[zasanya]

Scoring: IMP

Acol Bidding
1♣ 1♥
1NT 6NT

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1♣ guarantees 4+ cards of ♣.1Nt guarantees 15-18 although N had 14 but the final contract seems reasonable.

Event: T P Sing Memorial a one day team of 4 event in Mumbai,India.
Lead 10 of ♦.West informed 10 denies J but could be from internal sequence.
How would you play?

[Free]

Seems like we'll get to 4♦ tricks, 2♥, 4♠ and a ♣, which adds up to 11. No immediate extra source of tricks, so probably best to try a squeeze (♣KQ onside is a small chance, but I hate finesses). It will be a ♥-♣ squeeze, but we need to transfer the menaces to the same hand. That's why we'll need to play a losing finesse in ♥ or ♣ first. I'd chose ♥...

Take ♦A, small ♥ to the 8 (probably losing) to rectify the count. Now start off with ♦s finessing (and hope East was friendly enough not to falsecard in his lead), ♦s (discard a ♣), ♠s ending in your hand and discarding ♣ on them. Now you have your position you're hoping for (I think): a ♥-♣ squeeze against East.

If East would cover your ♥, take with the Ace and go back to dummy (♦ finesse) to repeat the ♥ finesse.

[inquiry]

One line is to lead low towards the AJxxx of clubs twice, inserting the JACK if WEST plays low. If West has KQ of clubs (24% chance), you win 2!C, 4!S. 2!H, 3!D and have chances if ♦ are 2-2, or if EAST has QJT of hearts (and diamond J) or five hearts and diamond Jack. So makes less than 24% of the time (need both club honors and either squeeze or 3-3 diamonds too).

I have to admit that I would begin to think the diamond Ten was "tricky" from JTx(x). As the ten from any other holding (with the nine in dummy) just doesn't seem feasible. So I would continue to think along squeeze lines, adding ♦ hook of WEST for the JACK into the mix (despite the lead denying the jack).

So one strategy is to win the ♦A, cash four spades (discard two clubs), cross to the ♦Q -- if the jack has not shown, hook WEST for ♦J, cash last ♦ and discard a ♣. The Defense has to be careful. IF club honors are split and both keep two clubs, you can duck a heart here and make (assuming even splits ♦ + ♠). It will be hard for EAST to stiff the ♣K or ♣Q.

I think I would do a similar line. I would win the ♦A, play ♦ to Q, and then hook ♦J on way back (if West had doubletin ♦ I would switch to KQ of clubs on side and a squeeze on EAST). I would leave the last ♦ un-cashed, then run 4♠'s, discarding two ♣s. Now I still have the play for ♣KQ on side, plus I have two developmental threats, one in ♣, one in ♥ but some severe entry problems (only club ace to dummy). The ending would be... .

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At this point, if one feels like ♣ were 3-3 and both has pitched one, duck a ♣ and claim (hopefully). If only one ♣ has been thrown, then duck a ♥ becomes an option. This line also includes a finessee on second round of ♣ option if you duck one and EAST kept stiff club to keep 4♥'s. Anyway, I would come to this ending and then try to work out the correct line from here. West will not have ♥QJT as didn't lead one. probably has ♣K or ♣Q (or both) for this wacky lead from ♦JTx(x) or ♦Tx or ♦T (any other ♦ holding and I am already down).

[Echognome]

I'm not sure I followed all of Ben's post. North is declaring and East was on lead. I also think that the T could easily be from JTx(x). If not, then East probably has the lot and was trying to protect his holdings elsewhere (but then why didn't he lead a spade?).

I think you must play for a squeeze here. At first glance I wanted to lead a club towards North hoping West might try to split with KQx(x). But if the club loses and another club is fired back, then I have no chance of a squeeze as my entries are mangled.

Thus, I will back Free's line of ducking a heart. You may also catch East with QJ, QT, or JT stiff in hearts to produce an extra trick.

[inquiry]

Echognome, on Apr 20 2006, 08:54 AM, said:

I'm not sure I followed all of Ben's post. North is declaring and East was on lead. I also think that the T could easily be from JTx(x). If not, then East probably has the lot and was trying to protect his holdings elsewhere (but then why didn't he lead a spade?).

I think you must play for a squeeze here. At first glance I wanted to lead a club towards North hoping West might try to split with KQx(x). But if the club loses and another club is fired back, then I have no chance of a squeeze as my entries are mangled.

Thus, I will back Free's line of ducking a heart. You may also catch East with QJ, QT, or JT stiff in hearts to produce an extra trick.

DANG NABIT.. ROTATE hands so declerer is at the bottom to help us old folks out.... :-) Yes I had WEST on opening lead... let's call it a lead out of turn that we accepted.

[Echognome]

inquiry, on Apr 20 2006, 02:13 PM, said:

DANG NABIT.. ROTATE hands so declerer is at the bottom to help us old folks out.... :-) Yes I had WEST on opening lead... let's call it a lead out of turn that we accepted.

Hehe. I was thrown by it at first as well. It certainly doesn't make me feel any better about the ♦ hook though.

[zasanya]

Declarer followed the plan suggested by Free and endorsed by others of losing a trick in ♥ and then playing for a ♥♣ squeeze.He finessed the ♦ 9 to get 4 tricks in ♦ and we were most impressed when the finesse lost to J.Opening leader (an extremely talented expert who plays under the nick babugenu on BBO) had indeed false carded when he lead the ♦ 10
I am even MORE IMPRESSED by Free that he considered the possibility of false card opening lead.
One more interesting point about the board was what happened at the other table.North opened precision 1♦ , South bid 1♥,North rebid 1NT and when South rebid Quanty 4NT North bid 6.This time opening leader was a little old man who was in our team because our regular team mate came late ("Couldnt find parking space") .LOM had 4 cards in ♥ 3card ♦ j,10 and 4card ♣ headed by KQ and lead ♣ K not knowing the 5 carder ♣ AJ in declarers hand, noted the ♣10 from W and when J M Shah (considered by some of us to be India's best) ducked continued with ♣ Q(!) crashing Partners ♣ 9 and setting up declarers ♣ suit.If JM had gone up with ♣ A contract could not have been beaten and if LOM had shifted to any other suit, contract could not have been made!
So we lost 15 imps due to an an inspired opening lead and parking space problems in Mumbai.

[Free]

As usual, people falsecard their leads against slams Grrrrr!

[Echognome]

I don't think any of Free, Ben, or myself was surprised that the opening leader had the J as well. Indeed, if you had given us Q82 of diamonds rather than Q62, we might have finessed the opening leader for the J. But we didn't have much in way of options in the suit. The defense at the other table is just unfortunate. I think the lead of the ♣K sounds reasonable given the auction, but I couldn't tell you what I thought of continuing clubs unless I saw the opening leader's hand. My impression is though that doing so was pointless as responder would overtake with the A in most circumstances if he had it.