[quiddity]

Scoring: IMP

2D X 3D X
P 4D P 4S
P P P

---

Here's a defense problem from New Orleans. Partner's 2♦ bid is a standard weak 2.

Partner leads the ♦8 (3rd from even, low from odd) to dummy's ace as you encourage. Declarer leads a heart to his K, partner playing the 3 (upside down count) and ruffs a diamond. Then he leads a heart to his Q, partner playing the 5, and ruffs the jack of diamonds. He plays the ♠Q, you duck, and it holds with partner playing the ♠9. He plays the ♠J and you win the ace as partner discards a diamond.

Scoring: IMP

2D X 3D X
P 4D P 4S
P P P

---

You're on lead, plan the defense.

[vuroth]

EDIT: Misread the problem.

[quiddity]

Declarer can't have started with 5 hearts, he was given a choice between the majors and chose to play in spades with K8xx.

[vuroth]

And partner can't have 4♥s, as he opened a weak 2 in first position, and has shown an even number of hearts.

[quiddity]

What did Sherlock Holmes say, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? I think it's impossible that declarer started with K8xx, KQJxx in the majors and chose to play in spades.

It's definitely not impossible that partner chose to open a weak 2 with 8xxx or even Jxxx in hearts.

[Phil]

vuroth, on Aug 10 2010, 09:43 AM, said:

And partner can't have 4♥s, as he opened a weak 2 in first position, and has shown an even number of hearts.

But the hearts would be Jxxx, which is hardly an impediment for many players.

[vuroth]

Declarer has showed up with K♠, KQ♥ and J♦. He needs the A♣ for his second bid, and I guess he's 4432.

So, in the endgame, declarer has

---

to be continued

[eyhung]

I kibitzed you defending this hand. My recollection was that your side was completely silent, which makes it easier to figure out the other two hands.

The auction was simply:

LHO RHO
-- 1♣
1♠ 2♠
3♠ 4♠
Pass

[quiddity]

No takers on this one? Ok, here's how I should have reasoned:

The diamond position is known: partner started with QT8xxx and declarer had Jxx. The spade position is known: declarer started with K8xx, partner with the singleton 9.

With either of the provided bidding sequences it is possible to work out the heart holdings. In the responsive double sequence, declarer showed the majors and then chose spades so he probably started with 3 hearts. In eyhung's sequence, declarer certainly cannot have 4 hearts (he would have responded 1H instead of 1S) and he probably didn't start with only 2 hearts since that would leave partner with 5-6 in the reds and partner didn't bid. So again he probably started with 3. This means he started with 3 clubs; he was 4=3=3=3.

In eyhung's sequence we know partner has the club ace because declarer would not just invite with 13 points. But either way we have to play partner for the ace, it's our only hope. We hope the position is:

---

and there is a guaranteed set. Cash the club king and lead a club to partner's bare ace. Partner will have to lead a diamond (forcing declarer) or a heart (which we can ruff) and we will score a trump either way.

Unfortunately at the table I was too lazy to work this all out. I saw that I needed partner to have the club ace so I led a low club. A club came back and that was the end; declarer ran clubs and I was trump couped by the ace of hearts.

[NickRW]

I think there is a simpler line of reasoning that is little less taxing on the brain cells.

1) P needs to have the ♣A or we're stuffed
2) We don't want the lead two tricks down the line

Ergo
3) Play ♣K

Nick

[bd71]

quiddity, on Aug 12 2010, 04:14 PM, said:

and there is a guaranteed set.  Cash the club king and lead a club to partner's bare ace.  Partner will have to lead a diamond (forcing declarer) or a heart (which we can ruff) and we will score a trump either way. 

Unfortunately at the table I was too lazy to work this all out.  I saw that I needed partner to have the club ace so I led a low club.  A club came back and that was the end; declarer ran clubs and I was trump couped by the ace of hearts.

So you had a foolproof set here...one that I wouldn't have seen and I think is pretty hard to see. But didn't partner miss an automatic diamond return after taking the A♣ that would set them anyway?

[quiddity]

bd71, on Aug 12 2010, 05:00 PM, said:

So you had a foolproof set here...one that I wouldn't have seen and I think is pretty hard to see. But didn't partner miss an automatic diamond return after taking the A♣ that would set them anyway?

Sure, but that's not my problem. :-)
I think there's value in taking measures to prevent partner from going wrong, if possible. Partner didn't see how returning a club could hurt. I'm not surprised since I didn't see it or think about it either. And I was the one holding the vulnerable trumps!

[eyhung]

NickRW, on Aug 12 2010, 02:41 PM, said:

I think there is a simpler line of reasoning that is little less taxing on the brain cells.

1) P needs to have the ♣A or we're stuffed
2) We don't want the lead two tricks down the line

Ergo
3) Play ♣K

Nick

Unfortunately, good defense usually requires taxing the brain cells. There's another important check you need to make. Playing the ♣K would be disastrous if partner had the singleton ♣A. Here is how I reasoned while watching quiddity defend the hand:

Declarer is known to have specifically K8xx of spades, the KQ of hearts, and specifically Jxx of diamonds, so 9 HCP so far. Given that he responded 1S and invited with 3S, he does not have the club ace, that would give him 13 HCP and would be inconsistent with his bidding.

What do we know about declarer's shape? Declarer is either 4531, 4432, 4333, or 4234. If declarer is 4531 or 4432. then he would have responded 1♥, not 1♠, to the opening bid. If declarer is 4234, partner is 1561 holding 9 Jxxxx QT8xxx A. Favorable, she would certainly have shown her two suits in some fashion over 1♠, so this is not a reasonable layout. Therefore declarer is 4333 without the club ace, and partner is 1462 (and partner probably did not open 2D because she did not like to do so with a 4-card major.) Therefore ♣K and a low club cannot cost and forces partner to do the right thing (return a red card).

[NickRW]

eyhung, on Aug 12 2010, 11:21 PM, said:

If declarer is 4234, partner is 1561 holding 9 Jxxxx QT8xxx A. Favorable, she would certainly have shown her two suits in some fashion over 1♠, so this is not a reasonable layout.

Yes, you're right. I must admit to being overly brief - I had already dismissed 1=5=6=1 as impossible.

Nick