[jillybean]

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

 -     1♦    Pass  1♠
 2♣    4♣    5♣    5♠
 Pass  Pass  Dbl   Pass
 Pass  Pass  

H7

[Mbodell]

Well I can make 6 spades are 2-2 with the K onside, the A of diamonds is onside and hearts aren't 4-0. If the A of diamonds is not onside, I still have 5. If the K of spades is offside I could well be down 2 if I don't play spades from the top and they get a heart ruff because of it. But given the risk rewards I might well try:

♥4, ♥J
♠9,♠Q
♠A,♠3
run top hearts, cross in spades, play last heart pitching club, ruff club, diamond towards the K.

[TylerE]

Mbodell, on Aug 11 2008, 04:01 PM, said:

Well I can make 6 spades are 2-2 with the K onside,

Might want to count how many cashing aces you're off...

[rogerclee]

TylerE, on Aug 11 2008, 04:24 PM, said:

Mbodell, on Aug 11 2008, 04:01 PM, said:

Well I can make 6 spades are 2-2 with the K onside,

Might want to count how many cashing aces you're off...

[Lobowolf]

TylerE, on Aug 11 2008, 06:24 PM, said:

Mbodell, on Aug 11 2008, 04:01 PM, said:

Well I can make 6 spades are 2-2 with the K onside,

Might want to count how many cashing aces you're off...

One, on the given heart lead, if you can pick up trump.

[ArcLight]

I wonder why RHO doubled?
Odds are he is looking at the guarded trump King.
Once he gets in, you are down, unless he tries to give pard a ruff in hearts.

Look at it this way - You took a save of 5 Clubs.
You better hope LHO has the Dime AQ.
They will lose a heart and a spade, making 11.


If you absolutely must make, and dont careabout under tricks, let the heart rid eto hand and finesse the spade Q. You are hoping RHO doubled with the Dime AQ.

[neilkaz]

TylerE, on Aug 11 2008, 06:24 PM, said:

Mbodell, on Aug 11 2008, 04:01 PM, said:

Well I can make 6 spades are 2-2 with the K onside,

Might want to count how many cashing aces you're off...

The ♥7 was lead, so on a perfect day, you can make the OT. I'll also follow this line as I think it important to play to make the hand, risking the finesse and possible ruff (♥ lead looks stiff to me).

As for the bidding, I think North's splinter is a bit of an overbid. He does have very nice 15 HCP, and a stiff, but I think it's a stretch to splinter.

.. neilkaz ..

[jillybean]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     1♦    Pass  1♠
 2♣    4♣    5♣    5♠
 Pass  Pass  Dbl   Pass
 Pass  Pass  



Here's the full hand. I panicked thinking East had ♠ honors for the double,
went up with A♥ and threw away any chance of making the contract.
I could have made it taking the ♠ finesse, bummer.

[Mbodell]

Huzzah, +750.

For the bidding I wouldn't necessarily assume East has K of spades, as East may thing South has the top spade honor and certainly wouldn't feel doubling with Kx of spades is that safe. And if East has Kxx or KJx or KJxx then taking the finesse doesn't risk the heart ruff since West will not have any trump left. And West leading a heart does imply that West has a stiff heart and that West has an interest in ruffing. So 1 or more spades.

And East may well have felt that his double was forced as he may have felt that 5♣ was bid to make and that on the auction given A♦ and/or A♣ and a partner who over called vulnerable and wasn't a passed hand that you guys need to get doubled. So if spades split 2-2 (which is the only split that matters in terms of risking the heart ruff) I've found that when the strength of the hands are less clear that it is a little less likely that the doubler has Kx because someone with Kx might be afraid the X gives away the position and the trick and the contract. Obviously, this can lead to a circular position (where a double indicates K of spade so people with the K of spade can't double which means a double indicates no K of spade so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you).

So I guess my point is don't automatically assume the dbl means spade length-strength. It could just mean a bet you are going down based on other strength or a general disregard for the auction. This is also a good hand for reinforcing the idea of planning the whole hand before playing the first card from the dummy. I know many people who would carelessly call for the A before really thinking about the hand.