Beginners guide to suit combinations You voted for it, here it is.
#21
Posted 2004-October-18, 06:41
#22
Posted 2004-October-18, 07:09
xx1943, on Oct 17 2004, 05:35 AM, said:
To continue here a very common situation:
| #5a Lose only 1 trick! You have enough entries to dummy |
| #5b Lose only 1 trick! You are after the lead the first and last time in dummy |
Sincerly
Al
I merged the two threads... into one. Al, no "thead" is mine.. I started it because of the votes in the poll. IF more votes come in for another topic, I will start that, but if any wanted to start a Topic in the poll before then, I think we can all participate.
Now to your two problems. In case 14a.. low and finessee against the queen is clearly best to win four tricks when "sufficient entries exist to dummy".
In case 14b, you will not be able to make four tricks if Either hand has three cards to the AQx or all four cards. That leaves 2-2 splits and 3-1 with singlelton honor, let's lit hose.
1) WEST-A EAST Qxx
2) WEST -Q EAST -Axx
3) WEST Axx East -Q
4) West Qxx EAST- A
5) WEST Qx EAST Ax
6) WEST Ax EAST Qx
7) WEST xx EAST AQ
8) West AQ EAST xx
Of these, the ones in red will lose two tricks if you are in dummy for the last time. So they can be eliminated from consideration. The two lines of play are low towards the KJ and if EAST plays low, play either the JACK or the KING. Let's examine the outcome in the remaining five cases.....
When you lead low in case 3 and 7, your problem is solved and both lines (low to jack and low to king) become the same. So those two hands can be eliminated from consideration in choosing between the two lines. This leaves...
2) WEST -Q EAST -Axx
5) WEST Qx EAST Ax
6) WEST Ax EAST Qx
Without getting too technical, the odds of WEST holding Ax (ending 6) are exactly the same as the odds of WEST holding Qx (ending 5). So when in ending six, low to the JACK works, and in ending 5 low to the king works. The odds of these are the same... But what line works best here? Ah yes, low to the King. When the queen falls you safely knock out the ACE. See why this doesn't work if WEST has the singleong ace? You can duck one, but then you have to lead from your hand and EAST will score his queen after all...
For those interested, the odds of winning all but one trick with low to the JACK is 26.6%, and with low to the king 32.8... the difference being the exact odds of a singleton Queen in west hand (6.2%)... but YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT ODDS to work out which line is better...
Ben
#23
Posted 2004-October-18, 07:21
Free, on Oct 18 2004, 08:41 AM, said:
err.. free are you sure about half your statement? When the nine wins (north having QTxx), you have your three tricks.. the 9 and then the AK. I think what you meant to say, is that it loses to north holding Q87x and south stiff TEN...
But if leading low to the NINE is wrong? What is the right line? Well, I think I may have a good guess... hidden below....
#24
Posted 2004-October-18, 07:39
I estimated 76% based upon the same reason why playing for the drop of the king in missing two cards in a suit is not 50%, but rather 26%. This extra 1% is based upon the principle of vacant space.. too complicated for a beginner thead...but, using odds tabled, I looked this up. The double hook here has a 76.26% chance of winning three tricks in the suit. Now, if you want to estimate that as 75% that is fine... I don't see a big difference one way or the other. I would never calculate it out at the table.. i just add a tad for vacant space and move on.. 75, 76 no biggie.... Table feel is worth a lot more than this 1% difference anyway.
Ben
#25
Posted 2004-October-18, 08:30
Arend
#26
Posted 2004-October-18, 08:38
cherdano, on Oct 18 2004, 10:30 AM, said:
Arend
GACK.... TYpo.. I know this is 76... must have gotten my big fat fingers on the wrong keys.. shifting to the right and typed 87... DARN-0... As you tell from reading my post, typing is not my specialty, and doing so on a laptop with tiny little print (so I can't easily read what I type) and small keypad.... well, you see the problem... I "knew" what percentage I wrote and didn't even read the quoted section you sent back... .:-(
I have fixed my earlier post....
Ben
#27
Posted 2004-October-18, 08:50
Thanks
jillybean
(still learning)
#28
Posted 2004-October-18, 09:15
jillybean2, on Oct 18 2004, 10:50 AM, said:
Thanks
jillybean
Take your mouse. Press down the left mouse button, and keep it pressed down.. Then drag the cursor over the hidden text... Walla, all will be revealed.. Or you can mix some lemon juice in water with a little sugar, and smear it over your screen (actualy better to drink it)....
#29
Posted 2004-October-18, 10:29
sceptic, on Oct 17 2004, 06:41 AM, said:
A
A
A
Please note I will be answering these myself before I check them out in books, as they represent the sort of hand I have probs with
A.) A low to the ten... If suit is 3-3 you lose 2. If it is 4-2, you got to hope WEST has doubleton Kx, Qx, or Jx, or EAST has KQ, KJ or QJ doubleleton.. But the pickup is when WEST has Hx doubleton
B,) How many tricks do you need? If you need six, you have to play Queen and hope to catch RHO with Kx doubleton. IF you need only five, it is better to play the ACE and lead up to the QJ... (sort of similar to QJxx opposite Axxx)
C,) Play small from dummy first, then ACE-QUEEN-JACK in future
D.) Play low the first time. If neither KQof J is played, play lwo the second time. IF someone wins K, Q, or J on first round, lead out the ACE on the second round.
Ben
#30
Posted 2004-October-18, 10:52
West North East South
- - Pass 1♥
2♦ 2♥ Pass 4♥
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead DIAMOND KING
Quite a few people, after winning first trick in dummy lead a black card, sealing their fate. Count your tricks, 2S, 2C, 1D, and if diamonds don't split 3-3, you can ruff your fouth one in the dummy. That comes to 6 tricks... So you need four hearts in your hand.
Soooo many declarers went wrong. I wonder how many had studied card combinations and discovered the "correct" way to play suits like this is low the JACK? That is correct only if you another entry or two to north. This is why I said earlier, you have to take other things into consideration. I am sure some of those that went down thought that they handled the card combination correctly.
Ben
#31
Posted 2004-October-18, 11:01
inquiry, on Oct 18 2004, 03:21 PM, said:
Free, on Oct 18 2004, 08:41 AM, said:
err.. free are you sure about half your statement? When the nine wins (north having QTxx), you have your three tricks.. the 9 and then the AK. I think what you meant to say, is that it loses to north holding Q87x and south stiff TEN...
Hi Free, hi Ben,
if South has the stiff 10, this comes down in the first trick and falls under the K. Now 3 tricks are no problem, by leading towards the 9.
Sry I forgot to say. Certainly go up with the K, if North shows out at the second round.
Your hidden solution is 100% mines, Ben. I only forgot to mentions the "obvious" cases, where someone shows out.
Al
♠♥♠ BAD bidding may be succesful due to excellent play, but not vice versa. ♦♣♦
Teaching in the BIL TUE 8:00am CET.
Lessons available. For INFO look here: Play bridge with Al
#32
Posted 2004-October-18, 11:20
#33
Posted 2004-October-19, 09:11
Does anyone have a solution for removing lemon juice and sugar from a plasma screen?
Thanks.
(still learning)
#34
Posted 2004-October-19, 09:16
xx1943, on Oct 18 2004, 01:01 PM, said:
if South has the stiff 10, this comes down in the first trick and falls under the K. Now 3 tricks are no problem, by leading towards the 9.
Sry I forgot to say. Certainly go up with the K, if North shows out at the second round.
Your hidden solution is 100% mines, Ben. I only forgot to mentions the "obvious" cases, where someone shows out.
Al
Sorry Al, I read Free's response and took a very quick read with highlight text and didn't catch you said cash king first.. I see it is in there, and yes, your solution is my solution. So of course, we are both right, or both wrong. This time I am going to guess we are both right...
#35
Posted 2004-October-19, 09:38
#36
Posted 2004-October-19, 10:38
20b/. Play 3 to finese the 10, cover if J played by LHO
21a/. 3 to the 9 ? (that is a pure guess) lol
21b/.same again (another guees who has no idea)
#37
Posted 2004-October-20, 10:18
#38
Posted 2004-October-20, 17:39
jillybean2, on Oct 19 2004, 05:11 PM, said:
Does anyone have a solution for removing lemon juice and sugar from a plasma screen?
Thanks.
well jilly, i asked my wife... she started saying things like "how'd she get that on the screen?" and "what is that, lemonade?"
a lesser man than i would have given up, but i persisted... so she finally said, "turn it off, let it sit, use a little soapy water then windex"
i have no earthly idea if that's a good idea or not... excuse me, she's calling.. she probably wants some lemonade
#39
Posted 2004-October-21, 04:26
inquiry, on Oct 19 2004, 04:16 PM, said:
xx1943, on Oct 18 2004, 01:01 PM, said:
if South has the stiff 10, this comes down in the first trick and falls under the K. Now 3 tricks are no problem, by leading towards the 9.
Sry I forgot to say. Certainly go up with the K, if North shows out at the second round.
Your hidden solution is 100% mines, Ben. I only forgot to mentions the "obvious" cases, where someone shows out.
Al
Sorry Al, I read Free's response and took a very quick read with highlight text and didn't catch you said cash king first.. I see it is in there, and yes, your solution is my solution. So of course, we are both right, or both wrong. This time I am going to guess we are both right...
Yeah, I guess you're both right. However, I've always known another sollution, with about the same result :
#40
Posted 2004-October-21, 08:16
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
If you need three tricks, correct play is win the ace and lead towards the queen, playing the queen if north plays low
A