{"id":10876,"date":"2026-02-13T17:09:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=10876"},"modified":"2026-02-13T17:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:09:17","slug":"getting-through-a-blocked-door","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/publication\/getting-through-a-blocked-door\/","title":{"rendered":"GETTING THROUGH A BLOCKED DOOR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-heading stk-block-heading stk-block-heading--v2 stk-block stk-fede5c3\" id=\"span-style-color-var-stk-global-color-62948-122-a-70-class-stk-highlight-this-article-by-norbert-lebely-first-appeared-in-bridgerama-span\" data-block-id=\"fede5c3\"><h3 class=\"stk-block-heading__text\"><span style=\"color: var(--stk-global-color-62948, #122a70);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">This article by Norb\u00e9rt L\u00e9bely first appeared in Bridgerama+.<\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matchpoints, Dealer North, None Vul.<br>You are sitting South, holding this beautiful hand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-columns stk-block-columns stk-block stk-16f5b50\" data-block-id=\"16f5b50\"><style>.stk-16f5b50 {margin-bottom:0px !important;}<\/style><div class=\"stk-row stk-inner-blocks stk-block-content stk-content-align stk-16f5b50-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-column stk-block stk-49764e6\" data-v=\"4\" data-block-id=\"49764e6\"><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-49764e6-container stk--no-background stk--no-padding\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-49764e6-inner-blocks\"><div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper\"><div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper deal deal-format-schema target-capture hide-graphics\" id=\"bdm-deal-10873-6a3aa57825af4\"><div class=\"deal-content\"><div class=\"deal-grid\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player s\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">AKQ43<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">2<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">875<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">A764<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-column stk-block stk-2f93c19\" data-v=\"4\" data-block-id=\"2f93c19\"><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-2f93c19-container stk--no-background stk--no-padding\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-2f93c19-inner-blocks\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The auction is straightforward. Your partner opens 1<span class=\"card-suit suit-hearts notranslate\">\u2665<\/span>. You respond 1<span class=\"card-suit suit-spades notranslate\">\u2660<\/span>&nbsp;and, after a raise to 2<span class=\"card-suit suit-spades notranslate\">\u2660<\/span>, you leap to game at 4<span class=\"card-suit suit-spades notranslate\">\u2660<\/span>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper\"><div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper deal deal-format-schema target-capture\" id=\"bdm-deal-10873-6a3aa57825dd9\"><div class=\"deal-content\">\t<div class=\"auction-table\">\n\t\t<div class=\"auction-header\">\n                            <div class=\"auction-cell header\">W<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"auction-cell header\">N<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"auction-cell header\">E<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"auction-cell header\">S<\/div>\n            \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-contract\">1<span class=\"suit-h\">\u2665<\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-contract\">1<span class=\"suit-s\">\u2660<\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-contract\">2<span class=\"suit-s\">\u2660<\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-contract\">4<span class=\"suit-s\">\u2660<\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><span class=\"bid-pass\">Pass<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"auction-cell\"><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">West leads the Queen of Diamonds and North lays down a 7-4-1-1 that is not easy to describe:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper bdm-is-pinnable\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"bdm-pin-btn\" title=\"Unpin the deal\" data-pin-text=\"Pin\" data-pin-title=\"Pin the deal\" data-unpin-title=\"Unpin the deal\" data-close-title=\"Close\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-thumbtack\"><\/i> <span class=\"bdm-pin-label\">Pin<\/span><\/button><div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper deal deal-format-schema target-capture\" id=\"bdm-deal-10873-6a3aa57826526\"><div class=\"deal-content\"><div class=\"deal-grid\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player n\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">10982<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">AJ76543<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">A<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">Q<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell center-compass\"><div class=\"compass-content\">\n                            <div class=\"compass-n\">N<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-w\">W<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-e\">E<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-s\">S<\/div>\n                          <\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player s\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">AKQ43<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">2<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">875<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">A764<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contract: 4 Spades by South.<br>Lead:&nbsp;<span class=\"card-suit suit-diamonds notranslate\">\u2666<\/span>Q.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many winners do you start with?&nbsp;<\/strong><br>At this stage, you\u2019ve only got six with Ace-King-Queen of trumps plus three outside Aces, to which more will be conveniently added by either ruffing or setting up tricks from length\u2026 depending on the line of play you select.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is it possible to get home with a crossruff?&nbsp;<\/strong><br>Yes. If you combine ruffing four of dummy\u2019s Hearts (the first one with the 3 of trumps, the others with your three top honors to avoid a fatal overruff) and four minor-suit ruffs, you get to a total of eleven tricks (the six you started with + five ruffs), which would give you a decent score in a pairs tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>But isn\u2019t there something better to do?<\/strong><br>Yes, no doubt. To do so, proceed to making the most of dummy\u2019s seven-card Heart suit, the missing Hearts probably breaking 3-2 (68% chance).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many rounds of trumps do you play first?&nbsp;<\/strong><br>Just one, the Ace, on which West plays the 5 and East the 6. Unfortunately, the Jack does not appear. Otherwise, bringing home thirteen tricks would be a formality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is it in your interest to also cash the King of Spades?<\/strong><br>No, as the Jack is more likely to be third (50%) than second (40%), you should refrain from doing so, as you\u2019d be aggravating the problem you\u2019re facing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What kind of problem?<\/strong><br>Communications. Indeed, after ruffing the 3 of Hearts, you will need two entries to dummy to first finish setting up your long suit and second get to cash the established tricks. However, you have no tangible way to enter the dummy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Unless\u2026&nbsp;<\/strong><br>You create one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In what way exactly?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First, by ruffing the 3 of Hearts with the King of Spades (unblocking).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, by continuing with the trump 3 from under the Queen towards 1098:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"deal deal-format-schema\"><div class=\"deal-grid\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player n\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">1098<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell player w\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">J7<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell center-compass\"><div class=\"compass-content\"><div class=\"compass-n\">N<\/div><div class=\"compass-w\">W<\/div><div class=\"compass-e\">E<\/div><div class=\"compass-s\">S<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player s\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">Q43<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">\u2014<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">True, West\u2019s Jack will win a non-legitimate trick, but you will not really lose anything, quite the contrary, since you open a path allowing you to reach North\u2019s hand without the defense being able to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If West plays back another Diamond, you of course ruff in dummy, finish establishing the Hearts by ruffing the third round of the suit with the Queen of Spades (second unblocking) and all that is left to do is to extract West\u2019s last trump by playing the 4 to the 10, collecting the 7 and then claim for twelve well-deserved tricks (4&nbsp;Spades plus two).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper\"><div class=\"bdm-deal-wrapper deal deal-format-schema target-capture\" id=\"bdm-deal-10873-6a3aa57826b5f\"><div class=\"deal-content\"><div class=\"deal-grid all-visible\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player n\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">10982<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">AJ76543<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">A<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">Q<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell player w\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">J75<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">Q8<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">KQJ10<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">9532<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell center-compass\"><div class=\"compass-content\">\n                            <div class=\"compass-n\">N<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-w\">W<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-e\">E<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"compass-s\">S<\/div>\n                          <\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell player e\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">6<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">K109<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">96432<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">KJ108<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><div class=\"cell player s\"><div class=\"player-hand\"><div class=\"suit-row spades\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2660<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">AKQ43<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row hearts\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2665<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">2<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row diamonds\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2666<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">875<\/span><\/div><div class=\"suit-row clubs\"><span class=\"suit-symbol\">\u2663<\/span><span class=\"suit-cards\">A764<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cell null\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-heading stk-block-heading stk-block-heading--v2 stk-block stk-058e046\" id=\"the-principle\" data-block-id=\"058e046\"><style>.stk-058e046 {margin-bottom:12px !important;}<\/style><h3 class=\"stk-block-heading__text\">The Principle<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like a seasoned investigator, you must find out the specifics of the deal you are in charge of, determine the direction you want your game plan to take (in this case, setting up a suit by ruffing), and carefully check for possible difficulties with communication that could thwart the success of your project. Next, identify the means you have at your disposal to carry out your task and adapt them to your needs, keeping in mind that in bridge as well &#8220;the devil is in the details&#8221;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article by Norb\u00e9rt L\u00e9bely first appeared in Bridgerama+. Matchpoints, Dealer North, None Vul.You are sitting South, holding this beautiful hand: The auction is straightforward.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[]},"categories":[267],"tags":[],"language":[],"level":[],"class_list":["post-10876","publication","type-publication","status-publish","hentry","category-bridge-article-br"],"acf":[],"publication_lang":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication\/10876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/publication"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10876"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=10876"},{"taxonomy":"level","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/level?post=10876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}