Power Pinochle Forums

One thing to remember is that individual points are not necessarily important, and that *tricks* mean more than single points.  Here, the defender, East, didn't recognize that the point he gave his partner didn't matter...and the trick he allowed the declarer to win, *did*.

The hand:

          S KQQJJT
           H KKQJT
           D KQJ
           C AKQJJT

S QQJJTT   +-------+  S AAKKK
H AAAQJ    |   N   |  H AKQQT
D AKQJTT   | W   E |  D KKQJT
C QJT      |   S   |  C AKKQT
           +-------+

           S AAT
           H KJJTT
           D AAAQJT
           C AAKQJT

[Auction "W"]
53 Pass 54 55
Pass - 56 60
- - 65 Pass
[Play "S"]     (note:  the numbers in parens on some lines show the points won by the defense)
SA SJ ST SK   
SA SQ SK SK
DA DJ DK DJ
DA DQ DQ DQ
DA DK DJ DK
DQ DT CK DT
SJ SA ST ST    (3)
CQ CA CJ CJ
DT DA CT DK
SJ SA CK SQ
DJ DT CA CK
SQ SK CT SJ
HJ HQ HT HA  (2)
CK CA CQ CJ
HJ HA HJ HK  (2)
ST SQ CT CJ  (2)
CA CQ CT CQ  (2)
HQ HT HA HQ  (2)

Add up the points for the defense;  so far they have 13.
HA HK HT HK  
HJ HK HQ HT

East's play at trick 19 gave them 17...but allowed South to score a 4 point last trick.  West's ace at trick 19 was the 4th heart ace, so the 10s become high.  If West or North has a 10, his play doesn't matter.  But if South has it, it DOES matter a great deal.  Other possibilities would be that West's last card isn't a heart, or if South's last card is a trump;  either way, East's play at trick 19 doesn't matter.  (How many of us count ALL the suits?)

East didn't recognize the situation...and likely just made the semi-reflexive "save the point."  What happened?  He cost his team 50.

Here's another example, actually from the same game.  This time it's North...he got away with it, but he may have made the same error.  

           S AAKKKJJJT
           H KQT
           D KQT
           C KKKQT

S AQQT     +-------+  S QJT
H AAQQJTT  |   N   |  H AAKKJJJT
D AKQT     | W   E |  D QJJJT
C AAAQJ    |   S   |  C QJJT
           +-------+

           S AKQT
           H KQ
           D AAAKKQJT
           C AKQJTT

[Auction "N"]
Pass 50 Pass Pass
[Play "S"]
SA SQ SK SJ
DQ DT DQ DJ
DA DK DJ DJ
DQ DT DJ DA
CQ CA CQ CT
DK SK DT DA
CK CA CK CQ
HA HQ HK HQ
HA HT HK HK
SA SJ ST SQ
HQ HK HT DK
CJ CA CK CJ
HT CK HA DK
DT CQ CT DQ
DA CJ SK HJ
CT ST SJ CJ
CT SQ SA HJ

At this point, the defense has 18.  South appears to be stripping trump to set up spades, AND North has told him, yes, this is correct.

CA HJ ST HJ

THIS is where North may have erred.  If he plays the J, his last 2 cards are AT, and they're both good.  

SK HQ SA SQ
SJ HA ST HT

OK, if North is counting all 4 suits, he can see his play at trick 18 doesn't matter.  (All the clubs and diamonds have been played.  South has no hearts.  That means his last 2 cards are spades, AND therefore there's only 1 spade left for the defenders.)  But:

#1, few of us count all 4 suits at all...much less this accurately.  And West made a small error at trick 17 by pitching his low spade, rather than a heart.  This clarified the count.
#2, pick the *easier* route.  It saves heartburn for you and your partner.