Lesson 5
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Illustration Deal
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Communication - blockage

Contract: 3 No Trumps
Lead: Queen of Diamonds

A 9 6
Q J 5 3
9 8 3
7 6 3
K J 4 2
N
W
E
S
Q 7
10 9 6 8 7 4 2
A Q J 10 5 7
10 5 2 J 9 8 4
10 8 5 3
A K
K 6 4 2
A K Q

The bidding

South: "I open"; North: "I have 7 points" : total = 26; therefore 3NT and lead Queen of Diamonds. Let West lead what he thinks but make him lead a high Diamond. After the del you will explain that one can lead "the head of a sequence" even if one has an honour above the sequence. You will write other examples of broken heads of sequence on the board, each time indicating the card to be led:

K J 10 9 3 A J 10 9 3 Q 10 9 8 4
K 10 9 8 3

But of course: Q J 10 9. You lead the highest even if there is a four-card sequence!

Before letting them play, make them count their certain tricks. They will have no problem telling you that there are nine. Let them play and ….. gently mock those who only make seven tricks.(advice 5.1)

Get them to say where were the tricks which they did not make and, more difficultly, why they didn't make them. Then give the definition of blockage: not being able to make master tricks because of lack of communication with the hand that they are in. Then give the remedy;

When a suit has in one hand one or more "isolated" honours you must unblock them - in other words, play them first before making the master tricks in the hand opposite

Get them to re-play the deal and announce "timing" (advice 5.2): get the lead, unblock the Ace and King of Hearts before going into dummy in Spades to play the Queen and Jack of Hearts and finish in hand in Clubs.

Then ask the defence if they could stop this "coming and going" by the declarer between his hand and dummy. Congratulate those who discover that their only chance was to lead the Queen of Spades at the start which "demolishes" the only entry into dummy. Underline, however, the unfindable character of this lead and take the opportunity to say that a contract is often made or lost because our opponents cannot see the four hands... (advice 5.3)