[vuroth]

One of my howling disasters from the IAC league match on Saturday night.

Scoring: IMP

Bidding:
P P 1NT P
2♣ X 2♠ P
3♣ P 3NT all pass

Opening lead 4♦ (3/5, I think)

---

I include the bidding not because I want to show it off, but rather because maybe it influence the defense?

Anyways, I failed to make 3NT because, in a panicked moment, I miscounted my tricks. Suffice to say that no player will adopt the line that I actually took, because it's beyond ridiculous.

That said, my general approach, up to the moment of stupidity, has been called into question. I'd really love some feedback on what my thoughts should be, and what lines seem sane/sensible.

I apologize if this hand isn't B/I material. I'm B/I, and it's possible that the line that I intended to follow was vastly inferior, hence I'm sharing it here.

V

[kenrexford]

Well, I'm not sure what happens next, but playing the spade 10 at trick two seems about as good as anything. There are many possibilities on this hand, but all roads seem to start with that play.

[effervesce]

kenrexford, on Nov 9 2008, 06:00 PM, said:

Well, I'm not sure what happens next, but playing the spade 10 at trick two seems about as good as anything.  There are many possibilities on this hand, but all roads seem to start with that play.

Lose two spades and 3 clubs.

What's wrong with leading a club first to see what RHO returns? RHO's lead may be helpful. If RHO returns a diamond (pitch a heart), cash another top diamond (I think diamonds are 5-3, pitching a club) then play another club. RHO has to lead something else. If RHO has to open up hearts from 9x, Tx, or 9xx or Txx or spades from Qxx will help you pick up the suit.

[vuroth]

For Ken:

Spoiler

LHO wins the ace.

I *think* best return is a diamond. (At the table, LHO played a heart, won by the RHO's king. Diamond return.)

[NickRW]

Not sure I really even want to be in 3N in the first place. You have in one hand a min strong NT and the other has 8hcp - sure it has a six card suit - but it is as ropey as hell and the ♦Q is single - it doesn't look particularly attractive.

[kenrexford]

vuroth, on Nov 9 2008, 08:08 PM, said:

For Ken:
...

OK, so as expected (hoped), this floats to where I want it. A diamond returned suggests that the heart finesse works also.

At this point, I have a fairly clear path to eight tricks. I' send another spade toward hand, planning to finesse again (of course). Presumably the 9 and Q do not drop.

I should have a fairly good count. My two possible lines at this point would be either to throw LHO in with the 13th spade to break hearts again for me OR to try a smother of the heart 10 or 9 for the 9th trick.

Thinking this through...

I suppose I'll hook the spade Jack and then play the King. Presumably everyone follows. If RHO has Q9 at the end, he should drop the Queen under the King to keep me guessing. If I never see the Queen, then RHO has 4♠/5♣. If they followed twice in diamonds, then I need them to have something, 9 or 10, in hearts. LHO will have 3460 shape. I can cash the four diamonds and lead the heart Jack, ducking LHO's King. LHO will cash two diamonds and then must give me a finesse in hearts. Or, I could equally just win and exit to my 7 to wait until trick 13 for the last trick, but that is SOOOO anti-climactic.

If LHO does seem to have the fourth spade, then RHO will have 3??5 shape. If he follows to too many diamonds, and if no heart 10 or 9 appears, then I am forced to play LHO for four spades anyway, and throw him in for the heart at the end.

Of course, when RHO has the heart K, they just set me on the heart return. If they for some silly reason win the heart King and do not cash the clubs, something weird is going on, but I'm not questioning. I'll win my three hearts, four diamonds, and two spades. I suppose that the layout could be silly, like AKxx in clubs to my right, but I'm not playing for that, nor could I.

[H_KARLUK]

I liked your partner's method. Tried to tell you that he has 4M+5upC but not game values. You forced with a minimum.
Potential losers : 2S,1H,3C
Direct winners: 5

Hocuspocus or Habracadabra may need to bring it home

3C better than 3N? Yes.

No worries, "It's a process" as you said.

Simple method on such auctions : Try to fill gaps then count HCP. If fits to auction, go otherwise stop.

Details listed in "hand evaluation" books.

[han]

You will find friendship when you least expect it.

Learn Chinese!

[vuroth]

Thanks for the feedback.

I took stayman then 3♣ as game force, while my partner disagreed. Something for us to discuss, for sure.

One of the big questions I had was whether attacking clubs was a valid approach. Maybe it's only right if RHO doesn't double the 2♣ bid, I don't know.

As it happened, LHO had the club jack singleton and never led it.

The ten of spades wa won by LHO, who returned a club to RHO's king. A diamond return put me in great shape, but I miscounted, thinking I had 9 without the spade finesse.

If nothing else, this hand was probably a good lesson for staying calm even when things seem difficult/hopeless. The opponents stopped in 2NT and made, so pulling off 3NT would have been a huge swing.

Thanks, folks.

V