[paulg]

Scoring: MP

South's 1NT opener ends the auction against opposition you are told are competent. West leads ♦3 (4th from good suits) and East plays the ♦10.

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In terms of everyday hands I find these the hardest. They are also difficult to pose as problems as there is so much missing information, but this will not stop me asking

So what is your outline plan for playing this hand? Do you win the first diamond and where will you seek to develop tricks?

Paul

[pbleighton]

I win the first trick and lead a low spade.

I expect to go down, along with the field.

Peter

[jdeegan]

Well, well. We have five top tricks and another trick due us in hearts, although we may have to lose two tricks first. I want them to lead either black suit. So, maybe its best to duck one round of diamonds. Assuming they continue, I will win the trick and start hearts from my hand.

[bid_em_up]

Duck the first diamond. If West has led from a five card suit, East must return something that is likely to help you.

If East does manage to lead a second diamond, win the Ace, and lead the heart 9.

[pclayton]

cardsharp, on Jun 29 2006, 04:35 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

South's 1NT opener ends the auction against opposition you are told are competent. West leads ♦3 (4th from good suits) and East plays the ♦10.

---

In terms of everyday hands I find these the hardest. They are also difficult to pose as problems as there is so much missing information, but this will not stop me asking

So what is your outline plan for playing this hand? Do you win the first diamond and where will you seek to develop tricks?

Paul

I can smell a blockage in the diamond suit and it looks like RHO has ♦JT. LHO would lead the Q from QJ9x(x)

So I'll win the 1st; run the J♥ (covered probably); I'll win and shoot one back to the 9.

Assume RHO wins and plays the ♦J. I'll now duck and RHO has to give me a little help.

[paulg]

Scoring: MP

Contract: 1NT (South)
Lead: ♦3

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This is the full hand and I followed Peter's line and eventually came to 7 tricks (which I was reasonable happy with) as they misdefended by not covering the heart when I led the ♥J.

I also gave the hand to GIB. It ducked the first diamond and the subsequent spade switch. West continued diamonds and GIB switched to the ♥J. This was covered but East won the heart return to continue spades. GIB's line depends on guessing clubs (GIB went down).

At the club everyone else was making eight tricks for +120. Perhaps none of the West's ducked the club at the end or they crashed the diamonds (i smelled a blockage too, but it was just an unusual (bizarre?) lead).

Looking at the hand again I think the heart leaders have the best line.

[EricK]

cardsharp, on Jun 29 2006, 09:28 PM, said:

I also gave the hand to GIB. It ducked the first diamond and the subsequent spade switch. West continued diamonds and GIB switched to the ♥J. This was covered but East won the heart return to continue spades. GIB's line depends on guessing clubs (GIB went down).

Am I right that GIB doesn't "realise" that a line will involve guessing because the way it thinks is to imagine a lot of hands for the defense and then solves them double dummy?

Or to give another example, will it necessarily find a 100% line if there is also a two way finesse position which, in its simulations, it always gets right?

[paulg]

You are right that GIB on BBO can see all four hands and provides double dummy analysis.

If you own the GIB product then you can ask it to play hands outside of the BBO environment. I believe it plays hand by simulating the whole layout and taking the best percentage line, but of course this does not mean that it will always make. On this particular hand it looks likely the club position will always remain a guess.

Paul

[luke warm]

well i think phil's reasoning and line is superior... your lho *should* have led the ♦Q from that holding