[robl]

Greetings!

I kibbitzed a strong? team match a couple of weeks ago. Stars and experts at both tables. One board was a push. Both tables bid the same small slam.
The contract is cold if you get four tricks in a side suit (entrances is not a problem):

AJ982 - K63

Both declarers played the 2 to the K and went one off when the suit split 4-1 and QTxx in the "wrong" position. Were they playing for a overtrick because of short match (8-boards) thinking that every imp counts or what?

/Robert

[Trpltrbl]

All I will say is that if they don't recognize a 96% winning line, then there was something wrong with them. We all make mistakes but this is a horrible one. The chance of taking all tricks is only 40%, so you taking a 56% risk of going down. Not good.
You start with playing the Ace, and then you play the 9 and if not covered you duck it out. Covers all situations.

Mike

P.S. This goes back a long way, before you were here on BBO forums.
But I have always said, and will for a long time, that there are very many stars and other so-called worldclass/ expert players out there that are just hopeless. They make their contracts when suits split 3-2 and 3-3 and so on. But How you recognize a player who actually really is good, is one that makes safety plays, to insure his contract is save above anything.

[Flame]

You show us only this suit, but most of the time ,the right play depend on alot more then one suit.

[robl]

Flame, on Apr 25 2004, 12:56 AM, said:

You show us only this suit, but most of the time ,the right play depend on alot more then one suit.

Sorry if wasn't clear enough:

x
KJxx
K62
AJTxx


AKQT9xx
--
AJ983
x

6Sp, uncontested bidding, lead small trump (breaks 3-2)

/Robert

[Flame]

Well you are right, its almost all about the diamond suit.
The line they took lose only to Q10XX on west,to the line of playing A and then runing the 9.
on the other hand thier line win if west got a void and your line doesnt.
with the good chances of an overtrick + the rare chances of a squeze (maybe need a mistake of diffence) + the 5-0 maybe they went for that line.
In real i wouldnt be surprise if they just didnt see the other line, they could be good but i can tell you that some players arent too good with suit safty play especially when its on the table and not in the book (or the forum) and i am in this group.

[inquiry]

First question, which is relative I guess, was this a barometer game and this was the last hand and it was tied? In which case, I very well MIGHT NOT take the safety play. In all other cases, yes, I would play safe for the slam.

Since mike didn't post the correct play, I will tell... Win ♦A, then lead the ♦9 or 8. If West plays low, let it "ride". If West shows out, win the ♦K and then lead a ♦ towards the ♦J.

One reason to play IMPS is so you can show your skill... every matchpoint player would play the way they did at the table you watched. I suspect you were watching a bunch of very experienced matchpoint players who played by habit, rather using their skills. Alas, we all make mistakes.

Ben

[mishovnbg]

Mike, most of star players are very good players. It is Fred's right to give star also to some managers and mentors, who helps to our beloved game and to BBO too. And I really don't think that star make you life in BBO more entertaining, at least imho. Mistakes are unavoidable for any level of play, the main question is can you win despite them .
Misho

[Trpltrbl]

inquiry, on Apr 24 2004, 10:22 PM, said:

Since mike didn't post the correct play, I will tell... Win ♦A, then lead the ♦9 or 8. If West plays low, let it "ride". If West shows out, win the ♦K and then lead a ♦ towards the ♦J.

Ben

I did post the correct play. It's obvious that if, when I play the 9/8 of D and they show out, I win the K and play towards the jack.
Do I really have to spell everything out ?
Thought this was the expert forum......

Mike

[slothy]

OUCH MIKE....

can feel the acid oozing already.....

hee hee

FWIW seems a/the classic safety play you suggested but, of course, you noticed it instantly


Dont get aggressive with me now )

PS Your spelling is perfect, needless to say..

[Fluffy]

I am the first to think there are too much 'experts' and 'class' players that shouldn´t be there, but also there is a problem with online bridge: most of the time you just play for fun and play & play as quickly as possible, ok, maybe this one is a too obvious safety play, but still maybe they just burned their sandwichs or were taking care of their childs .

[Flame]

Fluffy, on Apr 26 2004, 08:33 AM, said:

maybe this one is a too obvious safety play

I know many good players who doesnt know those ovious saftly plays, i include myself in this group, to make this play i had to think , i never saw this combination before, and i might have overlooked this in real game.
Its just what you were thought to believe is importent.
I dont think a suit safty play is that importent, its cool when the right hand comes up, but its very rare that the all hand depend on this play, many time you can play a safty in a suit but take a chance of getting a ruff in another suit, and of those hand that are suited for safty only in few the safty will help.

[Trpltrbl]

slothy, on Apr 25 2004, 05:30 PM, said:

OUCH MIKE....

can feel the acid oozing already.....

hee hee

FWIW seems a/the classic safety play you suggested but, of course, you noticed it instantly


Dont get aggressive with me now )

PS Your spelling is perfect, needless to say..

Grrrrrr, of course I noticed it instantly But that's because I have seen this combo a few times before.
And I am sure there are some combo's out there, even I haven't seen, very doubtfull, but possible

Mike

[EarlPurple]

inquiry, on Apr 25 2004, 11:22 AM, said:

One reason to play IMPS is so you can show your skill... every matchpoint player would play the way they did at the table you watched. I suspect you were watching a bunch of very experienced matchpoint players who played by habit, rather using their skills. Alas, we all make mistakes.

Ben

Sorry I disagree with this comment - there is a lot of skill in matchpoints too. Even here you would have to assess whether, in matchpoints, you are better off making sure of the slam because not everyone will have bid it.

It doesn't take that long to learn basic safety plays like the one on this hand. The skill of the game goes much further than that.

If there is one thing I like about MP over other forms of the game, it is because every hand is pretty much equal, rather than the match resting on one or two big boards.

For example, here if spades had been 4-1 and the slam gone down, and if it had not been bid at the other table, then this board would cause a swing of 22 imps non-vulnerable and 26 vulnerable to what would be the situation if the suit did break favourably, enough to decide an 8-board match - luck based on one board.

[Trpltrbl]

EarlPurple, on Apr 26 2004, 11:40 AM, said:

inquiry, on Apr 25 2004, 11:22 AM, said:

One reason to play IMPS is so you can show your skill... every matchpoint player would play the way they did at the table you watched. I suspect you were watching a bunch of very experienced matchpoint players who played by habit, rather using their skills. Alas, we all make mistakes.

Ben

Sorry I disagree with this comment - there is a lot of skill in matchpoints too. Even here you would have to assess whether, in matchpoints, you are better off making sure of the slam because not everyone will have bid it.

I second that.
Everybody makes mistakes, but both starplayers on both tables.
That, I think, shows the level of a lot a starplayers on BBO.

Mike