Vubridge Expert Kit
Lesson #10 - Avoidance Play

Editorial by Paul Bowyer

Welcome to the tenth edition of VuBridge Expert Kit. As ever, we provide you with a dozen themed deals split into two series. In this edition we focus on the idea of a danger hand and a safe hand, often encountered when playing in No-trumps after a hold-up play. Often, but not always. There are applications for suit play as well – as you will discover in due course. The principle we are exploring here is how to develop suits while keeping the danger hand off lead. These ideas go by the name of Avoidance Plays. Some of these hands are easy, but some can get a little tricky. Just to keep you on your toes we have a couple of defensive deals to see of you can find some “anti-avoidance plays”.

The remaining eight hands, as ever, are all on counting the hand. These deals include some decidedly tricky “second degree assumption” hands. If you’re not sure what that means you’d better try the series and find out. You are in for a treat.

Avoidance plays Part I

This series of six deals is all about avoidance plays, keeping a dangerous opponent off lead if possible.

Series #5777 - Avoidance Plays - Part I

Avoidance Plays - Part II:

By contrast with the first series, not all of these deals are played in No-trumps. There are avoidance plays appropriate to suit contracts.

Series #5778 - Avoidance Plays - Part II:

Series #5884 - Counting the Hands:

Here, you have eight assorted deals to play, with a theme of Counting the Hand.