[han]

After my harsh critique on one of Ben's problems in this great series, perhaps I should add a problem myself. I see now that Ben already had problem 17 so this should be problem 18.

Click Next to follow the play. Played cards are displayed in the hand diagram for South and East. Carding is UDCA.

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My 1H overcall won't be everybody's choice. I rarely overcall on a 4-card suit but this seemed the right time for it: I was not vulnerable, partner was a passed hand, my suit was decent and I had just about the right strength for it. LHO doubled showing 4 spades, partner showed a 3-card limit raise and RHO bid 2S ending the auction.

The diamond jack seemed the obvious lead. Partner encouraged with the 2 and won the second trick with the ace. He switched to the heart 6, declarer playing a helpful 8. As we both know that partner has 3 hearts, his high heart shows that he doesn't have the heart king. After winning the heart queen it is time to figure out as much as possible about the unknown hands and find the best continuation.

[jillybean]

the next button only advances the auction for me

[han]

Still? It's my first time working with these so I was still modifying it.

[jillybean]

It's all good now.

[inquiry]

I have edited the title to correct to 18.

[MrAce]

I have to say this looks easier than the previous B/I problems, but i think much more suitable for B/I. For some reason i always thought, looking at posts and suggestions in B/I forums that people expect way too much from B/I players, especially the beginners. This kind of problems are perfect for beginners to warm up on their way to be intermediate and for intermediates to refresh their skills and not get rusty on their way to be an advanced player.

Ben's hands were great, but i think most of them were suitable for A/E or at least General section of the forums imo. And i asked the hands Ben posted to some forum members, they had hard time to solve it and it didnt surprise me to learn that they did not even look at it before because they were posted in B/I section. I am not critisizing Ben, he knew the hands could be a little heavy for B/I but he did it the way he did anyway so that B/I members can follow it.

But regardless, thanks to all of you who bothered to spend their time for the benefit of others and prepared these hands. They are not only educative but also entertaining.

Good hand Han.

[shyams]

Here's my attempt to plan the defense.

Spoiler

Based on the carding so far, declarer has either 4333 or 4324 hand. If it is 4324, the defense is simple and leads to down 1 or 2. Cash ♣A, and lead ♣9. Partner ruffs and returns a ♥, win the ♥A and give partner another ♣ ruff. If partner's remaining trump is ♠A, it is -2. Else it is -1.

The more likely hand is 4333. But the same defense prevails. Play A then 9 of ♣. Declarer cannot hold ♠AQxx ♥Kxx ♦Kxx ♣Kxx (15 count opens 1NT) so partner will have at least one of ♣K, ♠A, or ♠KQ -- all of these lead to defeat because partner will score the club ruff.

[han]

At the table I led a low club instead of the ace. Is there any difference?

[vuroth]

Declarer is never 4324, I think, because partner would lead his singleton club at trick 2.

I'm stuck on the notion that partner may have

Spoiler

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and that we can hold declarer to 3 spades, a heart, a diamond, and a diamond ruff. If we crash partner's club honour, declarer can take the 13th trick with the J♣. If partner doesn't have the K♣, then his spade holding is better than Kxx, and he's getting a trick in spades before trumps are drawn, so we'll still get the club ruff.