[inquiry]

You double because you have surprise defense, and start with diamonds Ace and partner plays a discouraging 8 (udca). You cash the diamond king, and partner's six suggest three remaining diamonds as south drops the Q. What do you play to trick three, and why.

---

[BunnyGo]

Spoiler

If declarer has

Axxxxx, A, QT, Qxxx

then I have to lead a diamond now to take partner off the squeeze (assuming partner is good enough to have J9xx of clubs). As I don't see anything else that could be pressing, it's what I'd do.

[han]

If declarer has AQxxxxx x Q10 QJx then we better play a heart.

(of course declarer doesn't have that because Ben wouldn't have selected the hand.)

[han]

Bunny, in your construction partner has Qx xxx Jxxx J9xx, is that a 5H bid? Is Axxxxx A Q10 Qxxx a 5S bid?

Could declarer have AQxxxxx - Q10 Qxxx and squeeze partner after a non-diamond play? Then all hands are more in line with the bidding.

[han]

One more comment, what's this unexpected defense inquiry mentioned? Presumably the opponents weren't counting on taking the ace or king of diamonds. It may be unexpected to them that we have both and partner has neither, but is that a reason to double?

[gnasher]

han, on 2011-October-01, 15:19, said:

One more comment, what's this unexpected defense inquiry mentioned? Presumably the opponents weren't counting on taking the ace or king of diamonds. It may be unexpected to them that we have both and partner has neither, but is that a reason to double?

It's unexpected to partner. We also have unexpected extra offence. The two together make this a double.

[BunnyGo]

han, on 2011-October-01, 15:18, said:

Bunny, in your construction partner has Qx xxx Jxxx J9xx, is that a 5H bid? Is Axxxxx A Q10 Qxxx a 5S bid?

Could declarer have AQxxxxx - Q10 Qxxx and squeeze partner after a non-diamond play? Then all hands are more in line with the bidding.

You are correct that my construction isn't too likely. I do prefer yours better. I did not intend to suggest that mine was the only where a squeeze was possible, I was just offering one possible one.

Despite your construction where a heart shift is necessary, I find all the combination of all constructs where a diamond is crucial to be more likely (any where declarer has a first round control of hearts and not enough top club tricks).

Or I'm just saying this because it's a puzzle on a forum. I dunno. I do think that I'd lead a diamond at the table (right or wrong).

This post has been edited by BunnyGo: 2011-October-02, 00:49

[fawanna]

If S is telling the 'truth' as he discards, then the T♦ and Q♦ are all he held, then playing hearts is the obvious answer.

Why would S 'lie'? Possibly to dissuade W from leading another diamond to a void in E. The A♦ when lead revealed to S that the king wasn't in dummy but 3 small ones were. W's double and lead further suggests that W holds the K♦ and would probably lead it next. And quite possibly another♦ for the road. If W hasn't got the A♥ because S has it, S knows that this will make W reticent about leading a heart. It definitely gives more weight to the 5♠ bid. Even if S is void in ♥ it's the♦ that will bring him down and the T♦ Q♦ discard is all about discouraging the third ♦ lead.

[cloa513]

It doesn't matter what South plays. East is discouraging anyway assuming standard play.

[han]

gnasher, on 2011-October-01, 15:42, said:

It's unexpected to partner. We also have unexpected extra offence. The two together make this a double.

I am not disputing the double, I'm disputing the term unexpected defense. Usually this qualification is used when the cards are lying badly for declarer.

[awm]

I'd play a heart. If declarer is 6124, my choice of red suit at this trick doesn't really matter. If declarer is 7024, I may need to play a diamond to prevent a squeeze in the minors. If declarer is 7123, then I may need to play a heart to prevent a pitch on the fourth round of clubs. If partner has the ♣Q then probably none of this matters, so we can assume declarer has that card.

Both 7024 and 7123 seem like pretty reasonable 5♠ bids to me. There are a couple things that convince me to play a heart. First, consider partner's diamond plays. He seems to have discouraged the suit, then played another high diamond (he apparently has the 2, and played the 6). If he really needed me to play diamonds, he might've encouraged the suit. If he doesn't think he has a heart trick, he might've played the ♦2 at the second trick (a suit preference card, or to "trick" me about the count so I play another diamond and take him off the squeeze, if we play count as a secondary signal rather than suit preference). Partner's play suggests he may have a heart entry. Second, we have declarer's choice of opening. If declarer lacks the club jack this gives him some ten count (♠AQ, ♦QT-tight, ♣Q). He has enough shape that he certainly might open 1♠ on that hand, but the fewer points you give him the more likely it is that he might've selected 3♠ or 4♠ (we are, after all, assuming seven-card spades).

[hatchett]

awm, on 2011-October-02, 21:09, said:

I'd play a heart. If declarer is 6124, my choice of red suit at this trick doesn't really matter. If declarer is 7024, I may need to play a diamond to prevent a squeeze in the minors. If declarer is 7123, then I may need to play a heart to prevent a pitch on the fourth round of clubs. If partner has the ♣Q then probably none of this matters, so we can assume declarer has that card.

Both 7024 and 7123 seem like pretty reasonable 5♠ bids to me. There are a couple things that convince me to play a heart. First, consider partner's diamond plays. He seems to have discouraged the suit, then played another high diamond (he apparently has the 2, and played the 6). If he really needed me to play diamonds, he might've encouraged the suit. If he doesn't think he has a heart trick, he might've played the ♦2 at the second trick (a suit preference card, or to "trick" me about the count so I play another diamond and take him off the squeeze, if we play count as a secondary signal rather than suit preference). Partner's play suggests he may have a heart entry. Second, we have declarer's choice of opening. If declarer lacks the club jack this gives him some ten count (♠AQ, ♦QT-tight, ♣Q). He has enough shape that he certainly might open 1♠ on that hand, but the fewer points you give him the more likely it is that he might've selected 3♠ or 4♠ (we are, after all, assuming seven-card spades).

Shouldn't partner play the ♦J on the second round if he has the ♥A?

[gnasher]

Why am I thinking about this problem at trick three rather than at trick two? A heart switch earlier would have beaten it whenever it's beatable.

But maybe that's what Ben meant by "advanced, not expert".

[gnasher]

hatchett, on 2011-October-04, 01:54, said:

Shouldn't partner play the ♦J on the second round if he has the ♥A?

That would be rather expensive if declarer had a heart void and a club loser.

[hatchett]

gnasher, on 2011-October-04, 02:23, said:

That would be rather expensive if declarer had a heart void and a club loser.

Oh yes obviously it matters if declarer started with exactly AQTxxxxx - QT xxx
but that would mean east was looking at - Axxx J8xx Qxxxx and on a good
day he might work out there was no urgency for a ♥ switch.

[BunnyGo]

hatchett, on 2011-October-04, 03:59, said:

Oh yes obviously it matters if declarer started with exactly AQTxxxxx - QT xxx
but that would mean east was looking at - Axxx J8xx Qxxxx and on a good
day he might work out there was no urgency for a ♥ switch.

Or if he had AQxxxx - QT Qxxx

[gnasher]

hatchett, on 2011-October-04, 03:59, said:

Oh yes obviously it matters if declarer started with exactly AQTxxxxx - QT xxx
but that would mean east was looking at - Axxx J8xx Qxxxx and on a good
day he might work out there was no urgency for a ♥ switch.

So you think he should play ♦J to say he has no club guard, and therefore the defence's only hope is to try to cash a heart? That seems reasonable.

[Fluffy]

why can't declarer have 7132?

[gnasher]

Fluffy, on 2011-October-05, 14:25, said:

why can't declarer have 7132?

If declarer is 7132, he won't be playing ♦Q on the second diamond, so ♦J isn't a winner.