nullve

12 tricks after 1. ♠3-♠2-♠7-♠J 2. ♥J: [hv=pc=n&s=sqt3hdat98543ck43&w=s642hat74d2caq982&n=sk987hq852dqj7c65&e=saj5hkj963dk6cjt7&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1n2d3c3d3h4d4hppp&p=s3s2s7sjhj]399|300[/hv] Only 11 tricks after the same start: [hv=pc=n&s=sqt3hdat98543ck43&w=s642hat74d2caq982&n=sk987hq862dqj7c65&e=saj5hkj953dk6cjt7&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1n2d3c3d3h4d4hppp&p=s3s2s7sjhj]399|300[/hv]

In case some of you haven't noticed: The winning line does not depend on West being 1471: [hv=pc=n&s=sat87642hq42dk9ca&w=skhkt9dajt85432c5&n=sj95ha873dckj9764&e=sq3hj65dq76cqt832&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1dd1nd2d3c3d4s5d5sp6sppp&p=das5d6d9c4c2cac5dkd2h3d7s2]399|300[/hv] Nor does it depend on West having a stiff ♠K: [hv=pc=n&s=sat87642hq42dk9ca&w=shkj6dat876532cq5&n=sj95ha873dckj9764&e=skq3ht95dqj4ct832&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1dd1nd2d3c3d4s5d5sp6sppp&p=das5d4d9c4c2cac5dkd2h3djs2]399|300[/hv]

Tiny simulation at http://dealergib1.bridgebase.com/tools/dealer/dealer.php using the following mostly self-explanatory Dealer code: predeal north S962, HJT9763, DJ98, C9 westHand = hcp(west)>15 and hcp(west)<19 and clubs(west)>4 and diamonds(west)==4 and spades(west)<3 and hearts(west)<4 eastHand = hcp(east)>4 and hcp(east)<8 and clubs(east)>1 and hearts(east)<4 and spades(east)==4 southHand = (hcp(south)>10 and diamonds(south)>3 and hearts(south)>3) or (hcp(south)>18 and shape(south, any 4333 + any 4432 + any 5332)) condition westHand and eastHand and southHand action frequency(tricks(north, hearts),0,13) Result: Frequency : 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 5 7 8 8 24 9 13 10 5 11 1 12 0 13 0 Generated 10000000 hands Produced 56 hands Initial random seed 1594630598 Time needed 34.017 sec I have assumed that the EW bids have their normal (Acol-ish or SAYC-ish) meanings, though.

Does a layout exist that would justify the opponents' bidding in your opinion?

Yes. [hv=d=w&v=n&b=4&a=1cp1sd2dp3cpp3h]133|100[/hv] (North is just balancing, so South shouldn't get excited.) Is 3♥ safe? No, but neither is passing (which many confuse with 'not really doing anything (I can be blamed for')).

Yes. Corrected now. Yes. At least not if I think West is most likely 1372.

East's failure to support diamond immdiately (in a 5542 system with could-be-balanced 1♦) made me think West most likely had eight diamonds. And West's failure to lead a club suggested he had at least two, so I thought he was most likely 0382, as in Felicity's last example. So I played the way nige1's suggests and ruffed the ♦A, played a club to the A (West following with the five) and ruffed the (my own) ♦K. But then it was already too late. mikeh's line would also have failed. But I'm starting to think that 1372 was West's most likely shape and that both mikeh's and nige1's lines therefore are (much) better than the winning one, which could never work against ♣Tx in West's hand nor even a friendly 3-3 club break. The actual layout: [hv=pc=n&s=sat87642hq42dk9ca&w=skhkjt9dajt8542c5&n=sj95ha873dckj9764&e=sq3h65dq763cqt832&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1dd1nd2d3c3d4s5d5sp6sppp&p=da]399|300[/hv]

West had fewer than three clubs. This is a very tiny hint given that West would not likely bid 5♦ with as little as 1363* (let alone 2353!) shape * I have indirectly told you that West had at least one spade and at least three hearts.

1♦ showed 4+ diamonds and I doubt East would bid 1N with four hearts. This is the kind of layout I was hoping for when I played the hand. And the successful (but not necessarily better - you be the judge) line, which would have worked against the very similar layout in Felicity's last example, would not have worked against his one. To be clear, East did actually not have three spades.

West didn't have nine diamonds.

Zelandakh used (came up with?) the instantly understandable abbreviation 'cog+' in a recent thread. I thought that was creative.

Ready to facepalm?

I believe something is wrong with the auction. Did you mean [hv=pc=n&s=sjhakqjt962dk42ca&n=sq9843h543dack965&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=2sd3dpp4h5ddppp]266|200[/hv] ?

True and yes.

Had NS been competent, then a possible explanation for what happened at trick one could be that South missorted his hand and thought he held something like Qx2 x ATxxxxx Kx, when in in fact he held something like KQx2 x ATxxxxx x.

Swedish! Where is it taken from?

From yesterday's Free Daylong Tournament (MP): [hv=pc=n&s=saqt82haj9d65cj92&n=sj54hdkqt83caqt87&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1dp3nppp]266|200[/hv] Opening lead: ♥K Roughly how would you attack this? (Sorry about the 3N bid.)

But maybe not just any spade. I want partner to rise with the K and lay down the ♠Q when a heart is led from dummy. So the ♠2 (either indicating 3 or inviting a spade continuation, or both) seems best.

A spade. [hv=pc=n&s=sqt64hak64dj2ck95&w=sJ7hqj87dq976caj6&n=s532h952d84cqt832&e=sak98ht3dakt53c74&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1ddr2cpp3dp3sp3nppp&p=c3c4ckc6c9cjcqc7]399|300[/hv]

Yes! There is a line that works both against this (IMO plausible) layout and the actual one.

Castling sort of works in bridge if you're a Norwegian. E.g. ♣KQJT | v ♣KQ_T | v ♣K__T | v ♣_TK_ ('T' is Norwegian chess notation for 'tårn' (eng.: 'rook').)

Why misdescriptive?

[hv=pc=n&s=sat87642hq42dk9ca&n=s=sj95ha873dckj9764&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1d(4+)d1nd2d3c3d4s5d5sp6sppp]400|300[/hv] Team match. West leads the ♦A. Plan the play.

nullve-nullve: P(1)-2♦(2) 2♥(3)-3♣(4) 3♦(5)-3♥(6) 3♠(7)-4♦(8) 4♥(9)-4♠(10) 4N(11)-5♥(12) 6♦(13)-P (1) "0-10 BAL" (2) "canapé preempt with S and another suit" OR "unBAL GF w/ 5+ S" (3) "to play opposite a preempt with 4+ H" OR INV, 3-S5+H (4) "GF, (3)4+D, not 5S5D" (5) relay (6) 5242, 6S4D(21), 6+S0H4+D or 8+S3D (7) relay (8) 6S4D(21) (and 21+ hcp) (9) key card ask agreeing D (10) even # of key cards (11) trump Q ask (12) trump Q, ♠K, 6142 (13) contract

Because 1) At least as much is known about Opener's strength and shape as about Responder's. 2) There is (much) more space after 1M-2♣ (2♣ viewed as a relay) than after 1M-2♣; 2♦ (2♦ viewed as a relay).