[Walddk]

Scoring: IMP

S: 3NT
Lead: H4

---

JEC-match yesterday. Sadly, quite a few of the hundreds of specs don't pay attention to the bidding and play. They are busy with all kinds of non-bridge issues, thereby polluting the chat area with rubbish.

Those who did focus on this deal commented (not sure how many had a chance to see it), but they got it wrong because they missed the point. Can you do better?

South opens a strong NT, West overcalls 2♣ for the majors, East gets the chance to bid hearts, and eventually you end up as declarer in 3NT. West leads ♥4 to the jack and queen. Plan the play.

Roland

[gnasher]

The problem is the diamond blockage. If they're 2-2 or singleton jack, I'm OK, but Jxx in East causes me problems.

I could exit with a heart, hoping that they'll cash another one so that I can discard a diamond. However, this ploy is fairly well known, so against very good players it may not work.

If LHO has ♣10x in a 5512 shape, I can make three club tricks to go with four diamonds and one in each major.

I'd like to be able to deal with KQJx AJxxx x 10xx, but I can't see how. I could cash four diamonds, taking the club finesse when I'm in dummy, but on the last one he just bares his ♣10.

[Free]

The problem is the blockage in ♦. I'd lead a ♦ to the K. If nothing special happens, I'd run ♣Q (if they cover we have our entry) because we need this finesse to work anyway. If the ♣Q holds as I expect, I'd finesse ♦T.

[Walddk]

gnasher, on Nov 6 2009, 11:39 AM, said:

I could exit with a heart, hoping that they'll cash another one so that I can discard a diamond. However, this ploy is fairly well known, so against very good players it may not work.

... or even worse if hearts are 6-4. Then they might have a plan

[miguelm]

Smal Diam. to the King and then finesse the Jack, cash the Ace and you are home

[Walddk]

miguelm, on Nov 6 2009, 02:12 PM, said:

Smal  Diam. to the King and then finesse the Jack, cash the Ace and you are home

Provided that ♣K is onside, yes. Taking the finesse is no doubt with the odds after LHO has shown at least nine cards in the majors. However, I think you are a little too hasty. I also missed an interesting point at first glance.

Roland

[miguelm]

I guess teh Club finesse must work to make this, right?
Well, the only thing I can think of is to play Club Queen after making the first Diam. in dummy (providing both oppos had Diams.).
If RHO doesn't cover I let it ride and hopefully make, then proceed as written before.
If he covers, then I don't have to risk the Diam. finesse coz' I have managed an extra entry to dummy.

[Phil]

gnasher, on Nov 6 2009, 04:39 AM, said:

The problem is the diamond blockage. If they're 2-2 or singleton jack, I'm OK, but Jxx in East causes me problems.

I could exit with a heart, hoping that they'll cash another one so that I can discard a diamond. However, this ploy is fairly well known, so against very good players it may not work.

If LHO has ♣10x in a 5512 shape, I can make three club tricks to go with four diamonds and one in each major.

I'd like to be able to deal with KQJx AJxxx x 10xx, but I can't see how. I could cash four diamonds, taking the club finesse when I'm in dummy, but on the last one he just bares his ♣10.

Agree with most of Gnasher's, except...

2-2, 4-0 or a J alone diamonds and a club finesse give me nine. So I'll start with a diamond to the King. If both follow, I will run club Q. I can actually make FOUR club tricks if LHO has 10-8 or 10-7, and I have the entries to try this.

If no 8/7 drops on the first round, I will continue with the ♣J. I can still make 9 if 10-x drops and I can make 3 clubs, 4 diamonds and two in the majors, in spite of the diamond blockage.

If diamonds are 3-1 and no ♣10 falls, then I have to try the heart exit, but its obvious that if the opponents so much as cash a 2nd heart, I can jettison my blocking diamond from hand. Obviously I have to hope for hearts 5-5.

If the crafty opponents shift to a spade, I'm probably toast, since if I duck it I'm looking at 5 losers.

By the way, I agree with the verbal vomit that occurs in these matches. However, there are occasional tidbits of wisdom that come from a few specs which make it more interesting to watch. If the blather gets to be too much, I just liberally use the ♣ function.

[dellache]

I didn't really fancy Phil's line after the Q♣ scores : trying to crash the initial 10x♣ instead of taking a simple Diamond finesse is an improvement mainly if LHO has 4522, with specifically Jx 10y in the minors. As you already have seen the x and y, this is much less likely than the remaining bunch of 4612 and 4513 that remain after you score the ♣Q. If the ♣10 idea fails, as they need a 5th trick, I don't think strong oppos will offer me the unblocking play before playing a single round of Spades, but what do I know ? Maybe Phil is right afterall. Mmmm... not if the Hearts are 6-4 at any rate .

What I thought was the point to this hand, was the need of taking the Club finesse just after the 1st Diamond, and just before taking the Diamond finesse. Why ? :
1. the main idea is to avoid a second undertrick if Hearts are 5-5, with the offside King. They will cash 5 tricks only, and you do not need the Diamond manoeuver anymore. If OTOH West has bot K♣ and J♦ (4522), you probably are going down 2 if you start with the diamonds ;
2. at first I thought that East would never cover the Q♣. But in reality, if East play the ♥Jack on the first round, and if he doesn't the ♣Ten, he may think about AQx AQ9 AJxx Txx, in which case ducking the ♣Q is fatal. Mmm but in turn this should NOT happen if they lead 4th best though, so this is probably a mirage.

Oh well, anyway my play is ♦to King, ♣Q, ♦ to Ten, BANZAI !!

[pooltuna]

Walddk, on Nov 6 2009, 04:05 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

S: 3NT
Lead: H4

---

JEC-match yesterday. Sadly, quite a few of the hundreds of specs don't pay attention to the bidding and play. They are busy with all kinds of non-bridge issues, thereby polluting the chat area with rubbish.

Those who did focus on this deal commented (not sure how many had a chance to see it), but they got it wrong because they missed the point. Can you do better?

South opens a strong NT, West overcalls 2♣ for the majors, East gets the chance to bid hearts, and eventually you end up as declarer in 3NT. West leads ♥4 to the jack and queen. Plan the play.

Roland

test diamonds early if LHO has the 3 then play him for a stiff K♣ otherwise play him for for Tx♣ assuming I counted by tricks right

[Walddk]

♠ 10962
♥ 10
♦ KQ543
♣ QJ3

♠ A84
♥ KQ
♦ A1076
♣ A964

As many said, planning and timing are essential, and of course the ability to spot the dangers. In all likelihood you need five diamonds, two clubs and one trick in both majors, but ...

1. There is a risk that diamonds are blocked. If they are 2-2, no worries if you go for the drop. If East has Jxx, you need to finesse the 10.

2. As you need ♣K to be onside, you must take the finesse at trick 3 when you are in dummy after a diamond to the king. You may not need five diamond tricks after all!

West was dealt the singleton ♣10 in a 5-6-1-1 shape (stiff ♦9).

Roland