[BunnyGo]

This hand occurred in a side game at the Boston Nationals a couple years ago (the hands are the same give or take some spots). I think this is our first Matchpoint defensive problem, where one has to consider overticks just as much as setting the hand.

---

CLICK NEXT TO SEE THE FIRST FEW TRICKS.

Being a good partner, you obeyed the double and led a heart. What's your plan now? Be specific. You and partner were playing UDCA.

[han]

The play so far doesn't make much sense to me. Does partner hold KJ1096 of hearts and no side entry? In that case, why didn't he overtake the first heart?

I hope that declarer has AK8 854 Axx Qxxx.

[BunnyGo]

 han, on 2011-September-07, 05:01, said:

The play so far doesn't make much sense to me.

As close as I can recall, this was the hand and play to the first few tricks.

[MrAce]

 han, on 2011-September-07, 05:01, said:

I hope that declarer has AK8 854 Axx Qxxx.

If declarer has this hand he is cold now. All he need is to play a ♠ and cover pd's card as cheap as he can. So u better hope something that will work for you.

[wyman]

I probably played this hand, but it was several years ago, and I don't remember it, so here goes:

Spoiler

Partner looks to me to be 3=KJxxx=2=3, and declarer likely holds: ???? / 10xx / Ax / Qxxx [note he can't hold the HJ, since he ducked T1, so partner must hold the ♥KJ], so declarer must hold at least the SAK. That means partner's only entry is potentially the S10, and declarer can make it by ducking a spade to me now _unless_ partner holds 1098 or similar. This position, combined with the chance that declarer goes wrong and partner holds 10(9/x)x (which is substantial) suggests that I should be pitching my QJ under declarer's AK -- not to mention that if I fail to do so, he's got 4 clubs, 2 spades, a heart, and I'll be endplayed into giving him 2 diamonds. So, I'll put 2 diamonds on the clubs if he cashes those, pitch my spades under the high ones, and hope for the best. I will not put my high spades on the clubs, since I don't see how I can be hurt by not doing so, and it gives declarer too much help.

[BunnyGo]

 wyman, on 2011-September-07, 07:12, said:

I probably played this hand, but it was several years ago, and I don't remember it, so here goes:

Spoiler

Partner looks to me to be 3=KJxxx=2=3, and declarer likely holds: ???? / 10xx / Ax / Qxxx [note he can't hold the HJ, since he ducked T1, so partner must hold the ♥KJ], so declarer must hold at least the SAK. That means partner's only entry is potentially the S10, and declarer can make it by ducking a spade to me now _unless_ partner holds 1098 or similar. This position, combined with the chance that declarer goes wrong and partner holds 10(9/x)x (which is substantial) suggests that I should be pitching my QJ under declarer's AK -- not to mention that if I fail to do so, he's got 4 clubs, 2 spades, a heart, and I'll be endplayed into giving him 2 diamonds. So, I'll put 2 diamonds on the clubs if he cashes those, pitch my spades under the high ones, and hope for the best. I will not put my high spades on the clubs, since I don't see how I can be hurt by not doing so, and it gives declarer too much help.

You did indeed play this hand (you were East).

[inquiry]

Matchpoint play is always harder. Do I play to set the contract, or do I take a safer defensive line to avoid overtricks but that allows this to make. Luckily this one doesn't fall into that kind of decision. Below are my thoughts.

Spoiler

Thoughts
1.) Partner has the ♥King. This is consistent with the double by partner hand his his signal.
2.) Declarer has the ♦Ace. This is required by the 3NT bid
3.) South has 4♠, this is from the bidding
4.) South has 5♣ from partners count signal
5.) To scrape together an opening bid, south needs all the missing hcp (♠AK ♦A ♣Q)

Question
1.) where is the heart five. If partner has it, why did he play the six at trick one? That missing heart five bothers me, I am going to ignore it and pretend partner played it at trick one for now.
2.) Am I going to try to set this, or hold it.

Problems.
If declarer has Axx of diamonds (not likely once he followed suit twice in hearts and the assumption partner does not have four clubs, unless declarer has only three spades), he can strip us of spades and lead towards the jack, and always win two diamond tricks. But we maybe way ahead of the field thanks to partner double of 3♥. I don't want to give up the tempo we gained by not leading the diamond king. If declarer has Ax doubleton of diamond, he can't gain by leading towards the JACK.

Declarer has a line of play (clubs, AK of spades, throw us in with a spade) that will force us to return give him a diamond trick. We can avoid this by unblocking the spade QJ. The problem with this line is if partner does not have the TEN-x-x, this gives declarer a bonus spade trick (4♠-1♥-1♦-5♣) for 11 tricks. IF we dont' unblock, however, he will win (3♠-1♥-2♦-5♣) for the same 11 tricks when we are thrown in on the 3rd round of spades. If partner has the ♠Ten, good enough.

No need to throw spades early, just jettison the ♠Q and ♠J under the AK when they are played. Declarer can not duck a trick to you in spades while you have a spade left, or you can exit a spade. This way, partner only needs the ♠T. You can, discard a high spade if you like on clubs, even both of them, as long as your partner is on the ball you should be ok either way. If all goes well, your partner will win his ♠T and cash hearts, holding declarer to 2♠-1♥-1♦-5♣.

[BunnyGo]

 inquiry, on 2011-September-07, 10:25, said:

Matchpoint play is always harder. Do I play to set the contract, or do I take a safer defensive line to avoid overtricks but that allows this to make. Luckily this one doesn't fall into that kind of decision. Below are my thoughts.

Spoiler

Thoughts
1.) Partner has the ♥King. This is consistent with the double by partner hand his his signal.
2.) Declarer has the ♦Ace. This is required by the 3NT bid
3.) South has 4♠, this is from the bidding
4.) South has 5♣ from partners count signal
5.) To scrape together an opening bid, south needs all the missing hcp (♠AK ♦A ♣Q)

Question
1.) where is the heart five. If partner has it, why did he play the six at trick one? That missing heart five bothers me, I am going to ignore it and pretend partner played it at trick one for now.
2.) Am I going to try to set this, or hold it.

Problems.
If declarer has Axx of diamonds (not likely once he followed suit twice in hearts and the assumption partner does not have four clubs, unless declarer has only three spades), he can strip us of spades and lead towards the jack, and always win two diamond tricks. But we maybe way ahead of the field thanks to partner double of 3♥. I don't want to give up the tempo we gained by not leading the diamond king. If declarer has Ax doubleton of diamond, he can't gain by leading towards the JACK.

Declarer has a line of play (clubs, AK of spades, throw us in with a spade) that will force us to return give him a diamond trick. We can avoid this by unblocking the spade QJ. The problem with this line is if partner does not have the TEN-x-x, this gives declarer a bonus spade trick (4♠-1♥-1♦-5♣) for 11 tricks. IF we dont' unblock, however, he will win (3♠-1♥-2♦-5♣) for the same 11 tricks when we are thrown in on the 3rd round of spades. If partner has the ♠Ten, good enough.

No need to throw spades early, just jettison the ♠Q and ♠J under the AK when they are played. Declarer can not duck a trick to you in spades while you have a spade left, or you can exit a spade. This way, partner only needs the ♠T. You can, discard a high spade if you like on clubs, even both of them, as long as your partner is on the ball you should be ok either way. If all goes well, your partner will win his ♠T and cash hearts, holding declarer to 2♠-1♥-1♦-5♣.

Spoiler

One of us misread partner's club count signal. I thought he showed an odd number. Otherwise, I completely agree with your analysis.

[inquiry]

Thanks Bunnygo.... and Whoops. I was looking at the 85 of clubs on the hand display as i typed my answer. My bad... that has no great change on my line of play, but the trick count is obviously changed significantly. Might explain the missing heart five as well...

[billw55]

 BunnyGo, on 2011-September-07, 04:33, said:

(the hands are the same give or take some spots).
...
You and partner were playing UDCA.

Well the spots in hearts are troubling. To wit:

- partner has the K (for his double)
- partner has the J (probably for his double, and because declarer should not duck trick 1 if he holds Jxx)
- declarer has the T (with KJT96, partner should overtake the Q)
- ergo partner must have the 5, but then he should play it at trick 1.

So it seems partner has either:

- made an incorrect double, or
- failed to overtake the Q when he should, or
- failed to play the 5 at trick 1.

None of this matters at IMPs, the only thing to do is unblock spades. But at matchpoints, that might give away a trick. So we have to make a decision, with knowledge that partner has already done something odd. Which means we may not be able to rely on his count signals either. I really don't know what is right.

[bd71]

 billw55, on 2011-September-07, 12:11, said:

But at matchpoints, that might give away a trick. So we have to make a decision, with knowledge that partner has already done something odd. Which means we may not be able to rely on his count signals either. I really don't know what is right.

Not sure it's unclear at all. Any ♠ trick we give away by unblocking we get back in ♦.

We know with virtual 100% certainty that South has the A♦. Thus we know with 100% certainty that if we lead ♦ we give up a trick. (Singleton A♦ in South doesn't make sense per the bidding.) So if we take the 3rd ♠ trick we give it right back to declarer in ♦. Partner MIGHT be able to win that 3rd ♠ trick, so I think it's clear to unblock.

[MrAce]

 wyman, on 2011-September-07, 07:12, said:

I will not put my high spades on the clubs, since I don't see how I can be hurt by not doing so, and it gives declarer too much help.

Doesnt matter which ♠ you discard, once you discard he cashes AK ♠ and play a ♦ to J

[wyman]

 MrAce, on 2011-September-07, 13:22, said:

Doesnt matter which ♠ you discard, once you discard he cashes AK ♠ and play a ♦ to J

Only works if he has 3 diamonds. With Ax, I will endplay him with a small diamond.

edit: and that was the construction I had in mind, but I see your point

[BunnyGo]

 han, on 2011-September-07, 05:01, said:

The play so far doesn't make much sense to me. Does partner hold KJ1096 of hearts and no side entry? In that case, why didn't he overtake the first heart?

I'm now realizing I probably should have presented the defensive problem from partner's point of view at trick one. At the table, my partner thought "great, my hearts will be set up because the holes are filled. With three hearts in dummy no way declarer will not hold up till the third round, and I can overtake the next trick." This is a nice example hand where realizing a quick switch is needed is good B/I defense.


The hand as presented is probably INT+, but it seems that every poster so far has figured it out.

Spoiler

bd71 hit the point I was going for exactly on the head--It's a very safe unblock because even if it blows a trick, it at least takes us off an endplay and saves a trick there. Here was the whole hand. Declarer too fell from grace as Mr Ace noted, since partner did not have the 8 spot.

---

Give or take this is how the play went. Probably a better B/I defensive problem from the other side, but I hope that people found the red herring that "overtricks matter" enjoyable as unblocking was "free".

[billw55]

The unblock is interesting, but I am still not seeing why it is so clear at matchpoints. If declarer holds the ten, I hand him an overtrick. This seems particularly important considering inquiry's point that we may already have a leg up on the field by virtue of not leading a diamond.

[MrAce]

 billw55, on 2011-September-07, 15:58, said:

The unblock is interesting, but I am still not seeing why it is so clear at matchpoints. If declarer holds the ten, I hand him an overtrick. This seems particularly important considering inquiry's point that we may already have a leg up on the field by virtue of not leading a diamond.

Edited : It is true that unblocking can cost us a trick, if declarer has AKT ♠ + Axx ♦. You need to make your decision, unblocking still superior since you will be losing only to AKT. ♠, with all other spots next to AK declarer can hold u are winning by unblock.

[han]

The problem is seriously flawed because partner made such a mistake at trick 1. If you just switch the heart king and queen (and let partner signal a little more clearly) then there is no mistake and the problem is much nicer.

[BunnyGo]

 han, on 2011-September-08, 03:15, said:

The problem is seriously flawed because partner made such a mistake at trick 1. If you just switch the heart king and queen (and let partner signal a little more clearly) then there is no mistake and the problem is much nicer.

Yes, that is true. It's also true that the more B/I problem would have been partner's at trick one. Sadly, this was the hand. I didn't think to modify it. Next time...