[Trumpace]

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i) What is the best play for 3 tricks?
ii) What is the best play for 4 tricks?

[Echognome]

Hidden comment below:

Spoiler

Keep up the good work with the suit combos. Useful to think about them.

[goobers]

For 4 tricks, you need clubs 3-2 with the CQ onside.

For 3 tricks, cash the K, and then lead low, planning to play the 9.

[Stephen Tu]

Quote

For 4 tricks, you need clubs 3-2 with the CQ onside

Might want to rethink that ...

[goobers]

Stephen Tu, on Aug 31 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

Quote

For 4 tricks, you need clubs 3-2 with the CQ onside

Might want to rethink that ...

If the 10 drops doubleton on my right, I can also pick up the suit by taking a backwards finesse.

I believe those are the only two lines for 4 tricks; is that right? I really can't think of anything else to do.

[jdonn]

goobers, on Aug 31 2007, 06:09 PM, said:

Stephen Tu, on Aug 31 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

Quote

For 4 tricks, you need clubs 3-2 with the CQ onside

Might want to rethink that ...

If the 10 drops doubleton on my right, I can also pick up the suit by taking a backwards finesse.

I believe those are the only two lines for 4 tricks; is that right? I really can't think of anything else to do.

Hidden answer:

Spoiler

This is a neat suit combination that people often don't get quite right, because the 'logical' way to play is not the best one. Most play the ace first in case of a stiff queen on the left, then finesse the jack. The problem is that even if they catch a stiff queen on the left, they can't get 4 tricks because RHO still guards the fourth round of the suit! The best play for 4 tricks is to lead low toward the jack on the first round. The advantage is you can now pick up stiff queen on the RIGHT, as you are still able to finesse back through LHO's T876 after playing K then J.

Goober's answer for 3 tricks is correct, as the best play for 4 tricks takes only 2 when there is stiff queen on the left. King then low planning to finesse the 9 is 100% for 3 tricks.

[Stephen Tu]

Quote

If the 10 drops doubleton on my right, I can also pick up the suit by taking a backwards finesse.

True enough though grossly anti-percentage. 3-2 with the Q onside is the most important set of hands to pick up, but there is one more possibility, that doesn't give up on 3-2 Q onside, but does affect how you should go about picking up the suit, i.e. what is your first move in the suit.

[TimG]

goobers, on Aug 31 2007, 05:26 PM, said:

For 4 tricks, you need clubs 3-2 with the CQ onside.

Alternatively, you could win four tricks whenever the Queen is doubleton. Not that I'm suggesting you play for that, just pointing out that you don't "need" the Queen to be onside.

[BebopKid]

Best line for 3:

Play the Ace first in case of Queen singleton, then lead toward the Jack.

Best line for 4:

Play toward the Jack or play the Jack toward the Ace, depending on which opponent's hand you place the Queen. But I like playing toward the Jack.

[han]

BebopKid, on Aug 31 2007, 10:41 PM, said:

Best line for 3:

Play the Ace first in case of Queen singleton, then lead toward the Jack.

Very close. Right reason but wrong conclusion.

[han]

For three tricks you could also play:

Spoiler

Cash the king, go to the other hand in a side suit and play low towards the jack. This also makes 3 tricks no matter what the lay-out is.

[jdonn]

Hannie, on Aug 31 2007, 10:49 PM, said:

For three tricks you could also play:

Spoiler

Cash the king, go to the other hand in a side suit and play low towards the jack. This also makes 3 tricks no matter what the lay-out is.

Spoiler

Yes but randomly fails to win all 4 anyway when there is Qx on your left, plus uses an extra entry compared to the other sure line for 3. Still you are correct.