mangosteen

I considered playing small to the K♣, but I have to say that small to the J♣ must be the better line, because if LHO manages to duck the A♣ seeing the AKQX♦ on dummy, that would surprise me a lot.

I was actually thinking something along this line for the cross ruff line. Win A♥, AKQ♦, discarding 2 clubs. Now, club ruff, heart ruff, club ruff, heart ruff. And my hand would be the one below now. [hv=pc=n&s=skqt8h6dc&n=shd8ckjt9]133|200[/hv] If the A club drops, I have the line as you describe above. And if not, I can play the club. If E follows, I have many alternative lines like ruffing 8♠, and hoping the J♠ drop in 2 rounds. Or even ruffing 10♠, cashing a round of spades, and if the 9♠ drop, play E for 4 cards spade suit by endplaying him with the last heart and finessing the forced spade return. If E shows out, I can overruff E and hope for the spades to be friendly. I'm sure that the percentages are not dismal when the possibilities stack together. But I can't really even get a close gauge of the percentage, especially when we need to consider so many suit breaks, and that the probabilities would theoretically increase due to more breaks being required.

[hv=pc=n&s=skqt832ha632d5c73&n=sa5h8dakq8ckjt952]133|200[/hv] How should one go about playing 6♠ on this hand after K♥ lead from West? On discussion with a friend, the 2 obvious lines were to either guess the clubs or discard the club on the diamonds and cross ruff. However, could I ask how one should approach calculating the probability of the x-ruff line? I'm having a lot of trouble piecing the break probabilities together to convince myself its better than the <50% that the clubs provide. (Need 3-2 spades) Edit - Noted that the full hand had the T♠, no idea why it was left out, my apologies.

[hv=pc=n&s=skhakt43djt8ca975&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=1sp2c(gf)2h2s4h4s]133|200[/hv] IMPs. Your bid?

Hey everyone, thanks for the contributions. When I was working this hand out on the table, my concern was if declarer could run off with 7 quick tricks when we had 7 if I did switch to a club and I just wanted to know what you guys thought. Anyways, for those interested, the actual hand is below, and switching or not would not have mattered either way. [hv=pc=n&s=skq6h65dq9cjt8654&w=st8hkqt8dj832cak9&n=sa9732h743dak6cq7&e=sj54haj92dt754c32&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp1n(12-14)ppp]399|300[/hv] What that did happen on my table was far less interesting, when I switched to the ♣6, declarer won, played hearts, and when partner got in with the ♠A, cashed AK♦ then switching to a club, letting the contract through. Should have just switched to a spade. >.<

[hv=pc=n&s=skq6h65dq9cjt8654&e=sj54haj92dt754c32&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp1nppp]266|200[/hv] You are south, Cross IMPs, 1NT 12-14, North leads the ♠3, 4th best. Small played from dummy and you win with the ♠Q when west plays the ♠8. What now?

No no, that was absolutely not what I mean at all, if that was the impression that I had given you I apologize, the auction was made without any hesitations or the sort. What I meant was simply that that was not a "normal" or commonplace bidding sequence, since it was basically bashed in.

[hv=pc=n&s=skt3hq943d5ck9852&w=sjhj752d832cat764&n=saq876542hdkqt64c&e=s9hakt86daj97cqj3&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=pp1s2h3hp6sppp]399|300[/hv] Encountered this in the Portland Pairs in the Young Chelsea in London today, and the bidding was the one stated as in the picture. Was very disappointed to note that it was cold. Any comments about the sequence and hand in general? I decided that X was basically pointless since it was either a good board or not. And the bidding was also direct, opponents don't seem to be worried about missing Aces. Is that a wrong line of thought? Also, any interesting methods to actually bid the slam legitimately? *Edit* Oh, I was west :). And it was MP. *Edited* Again to remove the word "dodgy", to not confuse anyone about what I meant

I do sincerely apologize. The diamond led was the 4♦, won by the ace. And small club was played, and I probably should have rotated the hands, and I apologize to not have done so. However, I wonder if small to the Q was correct for 4 tricks, and after discovering the bad break. What would be the best line of play from then on?

[hv=pc=n&s=sk862h65da7ckt542&n=sathat73dkq8cq863&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=p1np2cp2hp3nppp]266|200[/hv] Pairs. Small diamond lead. What is the best way to tackle the clubs? On the table, small was played to the Q with E showing out. How should the play go now?

Yes, X does look good to me...

It was IMPs Pairs, you are vul and opponents are non-vul.

Undiscussed with my partner, so my only GF was either 4H or 3D. If in doubt, natural :)

Partner's hand(Or rather, my hand): [hv=pc=n&s=sathakqt984dqt65c]133|100[/hv] In the actual game, partner decided to raise to 6♦. Without much discussion onto the meaning of such a bid, I started thinking about what kind of a shape he must have to not consider anything in hearts, since it was Matchpoints, I imagined partner's hand to have AK♦(No reason actually, on hindsight), A♣(But this he must have), and decided to raise it to 7. And well, just for the heck of it as well I guess. We weren't doing that well and it was the last board of the duplicate. :lol: Spade was led, dummy came down and the KJ of diamonds was doubleton offside. -1. Everyone else were either in 6H= or 4H+2, our consolation the fact that someone went off in a cold 5H as well. Should I have continued showing my stronger solid heart suit knowing that its MP? Was 3♦ the right bid?

Yeap, the question that bugged both me and my partner was basically what we should be playing for? He argued that he was playing the K♠ A♥ both with north, and ducking would give him a 3rd trick from spade if north chooses to take the spade and return the diamond. Then 3♠,1♦ and the 5 other tricks from Hearts and Clubs, either from J♥ falling when he leads low to the KQ, or the club finesse to work, or the club to break 3-3. My argument was over what other entry south had in his hand, if any. I was convinced that south must have another entry in his hand to warrant a lead directing double(Not that true when I think about it now). I thought that it was clear to play him for the A♥, which he pointed out still required hearts to break 3-3 or the defense still takes 5 tricks before we take 9... (Only 2 spades, 2 hearts (Supposing J onside covering the 9), 1 diamond, 3 clubs) There's argument for playing for 4 clubs with KXX onside, but note that we have to switch to the club immediately after the first heart, when the A♥ does not appear from south after 9♥,J♥,Q♥. That fails horribly when hearts DOES break 3-3 with K♣ offside as north can switch to a diamond now before the A♥ is out... Full hand: [hv=pc=n&s=s94ha85dkqt32ct75&w=saq86h93dj96caqj3&n=skt532hj74d85ck96&e=sj7hkqt62da74c842]399|300[/hv] Argh my head hurts.