[rduran1216]

Scoring: MP

---

Hand from my game with Lowell Andrews today

playing a fairly simple 2/1 card.

Auction so far

1C x xx 1NT
?

now what?

[quiddity]

now you pass.

[rduran1216]

auction proceeds

1C x xx 1NT
p p x p
p 2D 2S p
?


Now what?

[CSGibson]

rduran1216, on Aug 9 2010, 10:18 PM, said:

auction proceeds

1C x xx 1NT
p p  x p
p 2D 2S p
?


Now what?

Now you're screwed. Partner should just have bid his hand in the first place instead of his pointless XX, especially with you bidding clubs. The opponents are likely to find a makeable spot at the 1 or 2 level, and may even preempt; Now you've lost tempo in the auction.

[rduran1216]

I bid 2NT (all pass) and got a small heart lead

partner's hand is

A98x
xx
97x
AKxx


how do I proceed?

[JavaBean]

I double 2♠ so that partner knows he is nuts for not passing 2♦ with this hand. But if I have to call before I see his hand I will raise him, as he must (ha ha) have a shapely hand to bid in front of me.

In 2nt, I don't see anything better than winning and then banging down some club honors. If west has no clubs, I guess I will try the spades. The spots really matter here: if dummy has the six or seven (or declarer has the seven) I think the intrafinesse is best, but if not I will have to hope east has ♠Kx(x), and lead up to the queen.

[rduran1216]

you win the first heart and lead a club from hand, west shows out, pitching a diamond...

Now east returns a heart, which you duck, and another heart which you win.

Position now is

A98x
-
9x
AKx



Qxx
-
Ax
876x

what now?

[rhm]

rduran1216, on Aug 10 2010, 02:18 AM, said:

you win the first heart and lead a club from hand, west shows out, pitching a diamond...

Now east returns a heart, which you duck, and another heart which you win.

Position now is

A98x
-
9x
AKx



Qxx
-
Ax
876x

what now?

Making this contract requires 3 ♣ tricks and a second ♠ trick. West seems to be 4=4=5=0 and since he did not lead ♦, at least one ♦ honor must be with East.
Why East did not switch to ♦ once you ducked the ♥ (down two) escapes me. Now you can always establish ♣s for down one and hope for an end-play in ♠.
Good defender will beat you, but against average club players your chances are good because West may not see the need to discard the ♥ queen and unblock ♦ honors on the ♣s.
East may not able to switch to ♠ to break up the end-play with ♠ Jx or ♠ Tx.
So play ♣s from the top and hope. If East plays the fourth ♥ keep your small ♦ and discard a ♠ from hand. Win the ♦ switch and cash your last ♣ and try to throw West in with your small ♦.

Rainer Herrmann

[pooltuna]

I have no clear action but fortunately I have a redoubling partner so I pass the buck to him

[rduran1216]

rhm, on Aug 10 2010, 03:26 AM, said:

rduran1216, on Aug 10 2010, 02:18 AM, said:

you win the first heart and lead a club from hand, west shows out, pitching a diamond...

Now east returns a heart, which you duck, and another heart which you win.

Position now is

A98x
-
9x
AKx



Qxx
-
Ax
876x

what now?

Making this contract requires 3 ♣ tricks and a second ♠ trick. West seems to be 4=4=5=0 and since he did not lead ♦, at least one ♦ honor must be with East.
Why East did not switch to ♦ once you ducked the ♥ (down two) escapes me. Now you can always establish ♣s for down one and hope for an end-play in ♠.
Good defender will beat you, but against average club players your chances are good because West may not see the need to discard the ♥ queen and unblock ♦ honors on the ♣s.
East may not able to switch to ♠ to break up the end-play with ♠ Jx or ♠ Tx.
So play ♣s from the top and hope. If East plays the fourth ♥ keep your small ♦ and discard a ♠ from hand. Win the ♦ switch and cash your last ♣ and try to throw West in with your small ♦.

Rainer Herrmann

did that, and it worked like a charm

last 4 were


A98
-
9
-



Qxx
-
x
-


while west held

Kx
Q
K