In Bridge, correct interpretation of opponent's strength and distribution is the key to successful dummy play - so often witnessed when an expert handles the delicate contract. To the less advanced player, this does not come easy and he has to fall back on guess work more often than required. Of course the inferences are always present in some form or the other from which the declarer can easily manage the more difficult contracts and defense.
Lawrence terms this "Delicate interpretation of Delicate Data" at the Bridge table by the name of DIDD. In a nutshell DIDD is all about interpreting the information available from the bidding made as well as not made besides the logic stemming from each card played to determine the placement of the remaining unplayed cards. Let us learn by example, sitting behind Mike Lawrence as he plays the following hand:
Lawrence is sitting south and the bidding has gone:
The opening lead is 3S. First place yourself in the south seat of Lawrence and plan your play to make 3H. Looking at dummy, one can perceive a loser in spades, a loser in diamond, a loser in trump and 2 losers in clubs taking the tally of losers to at least 5 if not 6.
Ducking in dummy to take east's J with your spade king what are your plans to restrict your trump losers to 1. If you think east can hold KQs of hearts, you need to finesse twice for which you need both dummy's entries that are available in the 2 minor aces. Yet it is difficult to perceive how declarer can prevent the defense from taking their 5 tricks - one each in spades, hearts an diamonds and 2 at least in clubs.
Lawrence, not wishing to use dummy's entries to finesse twice in played AH and back a heart. The KQ hearts fell from east doubleton. East after winning the HK and his AS, led another spade, forcing dummy to ruff. The following position now emerged with north's south's holdings as under: The score was 3-2. At this point where do you place the missing honors of diamonds and clubs.
Remember east has already shown 10HCPs in the major, the KQ of hearts and the AJ of hearts. What about his club holding? Could he have a club honor or not? If so, what would be his diamond holding?
Lawrence read the hand accurately on the logical assumption that east being a passed hand could not hold more than 12 points. So where lay his remaining points if at all he had them? Could it be likely in diamonds or clubs?
Lawrence inferred that he was bound to have one of the club honors ie QC as west holding KQJ would certainly have led from it as his opening lead. Thus west was clearly in possession of both missing diamond honors. Having inferred correctly the distribution the play still remained to be enacted.
Declarer cannot use his trump entry to play a diamond towards dummy since he would be unable to return to hand safely to repeat the play in diamonds. What next then? Lawrence led a low club from dummy. Well led! For whichever defender won the trick, he would have to play a minor suit. If clubs, the 4th club would become established for a diamond discard.
And if a diamond is to be returned, Lawrence would allow Westto win his K or Q, which ever and then now return to hand with a trump to finesse against the remaining diamond honour for these were west - east cards. The play was not easy to see at the beginning but then when the problem is complex, the solution is equally unusual - one, well worth remembering!
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SOUTH NORTH SOUTH
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- Q 4 K 8 2
10 9 4 8 6 3 2 A J 10 9 4
9 3 A J 2 9 3
10 4 2 A 9 7 5 10 4 2
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N E S W
P P 2H P
P X P 2S
3H P P P
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WEST EAST NORTH
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10 7 6 5 A J 9 5 -
7 5 K Q 8
K Q 6 4 10 8 7 5 A J 2
K J 3 Q 8 6 A 9 7 5
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