Positional values

When you pick up your hand, you assign it an approximate value by counting points for high cards and long suits. But as the bidding unfolds, the worth of your hand can change. Some of your honors may appreciate in value, others may depreciate.

Suppose you hold Q 10 4,

A 7 6, 10 8 7 5, 8 7 6. If your partner opens one spade, your queen of spades is sure to be a useful card. If he opens one heart, the queen of spades may or may not be useful. Not all six-point hands are equal.

Moreover, the “positional” value of honors can change. In today’s deal, South has 11 high-card points, and North opens one spade. South would plan to invite game, but when East, at his right, overcalls two hearts, South’s K-J-6 figure to win two tricks just as if he held A-K-6. So South upgrades; he bids 3NT.

(South would rather that his five-card club suit contained some honors so it would be easier to establish. Still, South should be willing to commit to game.)

West leads the ten of

hearts, and East plays low. South’s jack wins. South won’t have time to set up his clubs. He would lose the lead twice, and East would set up and cash heart tricks.

So at Trick Two, South leads the jack of spades: queen, king, six. Declarer then has eight sure tricks: three spades, three diamonds and two hearts. Since a vulnerable game is well worth insuring, South should return a diamond to his hand to lead a second spade — and when West follows low, declarer plays the eight from dummy.

South has nine tricks when the eight wins, but even if East took the nine, South would win four spade tricks and nine in all.