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(Excerpted from WIN AT SPADES -- 1999 by Joe Andrews and Bonus Books, Inc.)
In this installment, we will discuss the technique of protecting or "covering" your Partner's Nil bid. To begin with, it has to be assumed that your Partner did not bid Nil with a guaranteed losing card, such as a natural trump trick or shaky honor card combination in a side suit! Some Nil bids are absolutely ironclad, and will be successful no matter what happens! However, the majority of Nil bids do have a weakness (vulnerable suit), which I refer to as the "underbelly." Fortunately, the defense often slips allowing a borderline Nil bid to make. In some situations, a truly skilled Partner can save the bacon, and rescue an otherwise "lost" cause.
A Nil bid creates a miniature battlefield in which the offense (the Nil side) is in a furious race against the opponents who are trying to "probe" weaknesses. Here you are protecting "soft" spots in your Partner's hand, and the defense is doing all they can to force the Nil hand to take a trick! The point value of a Nil is just too great to ignore. This example will give you an understanding of just what is at stake. Suppose the score of a game is tied -- let's say it is 354-354. Your Partner has bid Nil, your opponents have bid six, and you come in with a five bid -- having shaded your call a trick lower. If your Team makes the Nil plus the five covering bid, the game is over! If your Partner's Nil is set, while you make your five, your side scores only 50 points, while the opponents now have the lead. An absolute disaster is the loss of the Nil and covering bid. Thus, you can see the "swing" value of the points for a Nil is really 200 -- the difference between making the Nil, and getting set.
You must go all out to ensure the success of the Nil -- even at the cost of losing YOUR bid! Of course, making both bids is wonderful! And for extra credit, if you can set the opponents without too much "bagging," that is a "triple play!" It is very important to be aware of the score at all times -- especially the bag count and the potential for game-ending bids by either Team. Often, you will see that the opponents will concede a Nil to your side if the result is advantageous to them.
When you are playing opposite your Partner's Nil, you should try to get the lead unless your hand is full of holes (lots of low cards and no solid suit -- material of which "one" bids are made). However, if an opponent plays a card higher than the seven, it is usually correct to duck. It all depends on your holding in a given suit. For example, if you hold K-9-8 of Clubs, and your right-hand opponent leads the Queen of Clubs (the first round of Clubs), grabbing your King could be an error -- especially if Partner holds a weak Jack or Ten. Here you must play low, and save the King for a possible later cover. Yes, you may lose the King -- but that is a small price to pay. If the Ace of this suit does not appear after two rounds, you may deduce that Partner holds it, and wants you to shift suits! A solid side suit of your own is ideal. If you hold A-Q-10-9-5 of Diamonds, and are on lead, your best play is the Ace, followed by the Queen. Should Partner hold the King, he can drop it under your Ace, and make another discard under the Queen. If the opponents have the King, it is still no problem, as the Queen may be taken. Hopefully, you will re-obtain the lead in another suit, and now continue Diamonds with the Ten, etc.
When your partner is void in a suit, by all means do everything you can do to grab the lead, and continue with your Partner's void suit. Watch your Partner's discards! If he plays the Ten of Hearts under your Ace, you can assume that he does not hold the Jack, Queen, or King. Thus, if you have the A-9-7-4 of this suit, you can safely play the Nine on the next round. Avoid leading suits with very low cards. If trump have been "broken," lead your highest Spades if possible. Assume that Partner does not have a natural trump loser. Some experienced players prefer to save a trump or two -- in the event it becomes necessary to ruff a possible losing card in Partner's weakest suit.
Now, here are some "no-nos" regarding the protection of Nil bids.
- Never lead a low card (unless Partner is void in that suit). It is the "kiss of death" for a Nil, and may force Partner to win that trick with an unexpected Five or Six-spot. Then you will have lots of "chat" with an unhappy Teammate!
- Do not lead middle cards of a suit, if you have higher cards in the same suit. Give Partner all of the room he needs to discard dangerous high cards.
- Do not overtake an honor card led by an opponent. If you hold the Ace of Hearts, and the opponent leads the King, back off from this trick, and save your Ace for later.
- Never lead a low or middle trump (especially if you hold an honor card). Your Partner may get "skewered" with a Ten, Jack, or Queen.
- Do not overruff the opponents' play of a Spade on a side suit -- especially in the early stages of a hand. Your side may need this trump for a strategic ruff later in the hand.
- Finally, watch your Partner's discards. Let him help you with the "cover" by mapping a path.
Covering Nils can be real "art" form, as well as a science. There is nothing more reassuring than having a Partner who is skillful in this aspect of the game. Good luck with your Nils!!!
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