| Beginner's Korner
The Spades Suit -- Weakly Guarded Spades Queen
Last month's column featured 10 basic strategy tips. This month I will elaborate on a few of these tips. The first principle applies to passing.
a. Do not keep the Spade Queen in your hand unless you hold at least four other Spades. This is reasonably sound advice, and a five-card Spade suit, including the Queen is a good bet. If you are dealt the Spade Queen with only two "backers," you must pass her. When one of the support cards is the Ace or King of Spades, the problems increase (especially with left and across passes). It is holdings of the Spade Queen and three low "backers" that present the most judgment calls. And this is the specific combination that will be reviewed. For example, suppose you are dealt this hand. Assume all examples in this section are the first deal of a game.
 Q 8 3 2
 K 6 2
 A 5 2
 10 5 3
Your distribution is flat; however, you have safety in the other three suits. This is an easy pass. Unload the Spade Queen, the Heart six, and the Diamond Ace. Once again, the theme of passing a middle Heart appears. Anytime you can discourage a Moonshot, by all means, go for it! Barring bad breaks, you should escape for 4 points. Now let's look at a slightly more difficult hand:
 Q 8 3 2
 K 6 2
 K J
 A 7 4 2
The options increase. A good and safe pass is the Spade Queen, Heart 6, and King of Diamonds. A riskier choice is the K-J of Diamonds, and the 6 of Hearts. A poor choice is the Spade Queen and K-J of Diamonds, as it may allow an opponent to go for the Moon. Many seasoned players would select the voiding of Diamonds and a middle Heart. The hope is to pick up a passed Ace or King of Spades, and/or less than two Diamonds. Finally, let's check out one more hand.
 Q 8 3 2
 Q J 10
 A Q 9 8
 A J
What a mess! All four suits are weak, with minimal chance of escape. The real concern is the Heart suit. This Heart holding is ripe for 8 points! The decision here is quite easy: Dump the Heart suit! If a Heart is not passed to you, there is a chance to Shoot the Moon if they key cards in the black suits appear. If a Heart is passed to you, your plan is to strip the hand, and escape with the lone Heart. (Yes, yes, I know that this hand needs a lot of help, and for some key cards to appear early.)
In summary, keep the Queen in your hand (with at least three Spades) if your side suits are very weak. Pass her along if the balance of your hand is safe. Void a Club or Diamond suit if you have the right type of hand.
Hot tip: If the Spades accompanying your Queen of Spades are high, you will have the luxury of being able to stop Spades suit leads, and work on voiding a suit, or winning an early trick with a discarded Heart.
Next month, we will examine nuances in the Spade suit, including passes to the right, "spear" plays, and how to read your opponents. | |
| Advanced Alley
The "Rubin Maneuver"
During the glory days of the New England Hearts Players' Association, Steve Rubin, a player from Framingham, MA, innovated a devious tactic. It became known as the "Rubin Maneuver," and you may rest assured that when it worked, the player on the receiving end of the Queen of Spades needed a Heimlich Maneuver for immediate relief! Let us say that before the pass in a close game, you pick up:
 A Q J 10 9 2
 K 9 3
 K 10
 A Q
You are passing to the left, and that person is in first place by a few points. Most players would unload the two Clubs and the 9 of Hearts. In this position, Rubin passes the Spade Queen, Diamond 4, and 9of Hearts. The idea is to grab the lead early in minor suit (Clubs or Diamonds), and commence with the "smokeout" of Her Royal Highness. The first Club is taken, and the Spade Jack is led. This will eventually (and quite soon) produce the King of Spades. With at least one more entry, Rubin now blasts out the Spade Queen, barring abnormal distributions.
This is a marginally risky play; however, it can be quite effective. Some players become quite peeved when this maneuver is used against them -- then again, who said Hearts is a game of etiquette or kindness?
So long, summer! And hello, autumn! | |
