[Siegmund]

Spent the weekend at a lovely sectional in Missoula, Montana. Lots of interesting hands.

Here is a good play problem that came up in the Saturday afternoon pairs:

♠KQ
♥QT82
♦JT
♣KQJ73

♠A982
♥---
♦AK9654
♣A95

Both vul, South deals and opens 1♦. It continues (2♦) - 2♥ - (3♥) back to you. Right or wrong, you decide to jump to 6♣.

2D was Michaels, 2H was a good hand with clubs.

Unsurprisingly, they lead a heart, which will go to East's jack. Bearing in mind that hoping for even breaks in both minors can't possibly work, what is the best line?

[bigbenvic]

My first thought is to ruff, spade to dummy and run the J♦. If they go hawaii 5-0 then trumps break better and maybe I can get there on a ♥ continuation, ruff high low trump to dummy draw trumps then T♦ and overtake K♠. If they return a spade I need to ruff a heart high, clear trumps, win the AK♦ and A♠ pitching the 2 hearts and I think that gets there.

If the J♦ actually holds the second trick I'd be tempted to go for overs by drawing trumps and hooking again but I'd need to be at the table to know for sure. Otherwise draw trumps cash AK♦ ruff out the Q if needed and overtake ♠ to get the rest of the ♦. If west showed up with 2 trumps I'd obviously rehook the ♦.

There's probably better plays but that's what I'd be likely to do at the table. Big danger on my line is that trumps are 5-0 and Q♦ is offside, and the tap me out in Hearts so I can't hook the T♣

[bigbenvic]

Is there anything wrong with cashing a ♦? If it gets ruffed by W trumps are 4-1 and can be handled and I have a marked finesse and a spade entry to them. If it holds, cash another? Not a great pairs strategy though, if it holds draw trumps get a better picture of Wests hand, again if clubs 5-0 it can go off - W ducking with Qxx! I'd applaud and move on to the next board, but maybe that's a better play at 13 tricks.

[Statto]

I'm wondering whether to go full on for 13 tricks and take a trump or two out in the initial communication, e.g. ruff, ♣A, ♣ to K, then ♦ finesse...

 bigbenvic, on 2012-January-17, 00:06, said:

Is there anything wrong with cashing a ♦?

I think this only helps if LHO has stiff Q, but means we can only take the ♦ finesse once. As it's MPs, I prefer your original line which I think gives better chances of an overtrick.

[Fluffy]

just draw trumps discarding spades, if LHO has 1 club I would play for diamonds 3-2 ruffing one, if trumps are 2-3 I would finese diamonds. There is no need for 6 diamonds tricks to make overtrick, 2♠, 1♥, 5♦, 5♣ is already 13. If LHO is 65 I go downs unless sitff ♦Q...

Thats a bad bet looking at bidding and spots, LHO is very low on HCP for a vulnerable 5-5 overcall. I´ll switch my line to this:

♣9 to dummy, run ♦J. If it holds ♣A, ♠K run trumps and ruff a diamonds, 13 tricks.

If it loses to the queen, will need a miracle in trumps, but saves undertricks at least

If its ruffed and a heart is returned ruff in hand, spade tu dummy, run trumps and ruff a diamond for 12 tricks

If ruffed and a spade is returned win in dummy, ruff a heart with the ace, and try to return in spades to dummy, needs LHO to be 5602. Will make 3♠, 2♥, 2♦, 5♣

[Statto]

So, what was the lie, and how would our chosen lines have worked out in this instance?

[gnasher]

We should have played HQ at trick one. That costs nothing, and it may hold. If it does, we'll have quite a good idea of how the minors are distributed.

[benlessard]

Unblock A of clubs low S, J of D getting ready to congratulate west if he duck from Qx.

[phil_20686]

 Siegmund, on 2012-January-16, 22:09, said:

Spent the weekend at a lovely sectional in Missoula, Montana. Lots of interesting hands.

Here is a good play problem that came up in the Saturday afternoon pairs:

♠KQ
♥QT82
♦JT
♣KQJ73

♠A982
♥---
♦AK9654
♣A95

Both vul, South deals and opens 1♦. It continues (2♦) - 2♥ - (3♥) back to you. Right or wrong, you decide to jump to 6♣.

2D was Michaels, 2H was a good hand with clubs.

Unsurprisingly, they lead a heart, which will go to East's jack. Bearing in mind that hoping for even breaks in both minors can't possibly work, what is the best line?

This doesn't really seem like a problem hand, I can cross in spades and play the Jd. This wins against any layout with 55 in the majors on your left. Even if it loses to stiff queen you are cold unless lho has six spades. Crossing with a low club is a mistake as if the finesse loses to Qx a top heart will force you and you will go off to the 4-1 trump break.

The worst that can happen is lho is 5503 and ruffs the diamond J. Now if he returns a trump you win with the K, ruff a heart with the ace, cross in spades, draw trumps and claim, pitching once heart on the spade ace and one heart on the diamond K. The only real difficulty comes if the Jd holds the trick, as its tempting to finesse again. However, this temptation must be avoided, instead draw trumps play ak diamonds ruff one if necessary and overtake the spade ace. This gives up an over trick but protects the contracct against an insightful duck from Qx offside.

[gnasher]

It seems to me very likely that LHO is 6-5, so crossing in spades for an early diamond finesse is a bit dangerous.

Instead, how about: ♣A, ♦A, low diamond? That's more or less 100% for twelve tricks. We've done quite well in the bidding, so the overtrick may not matter that much.

[benlessard]

Ive noticed that they are red so West must be at least a 6502 with the K of H and have plenty of guts or hes 66. Wich H did he led ? one that look like asking for D return ?

[phil_20686]

 gnasher, on 2012-January-24, 07:45, said:

It seems to me very likely that LHO is 6-5, so crossing in spades for an early diamond finesse is a bit dangerous.

Instead, how about: ♣A, ♦A, low diamond? That's more or less 100% for twelve tricks. We've done quite well in the bidding, so the overtrick may not matter that much.

This is a good line. I thought this failed if oppo 2-1 in the minors, but it doesnt as if he ruffs in he has no trump to return. As far as I can see if fails only if the micheals bidder has a diamond void.

Unlike some I am not too worried about the spade ruff. If an opponent has AJxx hearts and a stiff spade opposite a micheas I would expect them to bid game. the 3H bid means he either has only 3h or two or more spades. Either way, not too worried about the spades being 6-1. If opponent is 66(01) he might have done some more bidding himself.