[mike777]

From Bridge Today, 12/05



Opening Lead Ace of D (A from AK)
2S may only be 5 card suit.

I thought this hand had a lot of meat it in for us newer players.
What is your plan and what card do you play at trick one?

Scoring: MP

2S=X=3S=P
P=P=P

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[mike777]

Jlall, on Dec 10 2005, 10:57 PM, said:

Not sure why this is in beginner/int, it is mainly a matter of agreement.

I play attitude in these situations, so I play the 2 if playing standard and the J if playing ud. This is because often pard cannot differentiate between a doubleton and a 4 card suit. Some people prefer count and hope partner can work it out. That is how I used to play and is fine too. Some play other signalling methods.

The most important thing is that you and your partner know what you're doing.

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps I am not clear, do you have a defensive plan to beat the contract at MP? If so what card is best to play at trick one to implement that plan and what is the plan?
Feel free to play whatever method at trick one you feel is best to implement your plan at MP. I just thought the thinking at trick one was very interesting for players at my level.

[Winstonm]

Spoiler

The thing to consider here is what does partner need to know in order to defend well. He has too numerous shapes and holdings for us to steer the defense in any particular way, so our best course of action is to play the J under the Ace, then on the continuation of the King give count of our remaining non-ten cards. With J1082 and playing standard, I would play the 8 on the second diamond and the 2 if playing upside down. (There is an upside to UDCA here as with J2 doubleton the initial card would be the 2.)

To defeat this contract we have these possibilities: 1) 3 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 1 club. 2) 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 2 clubs. 3) 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, 1 club, and 1 spade 4) 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 2 spades (unlikely).

If opener has Kx of clubs and AJxxx of spades we have to score 3 heart tricks. But if opener has 10x or 10xx of hearts, a heart lead from partner blows a trick.
If he has Kxx in clubs, a club lead blows a trick.

If I seriously wanted a switch, as in the case where I held AQJ or AQ10 of hearts I would have discouraged on opening lead, so my actual play has denied this holding and partner should know not to lead a heart from Jxxx or Jxxxx.

If opener turns out to hold 3 diamonds, then partner knows it is safe to play another diamond and let dummy ruff. If declarer holds 2 diamonds, giving partner a likely 1453 shape, he will be holding either KQx of clubs or singleton Ace of spades and Kxx or Qxx of clubs. With KQx of clubs, no problem. With the other holdings, though, I would expect him to next cash the Ace of spades and my high spot card in spades would deny the club Queen or King. (Remember, with no club card and better hearts the first trick signal would have been different). He would then play the J of hearts from J10xx and and when if declarer played low partner's next heart would give count. If declarer covered with the King, I would play the Q and again partner would give count. This way I would always know whether 3 hearts were cashing. This would be critical to know when partner held either A, Jxxx, AKxxx, Qxx or A, Jxxxx, AKxx, K10x. From Jxxx or Jxxxx he would lead low and I would have to switch to a club immediately before that suit could be ruffed out and set up for discards.

Best analysis I can come up with for what I would do and what I'd be concerned about. By the way, I did all this trying to defeat 2S, LoL. See, I've already forgotten the bidding.

Winston