[ajm218]

Hi guys, am looking to collect classic suit combinations. Please add to my list

(Have assumed entries all over the place for these ones, say if yours need restrictions )

1. AQTxx opposite xxx for 4 tricks
2. AJxx opposite K9xx for 3 tricks
3. AKTxx opposite xxxx for 5 tricks (hand over the honour plays Q if you cash the Ace)
4. AJxx opposite K8xx for 3 tricks
5. AKTxx opposite Qx for 5 tricks
6. AKxxx opposite QT for 5 tricks
7. A9 opposite KTxx for 3 tricks
8. A9x opposite KJ8xx for 4 tricks
9. AJx opposite K98xx for 4 tricks
10. AKJx opposite xxx for 3 tricks
11. Q9xx opposite A8xx for 3 tricks
12. Q9xx opposite A8xx for 3 tricks (hand over queen know to have king)

Thanks in advance

[awm]

Here's an interesting one that Nunes seemingly misplayed in the Reisinger (although there may have been other issues):

9xx opposite AQ8xx at BAM scoring

This one is interesting both with unlimited entries, and with only one entry to the 9xx hand.

[Trumpace]

By juniors do you mean intermediate players or players whose age is no more than 25 (but can be advanced) ?

Anyway here are a few (mostly basic) ones:

1) AKJTx opp xxx for no losers.
2) AKJTxx opp xx for no losers.

3) AQTxx opp xxxx for no losers.
4) AQTxx opp xxxx for 1 loser.

5) Axxxx opp QJ9 for no losers. Say you lead the Q from hand and it gets covered by K. What next? (Must think about the skill of opps).

Some endplay situations:

Assume you have eliminated other suits and have entries in trumps.

0) AQT opp xxx for 2 winners
1) AQ9 opp xxx for 2 winners

2) ATxx opp Qxx for 2 winners
2.1) Suit is 4-2 and west has 4
2.2) Suit is 4-2 and east has 4.

[jillybean]

my current favorite...

K64 opposite QJ72

[kenrexford]

Two of my favorites from actual play (each handled successfully in practice), not so much for mathematics but for the psychology of the position.

First, Qxx on dummy opposite A10 tight [/I]in hand.[I]

Spoiler

Unless a stiff Jack to the left or a stiff King somewhere is reasonably possible, the "best" line may be to lead small toward A-10 twice, especially if you might have a stiff or can play other cards in such a way as to suggest a stiff. Two possibilities -- the 10 may hold if RHO ducks with KJ(x)(x), or, after inserting the Jack, he may duck the second time, playing you for the stiff Ace and a "sucker" play.

The "top" layout I have seen: 9xx in dummy and Q7xx in hand.

Spoiler

The normal line is to lead toward the Queen, hoping for A-K to the right. You try this, failing. However, RHO plays the Jack (or 10 for our purposes) in front of the Queen on this first trick. You still have a chance of taking one trick in the suit without losing more than one trick before this. You need LHO to jump in with his 10 or Jack and crash his honor under RHO's missing Ace or King. One chance of this is to (1) play the rest of the hand in such a way as to suggest that you must have the missing honor for your count and (2) if possible set up the setting trick in LHO's hand, such that greed induces a "quick grab" of his entry. Even better is if the 9 would be your needed ninth trick (in 3NT) or 10th trick in a major game, etc. Sort of an extended Grue coup.

Anyone can find sources for suit combinations and mathematics. What you rarely can find are suit combinations that lead to psychological possibilities.

One last honorable mention. Partner declared 3NT, with xx in dummy in a suit and 10xx in hand. Meaning to discourage the opponents from attacking this suit, he used the well-known gambit of attacking it himself. The interesting thing was that he won the first trick with the 10. RHO, with KJx(x), obviously ducked. LHO, more interestingly, ducked with AQ(x)(x), hoping to induce another "finesse" and a scoop of three tricks.

[FrancesHinden]

Here are a few of the better known ones that are frequently misplayed:

AKJ10xx opposite xx for 6 tricks
Q10932 opposite A4 for 4 tricks
Q10987 opposite A4 for 4 tricks

AQ32 opposite 107543 for 4 tricks

[DWM]

Do we have to remember all these AS WELL as a system?

[FrancesHinden]

DWM, on Dec 1 2006, 02:34 PM, said:

Do we have to remember all these AS WELL as a system?

Given the choice, remember these instead of the system....

Mind you, many can be worked out fairly fast at the table once you've got the hang of them.

[Trumpace]

DWM, on Dec 1 2006, 08:34 AM, said:

Do we have to remember all these AS WELL as a system?

I would suggest you study the suit combinations, concentrating on the why rather than the how. A slow process, but very useful.

Systemic agreements usually need to be remembered, even if you understand the why (and sometimes, there is no clear answer to why)

With suit combinations, once you carefully study a reasonable number of them you should be able to apply the knowledge to any other combination at the table.

Once you are confident with suit combinations as declarer, revisit them, this time from the point of view of defence.

[1eyedjack]

Every now and then I still resort (after the event!) to a little DOS utility called suitplay.exe

Does anyone know of an equivalent freebie utility designed for Windows OS?

[pigpenz]

kqxx opp x
leading low from kqxx to unknown x hand

[pclayton]

Another genre:

x opposite KJT9xxx

x opposite AJTxxx

void opposite AQT98xx

[fredfred]

I just bought a set of 150 or so flash cards called "The Standard Plays of Card Combinations" by Alan Truscott.

It cost $14.95 and I bought it online from Baron Barclay Bridge Supplies.
I am assiduously going through them.

Each card has a card combination for declare play, and the worked out answer with explanation on the reverse.