[mtvesuvius]

Here is a hand from the Blue Ribbon Pairs(Spots Approximate):

Scoring: MP

I was South... With this auction: (1♣) - P - (1♥) - ?

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What would you do? And if you played the hand, what was the auction and final contract?

I'll give the full hand on Dec. 10th

[mike777]

I'll try 5d.

[han]

Ditto mike777.

[brianshark]

I'm tempted to walk the dog with 2♦.

[Rossoneri]

I have to admit that at the table I will probably punt 5♦, but a closer look at it reveals some problems:
1) How many ♣s will LHO have? the 4 small ♣s aren't looking very promising. Maybe if partner has AQ or KQ then will we get the 2 tricks required.

2) If partner has winners outside of ♣s, transportation might be a problem.

[jdonn]

Rossoneri, on Dec 4 2008, 08:04 PM, said:

2) If partner has winners outside of ♣s, transportation might be a problem.

It might be, but on the plus side we have 9 tricks no matter what the transportation looks like...

It's hard for me to seriously consider anything but 5♦ under normal circumstances.

[cherdano]

Rossoneri, on Dec 4 2008, 07:04 PM, said:

I have to admit that at the table I will probably punt 5♦, but a closer look at it reveals some problems:
1) How many ♣s will LHO have? the 4 small ♣s aren't looking very promising. Maybe if partner has AQ or KQ then will we get the 2 tricks required.

2) If partner has winners outside of ♣s, transportation might be a problem.

On the upside, I am rather confident 5♦ won't be more than two down.

[jdeegan]

A hesitant vote for 6♦. This is a pure tactical problem. Really hard to argue with the near consensus choice of 5♦ except that this is what everyone else will bid, so the issue to me is what are the odds that bidding the 6th diamond will improve my chances. Seems pretty good to me. Can't imagine walking the dog except versus very weak opponents - giving them extra chances to bid gives them extra chances to make mistakes.

[TylerE]

My thought is wether or not there is any merit in punting slam, perhaps even grand.

[the hog]

5D

[JanM]

In the "reports" department, Chip thinks that he bid 5♦, the opponents bid at the 5-level, Zia doubled them and they went down 1. But no guarantees (if you could identify the session and board number, I could tell you for sure).

[mike777]

Alert

I thought 5d old fashion, very old fashion, and I see many bid other.

[mtvesuvius]

JanM, on Dec 5 2008, 01:51 AM, said:

In the "reports" department, Chip thinks that he bid 5♦, the opponents bid at the 5-level, Zia doubled them and they went down 1. But no guarantees (if you could identify the session and board number, I could tell you for sure).

Jan, thanks for your input, I will try to find the hand and I'll get back to you on it... I think it was the Afternoon session of the 1st day of the Blue Ribbon pairs...

[DJNeill]

Hand 10 of
http://www.acbl.org/assets/documents/play/...ston/63664m.pdf

I got a low heart lead in 5D-X after (1C)-P-(1H)-5D;(X).

Thanks,
Dan

[JLOL]

TylerE, on Dec 4 2008, 09:50 PM, said:

My thought is wether or not there is any merit in punting slam, perhaps even grand.

LOL

[mtvesuvius]

DJNeill, on Dec 5 2008, 10:10 AM, said:

Hand 10 of
http://www.acbl.org/assets/documents/play/...ston/63664m.pdf

I got a low heart lead in 5D-X after (1C)-P-(1H)-5D;(X).

Thanks,
Dan

Thanks, Dan. I guess I was north (Unwillingly )


AJK

[mikl_plkcc]

3♦
9 tricks are all.

[manudude03]

5♦ for me, I'd consider it fortunate if I get 1 trick on defence, and just plain lucky if I get 2. If they have slam on, may as well make it difficult (and 5D X rates to be a good sac anyway if they don't). The only thing I'm worried about is missing 6 (hands with a singleton club, 3 card support and an Ace).

[mtvesuvius]

So! Thanks for all your thoughts. In practice I bid 5♦, and the auction proceeded: (8-10 Second Hesitation followed by a X) - P - (5♥) - P - (P) - X - All Pass... Sadly, 5♥ Made... The full deal (Spots approximate):

Scoring: MP

I changed the spots a bit, but this is with the details I now remembered from seeing the whole deal...

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AJK

[JanM]

Now that I've shown Chip the hand, he reports that the auction at his table was:
1♣-P-1♥-5♦
5♥-P-6♥-All pass

He then mentioned that 6♥ was actually cold (on a diamond lead, declarer ruffs, ducks a heart, wins the spade return, pulls trumps and overtakes the club K - because the 10-9 of clubs are tripleton, the clubs run; on a club lead, declarer wins the A, leads the J of hearts and whatever S does, he can clear the hearts before the A of spades is knocked out of the dummy and then cash clubs).

Zia didn't double, because DBL would have called for a club lead and from his hand it looked as if a club lead would be very bad for his side. Chip led a diamond and declarer got the hand slightly wrong, given the actual layout - cashed the club K, ducked a heart, won the spade and tried to cash clubs - Zia ruffed in on the 4th club, and eventually took a spade trick for -1.