[pclayton]

Had an OK regional. Brian and I placed 3rd in one of the open pairs, but I felt made a lot of technical errors. Picked up a couple of weakish players for the wed - thu Swiss, and were in the hunt until the last 2 matches.

Its funny, all of a sudden I am being bombarded with unfamiliar decisions in the play and defense and I'm getting a lot of them wrong. Its like I am going through some cosmic re-education.

However, I take something away with every mistake I make.

Here's one from the Swiss:

Scoring: IMP

---

Pard opens 1♣ and RHO makes a Michaels call. You pass and LHO closes it out with 3N.

Pard makes the strange lead of the ♠10. No matter what you play, LHO plays the K.

If you duck, what do you do if LHO continues with the ♠Q?

If you win, what do you play at T2?

[mike777]

Only a guess but I win ace of spades hoping that may block the suit for declarer or something and return a D, dummy's shortest suit.

I have no idea why p did not lead a club but if he did not, I am not. As usual I expect partner to make attacking leads, not passive.

[jtfanclub]

I win, and play back the club ten.

Partner has the AQJxxx of clubs and no outside entries. Partner is assuming that if he led a club, he'd never get the suit to run. He's short in spades, so he's figuring that's where your entry is.

At least, that's my logic.

[mike777]

I would expect partner to lead a low club from that on the opening lead if she has no entries.

[pclayton]

Jlall, on Feb 23 2007, 03:12 PM, said:

it would be really nice to know what partner played on the second spade.

middle club.

[pclayton]

Jlall, on Feb 23 2007, 03:15 PM, said:

pclayton, on Feb 23 2007, 06:13 PM, said:

Jlall, on Feb 23 2007, 03:12 PM, said:

it would be really nice to know what partner played on the second spade.

middle club.

Meaning like the 7? And do we play udca (I assume we do since thats what you seem to play with everyone).

yes; udca

[Foxx]

Duck, then duck the ♠Q.

[pclayton]

Do some reconstruction. LHO looks like the ♠KQ tight. LHO probably doesn't have 3 hearts.

Unless LHO has the ♥Ax, you must shift to a heart immediately after winning the ♠A to foul communications. The entire hand:

---

The hand gets complicated, but pard needed to cash the A♥ earlier.

The ♥ immediately, ducked, makes the defense easier.

As to what heart to lead? Another question altogether

[mike777]

WoW bridge at the top is really tough, Good Luck and Best Wishes.

Wow so many questions.
1) Pard opens this hand type often in first seat?
2) Pard did not open 1D, what was he planning on rebidding?
3) Pard lead his stiff because?
4) Pard did not lead a club because?

This hand seems way too tough, in the bidding, leading and how I am suppose to defend, Wow, really tough.

[pclayton]

mike777, on Feb 23 2007, 06:07 PM, said:

WoW bridge at the top is really tough, Good Luck and Best Wishes.

Wow so many questions.
1) Pard opens this hand type often in first seat?
2) Pard did not open 1D, what was he planning on rebidding?
3) Pard lead his stiff because?
4) Pard did not lead a club because?

This hand seems way too tough, in the bidding, leading and how I am suppose to defend, Wow, really tough.

1. Either way; doesn't bother me if he passes this.

2. 1♣ then rebid 1N over 1♠ and raise ♥'s.

3. Well, thats a good question. I think he thought I might have been loaded in spades (but where's my entry if I have great spades?). A better answer is that his hearts are in the slot, and he wants to hurt communications.

4. Don't know that either.

[the hog]

Win the SA at trick 1. I expect the suit to block. Switch to a H at trick 2, playing pd for A third H.

[cherdano]

Taking the ace and returning a heart was my first thought. But I have to admit I absolutely hate this lead. Just about any minor suit card is about 5000% better (just in my opinion of course).
In fact, I may well have talked myself out of this defense for the reason given by jtfanclub.

[cherdano]

pclayton, on Feb 23 2007, 07:46 PM, said:

The ♥ immediately, ducked, makes the defense easier.

As to what heart to lead? Another question altogether

I think this is a count situation, so I would lead 3/5.

[pclayton]

The reason I brought this up was if pard has ♥Axx you want pard to win and continue, but with ♥AQx you need pard to duck.

The heart count is inferred, and I was curious if anyone thought attitude might apply, but this might be too esoteric.

[Free]

The_Hog, on Feb 24 2007, 03:24 AM, said:

Win the SA at trick 1. I expect the suit to block. Switch to a H at trick 2, playing pd for A third H.

I agree, and this sounds too obvious