Hold Up - Declarer

Declarers refusal to win, or Hold Up, designed to break the communication of the defenders hands.  This type of play occurs frequently in NT contracts to prevent the running of the opponents long suit.  It may also occur in suit contracts:

                    A54

                    AKJ4

                    QJT9

                    J3

KQ87                          JT93

2                                  53

K876                           543

AQ42                          T976

                  62

                  QT9876

                  A3

                  K85

West leads the King against South's 4 contract.  South must hold up the Ace to make the contract.  The 2nd spade is won, 2 trumps are then drawn and a diamond finesse is won by  West's King.  South ruffs the spade return, cashes the Ace, enters dummy and discards 2 clubs on the JT, making 4 .

South's hold up was necessary to prevent East from gaining the lead and putting a club through.

Compiled by Lorne Russell 2005