[joshs]

Its never fun losing a 26 IMP lead in a Spingold match, but our opponents comeback did include a beautifully played hand by Steve Garner against us.

At Unfav Vul in 4 ,th seat you hold: J98x xx T9xx AKx

Your LHO (me) opens 3H, partner (Howard Weinstein) x ,s, RHO (Alex Kolesnik) bids 4H, and you bid 4S. This gets passed around to Alex who thinks a while before passing.

The Opening Lead was the HK (A from AK) and you see:


KTxx - AQJx QJT98
J98x xx T9xx AKx

Plan the Play.

Spolier ahead:



















Steve Garner, ruffed the lead, crossed to the CA, and ruffed a second heart and played the Trump K, Low, Low Q. He played the heart T (planning on overtaking if its ducked) as my partner won the A. Alex played the HA and Steve discarded diamonds from both hands. He then ruffed the next heart (he now is shorter than Alex in trumps). He played 1 high trump (pitching another diamond) and ran his clubs. Alex could ruff in but would have only diamonds left and would have to let dummy win the rest of the tricks.

Note that it would not have helped for Alex to have unblocked the HA, and put me in with the 3'rd heart to lead a diamond through. If we did this, Steve would have been left with as many trumps as Alex and would have simply won the A, crossed to the CK, pulled trumps and claimed 10 tricks.


The Full hand:

Scoring: IMP

---

Also note that while on the actual lie of the cards, Steve could have merely played the Trump K at trick 2 and continued with a trump, and then played on clubs if Alex ducked. But if Alex had had 3 diamonds and 2 clubs, Alex could ruff the 3'rd round of clubs, cash the trump ace, and play the HA and a heart leaving declarer with a diamond loser in addition to the 3 tricks he already lost. Probably the best line is to play the trump K at trick 2, and after you see the HQ coming down cross in clubs, take the heart ruff and proceed as Steve did.

Anyway, nicely played. I guess I should have opened 4H...

[bid_em_up]

I think Alex should have bid 5H.

[benlessard]

Maybe i missed something but i don't see how you can go down on this deal !

You have to give up 2 trumps and a diamond thats all

if trumps are 3-2 this is 100% cold

if trump are 4-1 with aq offside you have to rely on the D finesse. and if the Q is stiff its cold.

I just dont see the need to ruff a ♥ at trick 3.

[benlessard]

some double dummy defence i see



if West play Q from Qx.


H ruff

club to A

spades Q,K duck.

Q of diamond duck.

J of D duck ruff by west.

H ruff on dummy...

Now you cant play trump because RHO will tap you with a heart...

but you can play clubs and give up 3 trumps but you dont lose a diamonds .




But if west play Q from Qxx !! in some line you are still safe.

H ruff
low clubs to A
♠ Q !! K duck !!
♦Q♦ duck
J♦ duck ruff by west.
H return ruff

the hands at this point is

---

Again you just playing clubs and you are safe no matter how the 2 remaining trump stand because you wont lose a ♦ just 3♠


another double dummy defense i see is ... if west throw Q for Qxx and east tries to give him 2 ruff.

H ruff

small ♣ to A

low ♠ to Q K low

♦Q♦ K low low

♦ low ruff low

club low ruff with the A♠ -----(or club ruff with a small♠)

♦ ruffed again !





This defence is pure double dummy.


Best line seems to play K♠ from dummy at trick 2

Its highly unlikely west can play Q from Qx.

and when the Q fall you just play ♦

[joshs]

benlessard, on Aug 11 2007, 08:23 PM, said:

some double dummy defence i see



if West play Q from Qx.


H ruff

club to A

spades Q,K duck.

Q of diamond duck.

J of D duck ruff by west.

H ruff on dummy...

Now you cant play trump because RHO will tap you with a heart...

but you can play clubs and give up 3 trumps but you dont lose a diamonds .




But if west play Q from Qxx !! in some line you are still safe.

H ruff
low clubs to A
♠ Q !! K duck !!
♦Q♦ duck
J♦ duck ruff by west.
H return ruff

the hands at this point is

---

Again you just playing clubs and you are safe no matter how the 2 remaining trump stand because you wont lose a ♦ just 3♠


another double dummy defense i see is ... if west throw Q for Qxx and east tries to give him 2 ruff.

H ruff

small ♣ to A

low ♠ to Q K low

♦Q♦ K low low

♦ low ruff low

club low ruff with the A♠ -----(or club ruff with a small♠)

♦ ruffed again !





This defence is pure double dummy.


Best line seems to play K♠ from dummy at trick 2

Its highly unlikely west can play Q from Qx.

and when the Q fall you just play ♦

The point is that if Alex had 3 diamonds and 2 clubs your line doesn't work....