A Basic Bad Play (Partial Sandbagging)

[ToreadorElder]

I don't see this one that often...but then, it came up in a game today.

When you're declarer, and while cashing off your aces...when you have 2 or 3 aces in a side suit, DON'T CASH JUST 1. It may be fine to sandbag ALL of them, it may be preferable to cash all of them...but cashing 1, IMO, is the worst of all worlds. Note that I'm not talking about a case where, say, an opponent drops an ace on your ace; I'm talking about a case where the trick is a typical A,J,K,Q or somesuch.

a) Partner can't signal. How can he? He can't have the 4th ace.
b) If you have extra tricks in the suit, you weaken your holding. You're less likely to get them.
c) Increased risk it'll get ruffed out.
d) There's no way partner can ever guess what you're doing in that suit. This affects not only *this* hand, but hands later.

[rakbeater]

What type of hand do you remember this player having? Did he/she have a long/strong trump suit and the 2/3 aced side suit was the rundown suit? I'm trying to find the benefit of the doubt for this player, but I can't really think of one right now. Did anyone question this player and get an answer?

I'm always interested to know the why of bad plays, because it helps me to learn how to better play those players and take advantage of their weaknesses. Also, in case I get a player like that as my partner.

[ToreadorElder]

It doesn't matter; it's ALWAYS bad, IMO, for the reasons stated.

[Pocketlocker86]

(10-02-2012, 05:06 PM)ToreadorElder Wrote:  I don't see this one that often...but then, it came up in a game today.

When you're declarer, and while cashing off your aces...when you have 2 or 3 aces in a side suit, DON'T CASH JUST 1.  It may be fine to sandbag ALL of them, it may be preferable to cash all of them...but cashing 1, IMO, is the worst of all worlds.  Note that I'm not talking about a case where, say, an opponent drops an ace on your ace;  I'm talking about a case where the trick is a typical A,J,K,Q or somesuch.

a)  Partner can't signal.  How can he?  He can't have the 4th ace.
b)  If you have extra tricks in the suit, you weaken your holding.  You're less likely to get them.
c)  Increased risk it'll get ruffed out.
d)  There's no way partner can ever guess what you're doing in that suit.  This affects not only *this* hand, but hands later.

Can you explain point b further?