[inquiry]

3♠-DBL-Pass-4♥
All pass

T1. ♠K-J-4-3
T2. ♦7-3-5-A

Plan your play

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NOTE: I am well aware expert can solve this quickly. This is meant for novices/beginners/ and not too advanced intermediates. But, a self-declared "expert" missed this one at the table. :-)

You have at least 1 sure Spade, 1 sure Heart, and 1 sure club loser. In addition, you have a possible second club and second heart loser, and if you allow three rounds of trumps to be played before ruffing your SPADE QUEEN, you might have second spade loser.

Now for winners, you have 3♦, 1♠ ruff, and hopefully 5♥ in your hand.

[badderzboy]

Hi Ben,

Can I ask what leads my opps play - does K♠ show or deny A which is relevant to his opening ?

Also are we to assume 3♠ shows 7 spades 6-10 pts.

Thanks

Steve

[inquiry]

badderzboy, on Feb 2 2004, 05:57 AM, said:

Hi Ben,

Can I ask what leads my opps play - does K♠ show or deny A which is relevant to his opening ?

Also are we to assume 3♠ shows 7 spades 6-10 pts.

Thanks

Steve

When asked about the opening lead of the King, the opponent replies...

ACE-ask for Attitude signal
KING-ask for count signal

3♠ was preemptive, and given that they are vul, when asked they say vulnerable preempts are "sound" so you think this must be at least a seven card suit.

Ben

[inquiry]

Scoring: IMP

3♠-DBL-P-4♥
All pass

T1. ♠A-J-4-3
T2. ♦7-3-5-A

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Ok. I take a hint. The vote for good idea's poll was less than over-whelming, and now the response to the first two of a group of new hands I was going to post has been all but non-existent (one person sending private messages). So I will stick to the harder hands from now on.

For the record, here is the "solution" to this hand and the logic you should apply.

First for losers, you have lost 1♠ and MUST lose at least 1♥ and 1♣. The question is how to maximize your chances to make this hand. The need to find ♥ as 2-2 or catch a singleton ♥ honor goes without saying. But you have to avoid 2♣ losers. The obvious line of play is to lead a low ♣ and play WEST for the ♣Q, not ♣ACE (other ♣ loser goes away on ♦K). Why? because he opened a preempt and has already shown up with (presumably) the ♠AK and a long ♠ suit. If he had the ♣ ACE as well, he would open 1♠.

So is the right line, ruff a ♠ and play ♥ACE and a ♥? No. IF the ♣ hook is winning, it will win later. The right line, is to play a ♥ to dummy. If neither opponent follows with a high honor, you have to assume WEST has the a ♥ so the ♣ hook will probably be off. So you try one last trick before falling back on the ♣ hook. Win the ♦Queen. If EAST drops the ♦J or T on this, you now have a second chance. You can give a ♥ and hope that EAST has to win, and when you ruff the ♠, maybe the other ♦ honor will fall, and you can ptich two ♣ out of your hand. IF it doesn't you can always fall back on the ♣ hook.

The hands were as shown. If you ruff the ♠ too early, you can not get two ♣ pitches and will go down. If you hook the ♥ at trick three, a thoughtful EAST might play ♣ACE and a ♣ - especially if he meant ♠3 as suit preference and works out his partner's ♣ void.