the finesse wins or loses. The winning line is to play second hand low and to take the opening spade lead in your hand with the king. Then you continue with the ace and another diamond. Since the spade ace is still on the board, the defenders cannot stop you from getting three diamond tricks and nine in all.
In duplicate tournaments, the dummy and declarer may not exchange hands before the opening lead is made. But in Chicago or rubber bridge, it is permitted — although then the dummy loses his rights. For example, he may no longer ask his partner if he has reneged (revoked).
You are South, in three no-trump. After West leads the spade queen, what would be your plan?
Duplicate players today open two no-trump with 20 or 21 points. (The total includes high-card points and, if applicable, one point for a decent five-card suit.) I believe that this is theoretically incorrect. A two-no-trump opening bid ought to show 21 or 22 points, with a good 20 counting as 21. (If you have a poor 20 — perhaps your hand contains two honors doubleton — downgrade and call it 19.) There is a longer explanation of my thinking at www.phillipalderbridge.com.
When in no-trump, always start by counting your top tricks, your immediate winners. Here, you have seven: two spades, two hearts, one diamond and two clubs. You will get one extra trick from clubs if the missing cards split 3-2, but you will still need to make something of dummy's diamond suit.
You should not take the diamond finesse, because the suit will be blocked, whether the finesse wins or loses. The winning line is to play second hand low and to take the opening spade lead in your hand with the king. Then you continue with the ace and another diamond. Since the spade ace is still on the board, the defenders cannot stop you from getting three diamond tricks and nine in all.
In duplicate tournaments, the dummy and declarer may not exchange hands before the opening lead is made. But in Chicago or rubber bridge, it is permitted — although then the dummy loses his rights. For example, he may no longer ask his partner if he has reneged (revoked).