jahol Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 [hv=d=w&v=b&n=s643hkqj98d1074cq6&s=saq1082hd85cak10875]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Although not being too experienced, you know something about the bidding and you land finally in a nice four spades contract played from south side. This could be a problem of guessing trumph suit, but the first lead is not a diamond, but H2 (declared as fourth highest by the opponents). You play HK covered with HA and ruffed. Things are going well, you go back to dummy with CQ and discard two diamonds on cold hearts. What now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Now you are in great shape since you can afford to lose three trump tricks. I would play a club to the ace. If clubs break I play the ace of spades and run clubs, losing only the three trumps. If the club is ruffed then I ruff the diamond return and lead a club to ruff in dummy not minding if it is overruffed, ultimately playing off the ace of spades and running clubs. This line always makes (barring 5-0 spades) as long as clubs break, or the player with a stiff club has three or more spades (very likely). The point is to realize you can afford trump losers as long as your clubs get set up. If you become distracted by overtricks and try a trump finesse, you are in awful shape if it loses and spades aren't breaking, and you will lose control on repeated red suit leads. Also, you want to maintain the ace of trumps as a hand entry not to be used until clubs are set up, so that you can try to avoid shortening your trump holding unnecessarilly. This line guards against something like this[hv=n=s643hkqj98dt74cq6&w=skj9xhtxxxdkjxxcx&e=sxhaxxxdaqxxcjxxx&s=saqt82hd92cakt875]399|300|[/hv]Where you would go down with a spade finesse at trick two. This would be a very difficult hand for beginners, and even for some more advanced players than that. The main principles to keep in mind are -Count your losers, so here you realize that you can afford to lose trump tricks.-In a trump contract, get your long side suit set up at all costs.-Don't worry about overtricks at imps until your contract is secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahol Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Exactly! Full board: [hv=d=w&v=b&n=s643hkqj98d1074cq6&w=skh10652daqj96cj94&e=sj975ha743dk32c32&s=saq1082hd85cak10875]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] The layout is different, but you are completely right. At the table, I was defending and making the first lead. In the situation described, unlucky declarer played small trumph to the qeen! I took the trick with bare king and played diamonds. The declarer ruffed, played trumph Ace and started looking a bit dizzy. Finally, he cashed CA and played CK ruffed by my partner. Trumph jack removed the last trumph and we could cash all diamond tricks then. Down three! Jahol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sceptic Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 YES, I could misplay it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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