[Apollo81]

none vul IMPs. Bidding was 2c 2d 2s 3s 4N 5c 6s

♠K74
♥Q62
♦Q8653
♣42

♠AQJ962
♥AK
♦K10
♣AQ7

lead: ♥10

[pclayton]

Another odd hand for the BI, although this one isn't as complicated as some

Spoiler

I think I'd start with the ♦K. If they duck, I can unblock the heart, cross to the spade, pitch the diamond, hook the club, etc..

If LHO wins the diamond, he can't do anything detrimental. Lets say he returns a heart - as good as anything I suppose. I'll try a top spade. If they are 4-0, I can't efficiently use the 5th diamond and I need to fall back on the club hook. If both follow and I don't get an interesting spot like the 10 or 8, I'll play a diamond to the Queen, ruff a diamond high and play a spade to the board. There's a few more forks to deal with but thats my general approach.

[Apollo81]

pclayton, on Dec 28 2007, 11:10 AM, said:

Another odd hand for the BI

I wasnt sure which forum to post it in

Probably should have picked Interesting Bridge Hands for that reason....I dont suppose theres a way to switch it?

[Free]

♥A, ♠A, ♥K, ♦T. If LHO has the Ace he's forked.

EDIT: if RHO has the Ace, we'll have to rely on the ♣ finesse.

[Apollo81]

pclayton, on Dec 28 2007, 11:10 AM, said:

Spoiler

I think I'd start with the ♦K. If they duck, I can unblock the heart, cross to the spade, pitch the diamond, hook the club, etc..

If LHO wins the diamond, he can't do anything detrimental. Lets say he returns a heart - as good as anything I suppose. I'll try a top spade. If they are 4-0, I can't efficiently use the 5th diamond and I need to fall back on the club hook. If both follow and I don't get an interesting spot like the 10 or 8, I'll play a diamond to the Queen, ruff a diamond high and play a spade to the board. There's a few more forks to deal with but thats my general approach. 

If I've done the math right, your suggestion is 67.5%. You win if diamonds are 3-3, or if diamonds are 4-2 and trumps are 2-2. You can fall back on the club finesse only if LHO hold the dA. Thus its about 50-50 half the time and about 75% half the time.

[Lanor Fow]

hmmm best I can see is to win the first ♥, play my other top ♥ then lead the ♦K. If this is ducked then I can cross to dummy with the ♠k and finesse the club giving me time to ruff a club (going down if the k♣ is offside and ♣ break 6-2 or both trumps break 4-0 and ♦7-1 with the long ♦ with the offside k♣).

If is taken by left hand opponent, who is smart enough to not return a ♥, I win a trump in hand and cross to the q♦ if they break 5-1 or worse i will have to rely on the club finesse, ruff a ♦ high play, home if they break 3-3, otherwise play a trump to the king, if they break 2-2 i can set up 4-2 ♦, otherwise i have to rely on the club finesse. If they return a ♦ I play the same but cash a of trumps before crossing to the king of trumps.

If right hand opponent takes the ace play goes as above unless they play a club when I take the ace and play as above excepting that I can no longer take the club finesse. I think this is better than finessing but quite sure of the odds.


I'm sure there is a better line but i can't see it.

[kfay]

Look's like a Morton's Fork to me. I'll cash the ♥K and lead the ♦10. Maybe I'm supposed to draw a round of trump first (but not 2).

If RHO has the ♦A I guess I don't have the entries to try to establish the ♦ suit now so I'll have to finesse in clubs. If there's a way to preserve a fork, establishing diamonds, and the ♣ finesse then I don't see it.

[whereagles]

There's a fork, yes. The question is whether that's the best line, though.

[jwmonty]

I don't like any of the lines that rely heavily on a club finesse at any point. I think RHO would have doubled the 5C bid with almost any hand that included CK, so the finesse seems doomed.

[Free]

jwmonty, on Dec 29 2007, 03:05 AM, said:

I don't like any of the lines that rely heavily on a club finesse at any point. I think RHO would have doubled the 5C bid with almost any hand that included CK, so the finesse seems doomed.

Do you always Double on a King without any support?

[pclayton]

Free, on Dec 29 2007, 10:46 AM, said:

jwmonty, on Dec 29 2007, 03:05 AM, said:

I don't like any of the lines that rely heavily on a club finesse at any point.  I think RHO would have doubled the 5C bid with almost any hand that included CK, so the finesse seems doomed.

Do you always Double on a King without any support?

No but he would in a slam auction to get the lead.

[pclayton]

Jlall, on Dec 29 2007, 09:57 PM, said:

pclayton, on Dec 29 2007, 01:52 PM, said:

Free, on Dec 29 2007, 10:46 AM, said:

jwmonty, on Dec 29 2007, 03:05 AM, said:

I don't like any of the lines that rely heavily on a club finesse at any point.  I think RHO would have doubled the 5C bid with almost any hand that included CK, so the finesse seems doomed.

Do you always Double on a King without any support?

No but he would in a slam auction to get the lead.

he'd tell himself to lead away from a king?

RHO had the chance to double 5♣.

We are playing the hand.

That makes LHO the opening leader. I posted a handy link for you:

Wiki article on who makes the Opening Lead

[benlessard]

At a quick glance I think ill play TD at trick 2. If RHO has the A his best return his clubs wich will forme me to take club finesse. But if he misdefend I can play 1 trump in my hand unblock H and D play trump to the K. If trumps are 2-2 i can Ruff a D high. otherwise ill take the club finesse.