[Simplicity]

Scoring: IMP

EW bid:
P-2♦*
2♥-2NT*
3NT-P

*multi 19/20 bal

---

This one isn't so much of an assign the blame but NS conspired to make declarers life rather easy:

T1:♥3,9,6,8
T2:♣3,A,2,8
T3:♥7,K,4,T
T4: Oh i have 9 tricks ♣K ...

At trick 1 North didn't want to gift declarer a trick needlessly when he held Kx, while at trick 3 South felt that if he rose with the ace and showed his 5 card suit, the ♣K was sure to be cashed - declarer wouldn't finesse into the danger hand. Any crimes here?

If it matters to you the opposition are unknowns in a one day swiss.

[akhare]

[deleted] -- read post wrong

[jdonn]

Wouldn't north's first card be count if he can't (or in this case rightfully chooses not to) beat dummy's card? There is also north going up with the ace of clubs which I can't see a good reason for. So depending what carding they play, north gets some or all of the blame, and south gets none or some of the blame.

[andy_h]

North, for rising with the ace of clubs. I'd feel pretty sick if partner had stiff ♣Q. If the case for rising with the ♣A was to keep South's club entry intact for the hearts, ducking works just as good when South knows how the heart is distributed (assuming North gave count on the 1st trick) as it will beat the contract when south has ♥Kxxxx or ♥Axxxx. But ducking caters for partner having ♣Q rather than king.

[Fluffy]

raising with ♣A i sthe key if partner has ♣K

[pooltuna]

Fluffy, on Sep 29 2009, 08:05 AM, said:

raising with ♣A i sthe key if partner has ♣K

That is true but you have to consider as well
19+6 +9=34 so the K♣ and the A♥ will be hard for partner to hold notwithstanding upgrade arguments

[Fluffy]

pooltuna, on Sep 29 2009, 01:31 PM, said:

Fluffy, on Sep 29 2009, 08:05 AM, said:

raising with ♣A i sthe key if partner has ♣K

That is true but you have to consider as well
19+6 +9=34 so the K♣ and the A♥ will be hard for partner to hold notwithstanding upgrade arguments

you can give him ♥K ♣K as well.

[andy_h]

Rising ♣A is playing for declarer to have exactly Kxx Kx AKQJx Q10x and that would be playing for 2 off.

[andy_h]

Fluffy, on Sep 30 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

pooltuna, on Sep 29 2009, 01:31 PM, said:

Fluffy, on Sep 29 2009, 08:05 AM, said:

raising with ♣A i sthe key if partner has ♣K

That is true but you have to consider as well
19+6 +9=34 so the K♣ and the A♥ will be hard for partner to hold notwithstanding upgrade arguments

you can give him ♥K ♣K as well.

If South has that then it doesn't matter who wins the first club because if South wins it first he can play back a heart to now declarer's blank ♥A.

[pooltuna]

Fluffy, on Sep 29 2009, 09:03 AM, said:

pooltuna, on Sep 29 2009, 01:31 PM, said:

Fluffy, on Sep 29 2009, 08:05 AM, said:

raising with ♣A i sthe key if partner has ♣K

That is true but you have to consider as well
19+6 +9=34 so the K♣ and the A♥ will be hard for partner to hold notwithstanding upgrade arguments

you can give him ♥K ♣K as well.

If you believe that why didn't you put up the ♥Q at trick 1?

[Fluffy]

why cover 1 case when I can cover 2?

[Simplicity]

I was North on this one.

At the table I hopped the ♣A as I was worried that if South held ♣Q and took this trick he would be faced with giving declarer his ninth trick in ♥'s or blocking the suit - say declarer has Axx Kx AKQJx KTx.

[jdonn]

Simplicity, on Sep 30 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

I was North on this one.

At the table I hopped the ♣A as I was worried that if South held ♣Q and took this trick he would be faced with giving declarer his ninth trick in ♥'s or blocking the suit - say declarer has Axx Kx AKQJx KTx.

I agree with you. You can pay off to stiff queen of clubs and otherwise not lose (if south wanted to finesse for the queen before he can still do so). However I don't think my point about the carding was addressed, that your first card should be count which would make untangling the hearts easy. What kind of count do you play?

[Simplicity]

jdonn, on Sep 30 2009, 11:01 AM, said:

Simplicity, on Sep 30 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

I was North on this one.

At the table I hopped the ♣A as I was worried that if South held ♣Q and took this trick he would be faced with giving declarer his ninth trick in ♥'s or blocking the suit - say declarer has Axx Kx AKQJx KTx.

I agree with you. You can pay off to stiff queen of clubs and otherwise not lose (if south wanted to finesse for the queen before he can still do so). However I don't think my point about the carding was addressed, that your first card should be count which would make untangling the hearts easy. What kind of count do you play?

My first card was indeed standard count so South should have beeen able to devine the position. I think at trick 3 he just thought if i duck maybe declarer wont know what's going on in the hearts and that i have 5, so he'll finesse into my now stiff ♣Q

[andy_h]

Simplicity, on Oct 1 2009, 02:57 AM, said:

I was North on this one.

At the table I hopped the ♣A as I was worried that if South held ♣Q and took this trick he would be faced with giving declarer his ninth trick in ♥'s or blocking the suit - say declarer has Axx Kx AKQJx KTx.

If declarer had that hand (presumably ♠A was K) then rising with ♣A already gives him the club as his 9th trick.