[quiddity]

Scoring: MP

E  S  W  N
---------------
1♣ P 1♥ 2N
P 3♠ P P
X P P P

---

Lead: C3

Here's a hand I butchered in a recent sectional. How would you play it?

[PFormaini]

I would definitely NOT ruff the opening lead. I would discard a heart from dummy and, depending on the return, play EAST for the spade KING and the diamond KING as well.

I would hope for elopement of my lower trumps and attempt to place his K 10 x x of spades between my trumpo holdings, using the diamonds as potential winners/trump extractors.

[655321]

PFormaini, on May 21 2009, 08:05 PM, said:

I would definitely NOT ruff the opening lead. I would discard a heart from dummy and, depending on the return, play EAST for the spade KING and the diamond KING as well.

I would hope for elopement of my lower trumps and attempt to place his K 10 x x of spades between my trumpo holdings, using the diamonds as potential winners/trump extractors.

CayugaGuy?

[PFormaini]

Who?

[mtvesuvius]

PFormaini, on May 21 2009, 08:44 PM, said:

Who?

Him

[PFormaini]

No idea who he is.

Can we get some feedback on the play problem?

[jonottawa]

quiddity, on May 22 2009, 12:32 AM, said:

Here's a hand I butchered in a recent sectional. How would you play it?

Slowly.

[PFormaini]

jon:

No fair being rational!

[jonottawa]

I don't see the pitch doing a whole lot of good. Either the ♥ is onside and your 2nd ♥ isn't a loser, or the ♥ is offside and they can tap you in ♥. Maybe I'm missing something...

I ruff and play a low ♠

Am I down yet?

[PFormaini]

jon:

If you ruff and East has K 10 x x, you are dead.

But if you DISCARD a heart loser, you lose nothing (since you were never going to lose 2 heart tricks in any event, East not being able to obtain the lead in time to lead through your King) and you get to maintain your trump position over East in full. So East takes the Club K and leads a heart. If West has the heart Ace, he gets a heart - but only 1 heart. And if East has the Heart Ace, not only do you have a full stopper - but that makes West far more likely to hold the Diamond King.

IN either case the opponents get 3 tricks outside the trump suit - and you can later lead a spade to the Jack - hopefully pulling West's lone middle spade - and putting East in the middle of your trump position AND slew of good diamonds.

If you RUFF the first trick, East not only has trump parity with you - but can now LEAD CLUBS WITH IMPUNITY - since he retains both high honors and does not risk establishing any clubs in your hand.

The East hand I am playing for:

♠K 10 x x
♥A x x
♦x x
♣A K x x

OR

♠K 10 x x
♥Q J x
♦K x
♣A K x x

East can take (under my defense) 1 CLUB, 1 DIAMOND (2nd example), 1 HEART - and 1 SPADE. Making 3.

Notice that if you RUFF at trick one and lead a trump, East can win and lead another club - and he now holds more trumps than you do and controls the defense.

and if East has all 5 trumps, declining to ruff at trick one has to save at least 1 undertrick eventually - since you keep the trump position fluid and restrictive - and can work to make your trumps separately.

[jonottawa]

PFormaini, on May 22 2009, 03:24 AM, said:

The East hand I am playing for:

♠K 10 x x
♥A x x
♦x x
♣A K x x

OR

♠K 10 x x
♥Q J x
♦K x
♣A K x x

You aren't making this against the 2nd example. But presumably that's a 1NT opener anyway ...

[PFormaini]

jon:

Would depend on whether they are playing weak or strong NT, no?

Anyway - the second hand is a formidable. I agree. But if East has the ♥ A, he isn;t gonna defeat this contract as long as you maintain your trump position while extracting West's lone trump.

Would be interesting to see what the actual layout was from the original poster.

[gnasher]

PFormaini, on May 22 2009, 04:24 AM, said:

The East hand I am playing for:

♠K 10 x x
♥A x x
♦x x
♣A K x x

If he has this hand, ruffing at trick one works: ruff the lead, spade to the queen, diamond finesse, ♦A, diamond ruff, spade to the ace, claim nine tricks.

Or, if he rises with ♠K to play another club, ruff it and play a heart up. If he wins and forces me again, I have five side-suit winners to go with dummy's four trumps. If he plays ♥A and another heart, take a diamond finesse, then play ♦A, diamond; if he ruffs I can overruff, draw trumps and make an overtrick, but if he discards I have nine tricks on a crossruff.

[PFormaini]

gnasher:

Um......On your 3rd diamond (which is a LOSER, not a WINNER, since his partner still has the King) East discards his last small heart. Now, when you ruff either a club or your heart to get back to dummy, East has more trumps than you do.

You do not get to cash anywhere near '5 side-suit winners' - nor come anywhere near 'drawing trumps'.

[gnasher]

PFormaini, on May 22 2009, 05:17 PM, said:

gnasher:

Um......On your 3rd diamond (which is a LOSER, not a WINNER, since his partner still has the King)  East discards his last small heart. Now, when you ruff either a club or your heart to get back to dummy, East has more trumps than you do.

You do not get to cash anywhere near '5 side-suit winners' - nor come anywhere near 'drawing trumps'.

I misstated one of the variations, but I think you're also mixing up two variations. Here they are again, corrected and, I hope, more clear:

1) East plays low on the first spade. ♠Q, ♦ finesse, ♦A, ♦ ruff, spade to the ace, winning diamonds.

(2) East plays ♠K on the first spade, and then plays a top club. Ruff and play a heart, then:

(2a) East wins and plays another top club (setting up ♣QJ). Ruff, ♥K, ♣Q, ♦ finesse, cash a diamond (East following throughout). Ruff a diamond with ♠Q. That's four side-suit winners, four trumps in dummy, and one ruff in hand.

(2b) East wins and plays another heart (or plays low and lets me win ♥K). ♦ finesse, ♦A, and
(2b1) If he ruffs, overruff and draw trumps
(2b2) If he doesn't ruff, ruff low and crossruff

[PFormaini]

gnasher:

Thanks for the clarification! Looks good.