[mr1303]

Scoring: IMP

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Bidding proceeds:

(3C) X P 4D
P 4NT P 5D
P 7D all pass

LHO leads the Q of clubs.

What's the best line to make this? If it helps, LHO is a known Walrus.

[pooltuna]

mr1303, on Nov 8 2009, 12:45 PM, said:

Dealer: West Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠ AJx ♥ AKQ10 ♦ AKxxx ♣ x ♠ Qxx ♥ xx ♦ QJxxx ♣ Axx

Bidding proceeds:

(3C) X P 4D
P 4NT P 5D
P 7D all pass

LHO leads the Q of clubs.

What's the best line to make this? If it helps, LHO is a known Walrus.

there are 3 possible lines which in common win 5♦, A♣ and 2 ruffs the remaining tricks come from 1) a simple ♠ finesse 2) a ♥♠ squeeze where you test the ♥ first and use the T♥ as a simple show up squeeze on the West hand or 3) cash the ♠A and use the Q♠ as squeeze card without testing the ♥ first. I think the bidding indicates that the last one is the one that will succeed most often. A 3=0 ♦ break is a minor nuisance since you have to risk a ♣ ruff with a low trump

[Winstonm]

If you make the reasonable assumption that LHO holds 7 clubs, the only time he could guard hearts and spades would be 2407. If he follows to a single diamond, this is ruled out.

Therefore, I concur that cashing the spade ace and playing for a potential h/s squeeze against east is the better line.

[dellache]

I'm happy to be at these colours : if they were Vul and if they were playing Namyats, the Clubs could actually split 8-1. Here I don't think that a 8-1 club split together with a 3-0 trump split is at all likely. It means that I can ruff my clubs and count the minors in the process, without problems.

Will I be better placed to make a decision then ? I doubt it. The Vienna coup in Spades looks a better option than trying to drop the ♥J and fall back on a Spade finesse, unless West is known never to open 3♣ with less than 6HCP even at these colours.

Even if East shows up with a xx23 hand, meaning West is probably 3316, I would not hook the Spade : if he feels he can open with ThAt, why does he need the ♠K after all ?

This is really a kind of hand where knowing West's style is crucial.

[mr1303]

If you try drawing trumps in the process of ruffing clubs, you find out the following:

1) Trumps are 2-1 with West (the pre-emptor) having the singleton
2) RHO has Kx of clubs.

It is also very unlikely that LHO has 4 hearts, since on a previous board she has explained that she couldn't pre-empt having a side 4 card major.

She is also known to give count religiously (hence the comment about being a known Walrus).

However QJ10xxxx and out is probably an acceptable pre-empt at this vulnerability.

[jdonn]

I don't know what west being a walrus means I'm suppose to assume. But the worse my opponents the more likely I just take a spade finesse (after testing hearts). There are plenty of players, and the weaker they are the more likely this is, who won't open 3♣ on QJT of clubs and out.

I know for the first however many years I played bridge, I would have opened 3♣ on Kxx xx x QJTxxxx but passed on xxx xx x QJTxxxx.

[dellache]

mr1303, on Nov 8 2009, 08:32 PM, said:

If you try drawing trumps in the process of ruffing clubs, you find out the following:

1) Trumps are 2-1 with West (the pre-emptor) having the singleton
2) RHO has Kx of clubs.

It is also very unlikely that LHO has 4 hearts, since on a previous board she has explained that she couldn't pre-empt having a side 4 card major.

She is also known to give count religiously (hence the comment about being a known Walrus).

However QJ10xxxx and out is probably an acceptable pre-empt at this vulnerability.

Now I have extra chances .

I play the ♠Q. If she's a Walrus she will cover it, but if she doesn't have it and has a doubleton she will start an echo. Then I can Vienna coup my Spades, and my highest small spade rates to be higher than her remaining spade. Thus I can cumulate chances.

And anyway now, she looks to be the kind of player would not open with only 3HCP.

One even better line : do like me, refuse to play against walrus.

[mr1303]

Quote

do like me, refuse to play against walrus.

Not even The Hideous Hog does that!