[kenrexford]

Scoring: MP

1♣-1♠-X-2♠-all pass

---

Opening lead is top of small clubs to King. Opener switches to the heart 10, which wins. Opener then plays the heart King, which Responder overtakes (?) to lead another heart (?!?). At this point, Declarer has 10 tricks available. However, when the hand was actually played, Opener, who relayed the story, was tickled that Declarer only took 8 tricks. My immediate response was that this was quite unfortunate, as it seemed like Declarer was headed for down one.

What happened?

BTW, in retrospect, Opener thinks he could have made the actual play for 5 tricks more likely (remotely) by cashing two clubs before switching to the heart King and then heart 10. Of course, that line makes -1 virtually impossible.

Also, as a clue, Declarer was of course insane, but it was like a lot of insanity. The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Apr 8 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Also, as a clue, Declarer was of course insane, but it was like a lot of insanity. The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

Do you realize that every time you start a thread, you either start or end your opening post with a phrase like that? It's uncanny how consistent you are!

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Apr 8 2009, 02:49 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Apr 8 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Also, as a clue, Declarer was of course insane, but it was like a lot of insanity.  The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

Do you realize that every time you start a thread, you either start or end your opening post with a phrase like that? It's uncanny how consistent you are!

Well, maybe that is a good description of me. Somewhere on the border of brilliance and insanity.

BTW -- Just realized that I needed to add one slight card of info to give another clue.

[bid_em_up]

kenrexford, on Apr 8 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Opener, who relayed the story, was tickled that Declarer only took 8 tricks.

....

Also, as a clue, Declarer was, of course, insane, but it was like a lot of insanity.  The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

Are you sure you weren't declarer?

And, btw, how is declarer ever -1? The most he should ever lose is 2H and 2C.....no matter how poorly he plays. (In fact, how did he hold himself to only 8 tricks?)

[sireenb]

bid_em_up, on Apr 9 2009, 09:40 AM, said:

kenrexford, on Apr 8 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Opener, who relayed the story, was tickled that Declarer only took 8 tricks.

....

Also, as a clue, Declarer was, of course, insane, but it was like a lot of insanity.  The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

Are you sure you weren't declarer?

And, btw, how is declarer ever -1? The most he should ever lose is 2H and 2C.....no matter how poorly he plays. (In fact, how did he hold himself to only 8 tricks?)

Unnecessarily ruffed with K♠ promoting the 8 for the 5th trick? Still trying to figure out 1 down!

[kenrexford]

sireenb, on Apr 9 2009, 09:52 AM, said:

bid_em_up, on Apr 9 2009, 09:40 AM, said:

kenrexford, on Apr 8 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Opener, who relayed the story, was tickled that Declarer only took 8 tricks.

....

Also, as a clue, Declarer was, of course, insane, but it was like a lot of insanity.  The best insanity is real close to brilliance.

Are you sure you weren't declarer?

And, btw, how is declarer ever -1? The most he should ever lose is 2H and 2C.....no matter how poorly he plays. (In fact, how did he hold himself to only 8 tricks?)

Unnecessarily ruffed with K♠ promoting the 8 for the 5th trick? Still trying to figure out 1 down!

You are almost there. In fact, Declarer did ruff high, which does make the 8 grow up. However, consider Declarer's solution. Suppose he plays his LHO for the stiff 9 or 8 and leads the 10 now. When his RHO covers, the spades go 10-J-Q-9 or 10-J-Q-8. He could then cross to dummy to finesse against the 8 or 9, but that won't work, because RHO will have 9xx or 8xx left. Only one finesse is possible.

However, if Declarer's LHO has 98 doubleton, this works. 10-J-Q-8 or 10-J-Q-8 followed by the Ace dropping the remaining 9 or 8.

So, Declarer has a line.

If Declarer plays for that line and has conviction, his RHO can throw him for a lopp by ducking with Jxx. Declarer must be a believer and let the 10 float. Of course, this costs him little, as playing the 10 already cost the trick.

His alternative earlier was to just play for the J to be stiff, but that gains nothing, as the 98xx will then grow up.

So, if Declarer actually pops K, he may well have only one road to not losing a trump, namely playing his LHO for 98 tight. If the pop of the King happens, whether sane or not, a competent declarer, playing matchpoints, might come up with this line. Of course, this is silliness, but plausible.

In actual practice, Declarer did lead the 10 off dummy, which was per force not covered. But, had Declarer conviction, he might have let this float.

Had he done this, Declarer's LHO would win the J and lead his second club to partner, who then plays a third club, creating either an uppercut for his partner to get the 9 or for his own 8 to grow up. Either way, Declarer loses two clubs, two hearts, the spade Jack, and an uppercut.

If Declarer guesses to trump low, his LHO wins the spade 9 and can try another top heart. Declarer started with AQ7xx in trumps. After floating the 10, he was doen to AQ7x. After ruffing in with the 7 and being overruffed, he is down to AQx. When he ruffs the next heart, he is down to AQ tight. That's barely enough to finally pull trumps, so -1 seems to be the limit.