The Schnapsen Log

Make a Virtue of Necessity (solution)

Martin Tompa

You know that Peter’s trumps are ♦TJ opposite your ♦AQ, and hopefully you recognize this as a suit that neither of you wants to open up. In order to set up your ♦Q as a winner, your inclination is to force Peter to trump your ♥K, which would give you uncontested trump control.

But wait. Whenever Peter gains the lead, you cannot stop him from cashing his ♠A, adding 14 trick points to his current 46 for a total of 60, which is nearly enough. Any other trick would put him over the top. This means that it’s fatal for you to lead either diamonds or hearts. The only lead you can make that doesn’t concede the whole deal is the card that Peter’s destined to win anyway, ♠Q. This necessity becomes your virtue, because here is what it will look like when Peter wins his ♠A:

Peter: (60 points)
♠ —
♥ —
♣ TK
♦ TJ

You: (46 points)
♠ T
♥ K
♣ —
♦ AQ

Peter is on lead and thrown in. He cannot lead a trump, because that hands you two trump tricks and more than enough points. If he instead leads ♣K, you will collect your ♦Q anyway and cash ♦A for exactly 66 points.

These throw-ins are a marvelous source of extra trick points, and they present themselves more often than you probably realize. Make them your virtue.

© 2012 Martin Tompa. All rights reserved.

Comments