Entry Cards -- How They Affect Tempo

One of the most important components of Tempo is putting the right person on lead at the right time. We must keep the lines of transportation open when possible, such as in this example.

East, knowing that North always covers queens, placed South with the ♣K and inserted the ♣A. East followed with the ♣5 to South's ♣K. South swithced to the ♥J to West's ♥A. West, observing the fall of the ♣10 from South on trick 1, switched to diamonds. After cashing the ♦A and ♦K, West continued with the ♦4.

From this position, we see there is only one line of play for North/South to set East/West. North must ruff with the ♠10, lead the top two spades, and finally enter South's hand with the ♠2. Then South can cash his diamond winners while North throws off his heart losers.

How does North correctly deduce this line of play and correctly unblock spades?

Let us examine the previous plays. Since East/West only need one more trick to fulfill their bid, North must recognize the only possibility of a set is if South has diamond or heart winners to discard his losers. North thus realizes he needs an entry to partner's hand after running spades. He quickly deduces that it is unlikely his partner holds the ♥K since he had led the ♥J earlier. Since West covered the ♥J with the ♥A, East's last count trick must be the ♥K. Thus, the most likely candidate for an entry to South's hand is the spade suit. A brilliant deduction by North allowed them the set by keeping the lines of transporation open and making a key unlbocking play to allow the right player to be on lead at the right moment.

The Forcing Defense -- Disrupting an Opponent's Tempo when on Defense.

Most spades players don't ever consider their roles during a hand as "Offensive" or "Defensive" positions.

This is a mistake, as each role requires much different Tempo strategies. Realizing when you are on Defense, for instance, is the first step to developing the right strategy to disrupt the opponents' Tempo.

West started the hand with the ♣A and continued a club to North's ♣K, two plays that helped North/South establish clubs. South's clubs were now sitting perfect.

North switched to the ♦4; East inserted the Ace, South trumped and switched to the ♠2. On lead with the ♠J, what is East's best lead?

If he leads a spade, heart, or club, the opponents win and continue spades. After two rounds of spades South is left with the last spade plus three established clubs. East/West would be held to one club, two spades, and a possible heart trick.

A diamond return by East disrupts South's Tempo. He can trump and play the ♠A and another spade, but West wins this trick and South is out of spades. East/West then run diamonds. Or South can refuse to trump. However he has no useful discard and East/West will get their bid.

On East's diamond return, South did trump but abandoned the idea of leading spades. He simply cashed out his winners; both sides finished the deal fulfilling their bid. East's forcing play in diamonds being the key to disrupting South's Tempo.

The Hold-Up -- Cutting off an Entry to Disrupt Tempo

The hold-up play is used when you hope to thwart the tempo of the opponents by refusing to take your ace on the first round.

A play very seldom used, it is highly effective and assumes only a small risk. It should be used more often by the so called "experts".

West led the ♥K, North following with the ♥4 and East with the ♥9. South, knowing West lacked entries due to his bid, figured a hold up with a favorable distribution might kill East/West's entries and followed with the ♥2.

West continued with ♥Q, and this time South took the ♥A. East now had no way of reaching West's hearts.

North and South switched to clubs and then diamonds. When East took the ♦A he could not reach his partner's hand to discard a loser.

With East forced to ruff hearts on trick 9, he was endplayed and his side could only win 3 spades, 1 heart and 1 diamond.

Had South not held up the ♥A, East could have led a heart to his partner. Hearts by West fulfills their bid.