[kfay]

Local club might be instituting a monthly IMP pair game. Tonight was the trial run.

Here was a crucial hand from tonight.

Scoring: XIMP

(1♣)-P-(1♦)-3♥
Dbl-All Pass

---

Lefty leads the ♦K and continues with the J, Q, A ruff.

[CSGibson]

I would try Ace of hearts, Jack of hearts (if my opps were good players). I want lefty with his Qxx to think his partner might have the K. If I successfully steal a trick in hearts then I have options, all of which require some thought.

[y66]

I like that Jack of hearts idea. My instinct is to play LHO for Hx xxx AJx AQxxx. So, HA, HK, HJ, club. If LHO ducks, I'll ruff a diamond and throw him in with the CT.

[Hanoi5]

Isn't the x negative? If righty is the one with the Queen (he passed the double converting it into penalty) I should finesse.

[655321]

The first thing I would do is try to learn about the double.

Was it takeout? penalties? or just cards?

[kfay]

Sorry

Dbl is takeout

[CSGibson]

OK, so LHO probably has 4-2-2-5. He probably has AJTx in spades, ?x in hearts, KJ tight in diamonds, and A?xxx in clubs, since no lead looked more attractive than KJ in diamonds.

That leaves RHO with 1-3-7-2, stiff K, ?xx ATxxxxx, ?x

LHO probably has one Q, and RHO the other, since LHO failed to open 1N or 2N.

That's as far as I've gotten. I haven't decided whether to play LHO for Qx since he didn't lead trump and because righty didnt bid 3N on Qxx, but I'm leaning that way.

[joshs]

Do the opps play strong NT's or weak NTs? I really do not like the idea of playing RHO for passing the x holding 7 diamonds. If he has only 6, that leaves LHO with 4135 or 4234 or 3235 shape.

Since there was a D lead rather than a top spade, I think a likely construction is (note some of these are only possible if the opps play a weak NT):

AJxx
Qx
KJx
AQxx

or

AJxx
xx
KJx
AQxx

or

AJxx
x
KJx
AQxx

or
AJxx
Q
KJx
AQxx

(in any of the above could be KJxx in spades)

The general line I want to do is to induce a duck in clubs, ruf the D in hand, pull trumps, duck a spade to the stiff honor, and later exit in clubs endplaying LHO.

So I play AK of trumps, hope I get lucky (and pull trumps if I do), low club from hand, hope I get lucky and LHO ducks as I put in the J, ruff a D, play a low spade from hand, and claim

How did I do?

[kfay]

joshs, on May 29 2009, 01:29 PM, said:

AJ10x
Q
KJx
AQxxx

So I play AK of trumps, hope I get lucky (and pull trumps if I do), low club from hand, hope I get lucky and LHO ducks as I put in the J, ruff a D, play a low spade from hand, and claim

How did I do?

Bingo.

Actually after the start let's say LHO hops ♣A and leads his 3rd diamond he's still toast. Lose 2♠ a ♦ and a ♣.

Anyway you're +670 and won the inaugural IMP pairs by a few.

[y66]

Nice