[inquiry]

Scoring: Imp

P - 1♣- X-P
1♥- P-2♥-P
4♥-all pass

T1. ♦9-A-4-5
T2. ♥K-5-4-A
T3. ♠5-2-7-K
T4. ♦T-3-Q-4

Maybe you not play this way,
but this is way it went
when I was kibitzing.

Plan your play from here.

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EW are know LOTT bidders, and will raise a minor over double on the drop of the hat with four card support, and jump with five (especially at this vul). If this help you at all.

PS. For a change, I am not sure what the "correct line is", although i know that a very good player went down. Let's figure out if the winning line is the best line.

[Trpltrbl]

I am playing 1 opener for 3-2-2-6, with the 10 of by his pd. But at this part where I am right now I play a from dummy and whatever East does I duck.

Mike

[inquiry]

Trpltrbl, on Feb 2 2004, 02:49 PM, said:

I am playing 1 opener for 3-2-2-6, with the 10 of by his pd. But at this part where I am right now I play a from dummy and whatever East does I duck.

Mike

Leading a ♠ is not a bad shot at all. When you duck, opener wins the ♠J and continues a small ♣.

Ben

[cnszsun]

West's ♣ return is very interesting, who has ♣A? If west has it, just discard a ♠ from dummy, you can easily make your contract. I assume East hold ♣A because West has much safer exit in ♥ or ♦, i think he tries to let his partner win ♣A, then return ♠ to cash his ♠A.
So, my plan is here:
Ruff in dummy, play 3rd round ♠, West have to win with his last ♠A, then he has no safe exit.
1)West continue ♣, dummy ruff again, cash ♥Q, play 4th ♠ winner in dummy, East has to ruff (if he not, cash all your ♦, your both ♣ losers disappeared and get last two trump tricks), you overruf in hand and play last trump, East is squeezed in ♦ and ♣;
2)West return a trump, win it in hand(J or 9 depends whether East play T), one ♦ to dummy's K, ruff one small ♦ in hand to setup the 5th ♦, back to dummy by ♥Q and cash last two winners in dummy (4th ♠ and 5th ♦);
3) West return a ♦, this is the strongest defense, you must play ♦K and ruff a small ♦ in hand with ♥9, clear trump, end in dummy, cash last two winners. In this situation, you must assume East hold ♥T.

All these analysis are based on Mike's assumption, especially ♥T held by East, that's really a great insight.

[inquiry]

Hi Mike2,

I am not saying that Mike's line of ducking a spade is right or wrong, I am just saying what will happen IF you play that way, you are put to the test in ♣'s and still have to worry about how to handle the hand.

But let me ask a question on your line. Your ♦entries are gone, you used up all your trumps in dummy with two ruffs and playing the ♥KQ, so when EAST ruffs the fourth ♠, how are you going to get back to dummy? You are stranded in your hand.

Ben

[flytoox]

cnszsun, on Feb 3 2004, 06:31 AM, said:

I assume East hold ♣A because West has much safer exit in ♥ or ♦,

i think east cant hold ca, if he has it, then west must hold cqjxxxx, he may lead cq given pd is unlikely to gain lead and give west a d ruff. I strongly belive that west has ca, even though he leads a small c.

fly

[cnszsun]

Yes, i'm wrong because i misread the trick 4. Before i duck the 2nd ♠, i have played the 2nd ♦ by myself. If i have planned to play like my way, it's really unnecessary to play one ♦ first (it's an important entry to dummy). What i need is to setup the 4th ♠ under the assumption of ♠3-3, so duck one ♠ from hand works the same way. This is why i misread the post.

I believe West hold ♠A, if he has stiff ♥A (not impossible?), i have a way to make it. play ♦K discard a ♠ in hand, duck a ♠ to west, west can only return ♣ or ♠, start your cross ruff. you can win 6 trumps, 3 diamonds and one spade.

[inquiry]

Scoring: BAM

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The ♠ play is interesting, because it is what is needed, but it seems to me playing it before the second round of trumps is an an unnecessary risk, and to require EAST have the ♥T is pure guess. I think the correct play is first to remove the second ♥ from north (rather it is the TEN or not) by cashing the top ♥ in dummy, then go about the business of setting up the long ♦ with ♦Q and ♦ ruff. NOW you exit a low ♠ to north (this transposition of plays keeps you from having to guess who has ♥T (see below).

When North wins, if he continues ♠A dummy will be good, so he exits a small ♣, ruffed in dummy giving rise to this position.

Scoring: BAM

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On the 13th ♦. what is EAST to do, if he ruff, you overruff, and give a ♠ and dummy is good. If he pitches a ♣ or ♦, you pitch a ♠, ruff a ♠, ruff a ♣ for your 10th trick.

Now back to the line where Mike did very well to notice that you need the ♠ threat (or winner) in dummy (with 3-3 to make the hand). Indeed this is seems the best chance. But to leave WEST with a trump is risky. On the club back after the early round duck, you still need to play to ruff a ♦. Of course you can no longer afford to play high ♦ and ♦, so the only correct card is low ♦ from dummy (to late to play ♥Q first, as you need two late entries to dummy to one to get use the ♦ threat and one to get back to the set up ♠. So when you ruff the ♦7, you have to decide. Did north have ♥AT (as shown), where you have to ruff with the ♥J and lead low ♥ back to the Queen, or did he have ♥Ax in which case low ruff is fine? I would like to give Mark full credit for finding the absolute correct ♠ play, but his timing will put him to the guess as to how to play ♥. As it turns out, in real life, EAST had three ♥ to the ten, so his stated line of play (if he had come back with ruff a ♦ with the ♥9 would have actually worked.

Ben