november2016

English 53 DYNAMIC DECLARER PLAY Krzysztof Martens Declarer play is one of the most attractive and favored elements of bridge training. Aplayer who has ambition to be on par with the best must have extensive knowledge in this area. The time available at a bridge table is limited. A player who wastes too much time on technical analysis of the hand will not be able to concentrate fully on these aspects: 1. Analyzing the opening lead. 2. Operating skillfully with small cards to obstruct the defenders' signals. 3. Making psychological plays. 4. Demonstrating table presence. 5. Camouflaging his intentions. Spendingmore time on analysis also gives the defenders more time for their own analysis. If declarer plays efficiently and promptly, this can provoke the defenders into routine moves. Finally, prolonged analysis over many deals can cause a deterioration in the player's condition, unnoticeable during the beginning of the championship but more apparent at a further stage. How can we handle this? An outstanding bridge player should be aware of all the technical problems he may encounter in a given deal after a few seconds. He should not have to spend some time trying to spot them and analyses. The situation is similar to mathematical classes at school. After solving fifteenth mathematical problems of the same kind, students can do it automatically. Once all the standard techniques are known, the only thing to be done is to input different data. Not knowing the techniques, they have to be calculated afresh each time. How much effort does this waste? Practicing declarer play can be compared with learning mathematics at school. First we learn formulae and techniques and then we acquire the skill of analytical thinking, it is essential that the bridge problems we solve serve the supreme objective of teaming declarer's play - developing the skill of creative and critical thinking and precise analysis. Let's look at a typical safety play. It is a problem on declarer play composed by Paul Lukacs. ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AK8653 A K84 853 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 742 Q65 732 AKQJ Contract 4♠ by W. Lead ♥ 3 This is solution suggested by the author: 1. Play the queen of hearts from dummy. If this is covered with the king, the opponents will have more problems in