Technical specifications

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73NH - The Bath Maneuver - level 2 ★

The Bath Maneuver
This play involves ducking when a King is played on lead card, so that you keep your Ace and Jack tenace hold.
The player on lead is therefore obliged
  • either, to give up capturing the Jack if he continues playing the same suit.
  • or counter-attacks by playing another suit on the 2nd trick.

But Careful, Declarer doesn't need to worry about a return in another suit ! The Bath Coup is extremely useful when Declarer thinks that East is going to be in hand.
Example :
Your South playing a 3NT contract. W leads with K ♠. .
6
5
4
6
5
3
2
A
J
9
8
K
7
K
Q
10
9
3
10
9
4
K
10
5
6
2
    
    
    
7
2
Q
J
8
7
Q
2
Q
10
9
8
4
A
J
8
A
K
7
6
4
3
A
J
5
3
Exercise 4610 Duck the lead so that you can keep your Ace Jack tenace. If W continues to play ♠, you'll make 2 tricks in that suit. If he counter-attacks with the 10 ♥, you can make 3 ♣ tricks thanks to a triple finesse (small ♣ to the 8)
Your contract goes down if you don't duck the lead ...