The Schnapsen Log

Rote Behavior (solution)

Martin Tompa

What is the first thing you should consider when on lead at the last trick before the stock is exhausted? Right, you should consider closing the stock. Let’s do that.

Your master trump ♥T is a sure trick and will add at least 13 trick points for a total of 54. If you can arrange to take a trick with ♣T, that will give you enough trick points. This seems simple enough: if Katharina holds ♣Q, which is likely, you just have to capture it with your ♣T.

Did you think through the order in which you will play your cards with the stock closed? If not, give it some thought before you read on. You can assume that Katharina is holding ♣Q, because if that card is still in the stock the only trick you are going to take is ♥T.

If you are like me, you habitually start out in positions such as this by pulling trump. It’s a good habit, because it prevents your opponent from rudely trumping your winners. But in today’s deal, is it the right thing to do?

Think what will happen if you lead ♥T and the last trump ♥Q happens to still be in the stock. In that case, here is the position:

Katharina: (12 points)
♠ K
♥ —
♣ AQ
♦ AK

You: (41 points)
♠ —
♥ T
♣ TK
♦ QJ

On your lead of ♥T, Katharina will happily jettison her loser ♣Q! That will be the last trick you take.

In the diagrammed position, you were lucky enough to find Katharina with ♣Q in her hand, and you don’t want to throw that good fortune away. So keep your habitual behavior in check and begin instead by leading ♣K to knock out Katharina’s ♣A. This will be the position after she wins that trick:

Concealed cards:
♠ K
♥ Q
♣ Q
♦ AK

Your cards:
♠ —
♥ T
♣ T
♦ QJ

Trick points: Katharina 27, You 41

The worst damage Katharina can do is to cash two diamond winners, for a trick point total of 47. But after that you will win your two tens, assuming that she does hold ♣Q.

If you play your cards in this order, your expected gain is ⅚(+2) + ⅙(−2) = 4/3 game points. It is unlikely that you can do better than this with the stock open, because Katharina is likely to be able to cash both of her aces, limiting your gain to 1 game point at most.

© 2015 Martin Tompa. All rights reserved.

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