Hand from LA

[pclayton]

[hv=d=e&v=e&e=skq84h1097dj83cj98&s=s32hakjdaq92cat53]266|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

You open 1♦ and LHO overcalls 1♠. Pard raises to 2♦ and RHO raises to 2♠.

 

A double in this position has never been discussed, so you make a tactical raise to 3♦. LHO makes a general game try of 3♥ and RHO tries 4♠ which you hammer.

 

As pard leads the K♣, ideas of +800 float through your head. Alas, LHO ruffs it and draws 2 round of trump (pard pitching a low club on the 2nd) and puts the ♥10 on the table.

 

Plan your defense. Down 1 looks pretty good right now doesn't it?

[HeartA]

It appears that declarer holds 6-5-2-0. If he has HQ and DK and guessed right, I don't think I can stop him to make 10 tricks (another trump to dummy and heart back again, then dummy's 2 diamonds will go under 2 hearts, 3rd club will be ruffed). It appeas that declarer has HQ and I have to assume pd having DK (we missed a slam). I would play HJ, ...

 

By the way, I don't like the 3D bid at all. I would dbl over 2S, discussed or not.

[awm]

 

If declarer has AJTxxx Qxxxx Kx - things seem pretty hopeless. The best we can do is win the heart and tap declarer with a club, but he just goes to dummy with a trump and drives out the heart ace. Now another club can be ruffed in hand and two diamonds go away from dummy on the hearts.

 

So it seems like there are three positions where we might be able to set:

 

AJTxxx Qxxx Kxx -

 

AJTxxx xxxxx Kx -

 

AJTxxx Qxxxx xx -

 

In the first position, we can win the heart and return a club, which declarer must ruff. Then he goes to dummy with another trump and repeats the heart play. We win again and play yet another club. Declarer's ruff leaves him without any more trumps. He can cash hearts to pitch a diamond from dummy, but he's trapped in the wrong hand for the diamond finesse and will go down.

 

In the second position, we simply have three hearts and a diamond.

 

In the third position, we win the heart, and can return any card. But when we get in with the second heart we must play on diamonds before it's too late and they disappear on the hearts.

 

Seems like the right play is to win the heart and return a club, but watch partner's count signal. When we get in with the second heart, there will be a decision whether to continue tapping declarer or to switch to diamonds hoping partner has the king.

 

 

[Winstonm]

 

We need to have partner hold either the heart queen with the 109x of diamonds while declarer holds 6430 or for partner to hold the diamond king. Timing is important and down 2 is still not out of reach.

 

Win the heart king and switch to the queen of diamonds. If declarer cannot win the king, he is down - and if he wins the king and crosses to dummy for another heart, we must follow with the jack, as now it will be imperative for partner to hold the heart queen and the diamond 109 and for declarer to be 6430. If this is the case, we will collect 2 diamonds and 3 hearts for down 2.

 

[ArcLight]

 

LHO is making a game try based on what high cards?

Spades are AJxxxx, Hearts Qxxx? Dimes ?? or ???

Would LHO really make a game try without the Dime King?

 

AJxxxx

Qxxx?

xx?

void

 

I think not, so I assume LHO must have the Dime King as well.

 

AJxxxx

Qxxxx

Kx

 

and the contract makes, so we must assume:

 

AJxxxx

Qxxx

Kxx

 

Therefore we must not lead a dime.

Lead a club.

 

[Winstonm]

AJxxxx

Qxxx

Kxx

 

Therefore we must not lead a dime.

Lead a club

 

If this is declarer's hand he has misplayed it. He should ruff the club lead, cross in trumps and lead the heart 10 before playing a second trump. No matter what RHO does, declarer cannot be stopped from reaching dummy 3 times in trump to lead hearts twice and finally lead a diamond toward the K after pitching a diamond from dummy on the long heart.

[pclayton]

If declarer has AJTxxx Qxxxx Kx - things seem pretty hopeless. The best we can do is win the heart and tap declarer with a club, but he just goes to dummy with a trump and drives out the heart ace. Now another club can be ruffed in hand and two diamonds go away from dummy on the hearts.

 

So it seems like there are three positions where we might be able to set:

 

AJTxxx Qxxx Kxx -

 

AJTxxx xxxxx Kx -

 

AJTxxx Qxxxx xx -

 

In the first position, we can win the heart and return a club, which declarer must ruff. Then he goes to dummy with another trump and repeats the heart play. We win again and play yet another club. Declarer's ruff leaves him without any more trumps. He can cash hearts to pitch a diamond from dummy, but he's trapped in the wrong hand for the diamond finesse and will go down.

 

In the second position, we simply have three hearts and a diamond.

 

In the third position, we win the heart, and can return any card. But when we get in with the second heart we must play on diamonds before it's too late and they disappear on the hearts.

 

Seems like the right play is to win the heart and return a club, but watch partner's count signal. When we get in with the second heart, there will be a decision whether to continue tapping declarer or to switch to diamonds hoping partner has the king.

 

Declarer had Hand #2. I don't like pard's the 2♦ raise, but thats what we are stuck with.

 

You just have to pound away at clubs. Eventually, declarer gets hand locked and has to give you 2 diamonds. Declarer could have played only one round of trump and played on hearts, but he didn't.