The Schnapsen Log

Make a Wish (conclusion)

Martin Tompa

Did you work out that there is only one draw from the stock, the ♣K, that will give you a win? That makes your play of ♠T at trick 5 a type of desperation play, as it turns out, since you have only a small probability of gain. If you draw that ♣K from the stock, you will be on lead from this position:

Tibor: (28 points)
♠ AJ
♥ T
♣ T
♦ A

You: (25 points)
♠ —
♥ A
♣ KQJ
♦ Q

From here you can cash your ♥A, taking down Tibor’s ♥T and bringing your trick point total to 46. Then declaring your club marriage will give you 66 trick points and 2 game points, a wonderful outcome.

The only other draw that looks at all promising is ♠A. You would be on lead from this position:

Tibor: (28 points)
♠ J
♥ T
♣ TK
♦ A

You: (25 points)
♠ A
♥ A
♣ QJ
♦ Q

The only tricks you can possibly take are your two aces, which will only get you to 25 + 11 + 11 + 10 + 2 = 59 trick points. Tibor likewise can only get to 61 trick points, so the outcome will depend on which of you can take the last trick. Unfortunately, Tibor has 3 tricks coming to him and you have only 2, so you cannot prevent him from winning the last trick. The best you can do is lead a club or diamond, he will reply with a heart or spade, you play another club or diamond, and he knocks out your last winner with another heart or spade, leaving him with the last club or diamond trick. That will be 1 game point to Tibor if you draw ♠A.

Drawing ♣T or ♦A from the stock cannot be better for you than drawing ♠A. In any of these cases you can easily pass the 33-point threshold by cashing your ♥A, but you won’t be able to do much more. You will lose 1 game point with either of these draws.

The worst draw of all is ♥T because, in that case, you cannot even cash your ♥A.

Tibor: (28 points)
♠ AJ
♥ —
♣ TK
♦ A

You: (25 points)
♠ —
♥ AT
♣ QJ
♦ Q

This leaves you with nothing but losers in your hand, and Tibor will win 2 game points.

As we discussed, though, you do not have to work out all these cases at the table. Once you realize that ducking Tibor’s ♠K at trick 5 is a losing play, you’ve done all the thinking you need to do and you can leave the rest to fate.

© 2014 Martin Tompa. All rights reserved.

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