BBO hand, do you make it?

[Deanrover]

Your partner tables

 

AKQ76

AK54

8

K98

 

after your LHO opens 1d, all non. p doubles, RHO redoubles, and you bid 1S. LHO jumps to 3d, p bids 4S, and RHO doubles.

 

The opening lead is the King of Diamonds and your hand is the mammoth

 

T952

7

T53

T7653

 

The opening leads wins, RHO contributing the 4. Plan the play on the Jack of Hearts continuation.

[inquiry]

I had the advantage of being a kibitizer on this hand. So I will not answer, although it is not that easy to make.

 

First an added note, they lead the ACE from ACE king. So it appears as if opener has KQJ long in diamonds, and heart JTx(x). RHO appears to have four (or maybe 5) hearts to the queen and the doubleton (from bidding and play Ace of diamonds). LHO had best have the club ACE or your toast. So with that help, making this essential double dummy, continue with the most excellent problem.

 

Ben

[keylime]

Ok I confess, I'm the declarer of this tough hand! Let me shed some light on what I was thinking to help matters along...

 

1. What happens if LHO has this hand type: 1-3-5-4? Then my worse nightmare is about to happen if LHO got the AQJx over there with dummy showing up with K9x and me having 10-8-x-x-x.

 

2. I was playing for down one, not to make, because I didn't think at the other table the result was going to turn up 2SX+2! So, a down 100 to my little pea brain, was good bridge, and may win it for us, since we led by 4 imps.

 

3. My nerves were very self-evident. I'm playing with a top-class player in skill and personality, did I want to fail him? Furthermore, the opps were of high quality as well, so -100 would be a great score, never in my mind did the thought of "making" it with my horrid hand ever crossed my mind. For me to take about 4 minutes to get the hand working, when I'm known as a relatively fast player, spoke volumes!

 

With those thoughts in mind, and now knowing the hand can make, try to do what I didn't do - be a hero! :)

[flytoox]

You hold

 

AKQ76

AK54

8

K98

 

and your RHO opens 1d, all non. You choose to double, LHO redoubles, and partner bids 1S. RHO jumps to 3d, you bid 4S, and LHO doubles.

 

The opening lead is the King of Diamonds and your partner tables to mammoth

 

T952

7

T53

T7653

 

The opening leads wins, LHO contributing the 4. Plan the play on the Jack of Hearts continuation.

 

Take HA in dummy, cashing sa. cashing hk, discarding dx from hand, ruffing h back to hand, ruffing dx in dummy, then lead hx from dummy, ruff with sT. Lead cx to dummy, if LHO play small, play small from dummy too.

 

Opener's hand shld be sth like:

 

S;-

H:JXX

D:AKQXXXX

C:QXX

[Deanrover]

Not sure how your line can make flytoox, even if the distibution is like that. RHO gets two clubs plus a spade, to go with the diamond they have already won.

[flytoox]

Not sure how your line can make flytoox, even if the distibution is like that. RHO gets two clubs plus a spade, to go with the diamond they have already won.

 

u r right. he can throw out with a heart.

 

so let's play opener with 0463. discarding cx from hand, and striping d and h, lead cx to dummy.

[Deanrover]

Right - so you cash a spade, then ruff two hearts and a diamond, before trying to endplay Easy. You are now down to

 

AK7

 

T

 

in spades, so East can simply exit with the Jack of spades.

[flytoox]

Right - so you cash a spade, then ruff two hearts and a diamond, before trying to endplay Easy. You are now down to

 

AK7

 

T

 

in spades, so East can simply exit with the Jack of spades.

 

 

 

Hehe, you are right. i will come back to u later:)

[luke warm]

You hold

 

AKQ76

AK54

8

K98

 

and your RHO opens 1d, all non. You choose to double, LHO redoubles, and partner bids 1S. RHO jumps to 3d, you bid 4S, and LHO doubles.

 

The opening lead is the King of Diamonds and your partner tables to mammoth

 

T952

7

T53

T7653

 

The opening leads wins, LHO contributing the 4. Plan the play on the Jack of Hearts continuation.

 

why didn't lho lead a club at trick 2? ... whew.. i guess i'd take HA, trump a H and lead a club, planning on playing lho for A doubleton.. that means i can't cover the Q or J if lho plays it.. this probably ends up down 2 but i guess that's what i'd do.. if lho wins (for example) the CQ and leads another heart, i'd play low from hand and trump on the board, draw trumps (hoping for 3/2) ... i think then i'm

 

7,6

K

-

K,9

 

then lead a low club.. that doesn't seem right, does it? but it has the advantage of me keeping fairly sane

[Deanrover]

;D Still nobody has got the problem correct. What a corker :0

[badderzboy]

Pardon my inexperience but I would try the following...

 

Following the J Heart, win with King H, A S & K S - hopefully Jack falls with 2-2 split or is in hand with 3+ hearts... ruff low heart with S9, then club ruff back to hand and heart ruff back to dummy with 10S to dummy leaving..

 

 

S Q7

H A

D void

C K98

 

S -

H -

D T

C T7653

 

Finesse K C and if it works SQ to draw last spade if they broke 3-1 then A H losing last two clubs and 1st trick...

 

I know it's bound to be the wrong way but I've been told play the cards to be where you need them to be if it's the only way you can see to make the contract...

 

Steve

[Free]

Seems to me that you only need 1 trick in C (and 2 ruffs) to make your contract. So I'll take HA, and play SA. If trumps are 3-1 or 2-2 I'm getting a nice feeling. Ruff a small H and play C10 and let it go. If the Q or the J of Clubs are in front of my King, I'll make my club trick, because I'll continue with a trump and ruff a Heart, play C again, hoping that the 3 card C doesn't have the ace, and the doubleton club doesnt have a 3rd spade. If they somehow manage to get my trumps away, then I'll play CK to pinpoint the Q or J.

 

Free

[LukeG]

I would play heart Ace, spade Ace, heart ruff with 9, low club intending to play the King if LHO ducks. When I next get to dummy, with club King or diamond ruff, heart ruff with 10, trump to dummy. I will accept the risk of heart overruff by LHO and guard against trump promotion for RHO's Jxx.

[inquiry]

It seems like my hints didn't help anyone so far. Let's review. West opened the bidding and then jumped (over 1S after his partners rdbl) to 3D. RHO now doubles 4S.

 

They lead ACE from ACE-KING. SO RHO has the diamond ACE. West leads then leads the heart JACK and EAST plays high (attitude).

 

So at this point, you know that EAST has the HEART QUEEN and the DIAMOND ACE. You know that WEST has opened the bidding and has JUMPED.

 

The remaining unknown face cards are the club AQJ and SPADE JACK.

 

Imagine the club ACE with RHO behind the king. That gives west something like...

 

S-x

H-Jxxx

D-KQJTxx

C-QJx

 

Come on. Is this an opening bid, much less a then jump to 3D. Clearly WEST has the club ACE (which is good for us, actually, as makes club KING a winner).

 

So West has the club ACE. What in the world is EAST doubling 4S on. The ACE of diamonds and two queen's? Not very likely. The hand is an open book. East must have all four spades. That is the key point to the hand. Once you figure that out, the play becomes very entertaining. West with club ACE, EAST with Four SPADES. Start with that and see where it gets you.

 

Ben

[flytoox]

I would play heart Ace, spade Ace, heart ruff with 9, low club intending to play the King if LHO ducks. When I next get to dummy, with club King or diamond ruff, heart ruff with 10, trump to dummy. I will accept the risk of heart overruff by LHO and guard against trump promotion for RHO's Jxx.

 

 

Aha, I missed the point. I thought the opener has da and hence think RHO must have ca. Now it is clear opener has ca.

 

Ok, let me try one more time.

 

take HA, ruff hx back, lead cx toward dummy. whether LHO take ca or not, strip h and ruff one round d, discarding d on hk. then c throw out. RHO will be endplayed.

[LukeG]

Keep in mind that if trumps are 4-0, and that you ruff two hearts in your hand, leaving 109 of trumps opposite AKQ7x, and then manage to throw in RHO, he will defeat you by returning the Jack of trumps from his original J8xx.

[flytoox]

Keep in mind that if trumps are 4-0, and that you ruff two hearts in your hand, leaving 109 of trumps opposite AKQ7x, and then manage to throw in RHO, he will defeat you by returning the Jack of trumps from his original J8xx.

 

he wont, dummy left with akqx, u have t9 at hand.

[bhugi]

Ok I confess, I'm the declarer of this tough hand! Let me shed some light on what I was thinking to help matters along...

 

1. What happens if LHO has this hand type: 1-3-5-4? Then my worse nightmare is about to happen if LHO got the AQJx over there with dummy showing up with K9x and me having 10-8-x-x-x.

 

2. I was playing for down one, not to make, because I didn't think at the other table the result was going to turn up 2SX+2! So, a down 100 to my little pea brain, was good bridge, and may win it for us, since we led by 4 imps.

 

3. My nerves were very self-evident. I'm playing with a top-class player in skill and personality, did I want to fail him? Furthermore, the opps were of high quality as well, so -100 would be a great score, never in my mind did the thought of "making" it with my horrid hand ever crossed my mind. For me to take about 4 minutes to get the hand working, when I'm known as a relatively fast player, spoke volumes!

 

With those thoughts in mind, and now knowing the hand can make, try to do what I didn't do - be a hero! ;)

 

heeee ~ this is the interesting hands from the team match "bhugi & friends"

;D

On my table I am playing with a randomly pick up partner, after 2S(X) I know we can chase back. B)

[bhugi]

It seems like my hints didn't help anyone so far. Let's review. West opened the bidding and then jumped (over 1S after his partners rdbl) to 3D. RHO now doubles 4S.

 

They lead ACE from ACE-KING. SO RHO has the diamond ACE. West leads then leads the heart JACK and EAST plays high (attitude).

 

So at this point, you know that EAST has the HEART QUEEN and the DIAMOND ACE. You know that WEST has opened the bidding and has JUMPED.

 

The remaining unknown face cards are the club AQJ and SPADE JACK.

 

Imagine the club ACE with RHO behind the king. That gives west something like...

 

S-x

H-Jxxx

D-KQJTxx

C-QJx

 

Come on. Is this an opening bid, much less a then jump to 3D. Clearly WEST has the club ACE (which is good for us, actually, as makes club KING a winner).

 

So West has the club ACE. What in the world is EAST doubling 4S on. The ACE of diamonds and two queen's? Not very likely. The hand is an open book. East must have all four spades. That is the key point to the hand. Once you figure that out, the play becomes very entertaining. West with club ACE, EAST with Four SPADES. Start with that and see where it gets you.

 

Ben

 

I want to answer but I am one of the player of that match, so I will keep silent B)

[Felix]

Ok, taking Ben's lead

On the D lead, and H return, we play AK of H, ruff H, and lead a club up. Now, if opener wins and returns a club we win in dummy, ruff a H, ruff a D, and get out with the third club endplaying W who is down to just spades. If W returns a D it's funnier still, we ruff, cash the KC ruf the last H and ruff a D high, then we lead the last club and what's poor E to do?

If opener ducks, it's no better, we win in dummy, ruff H, ruff D and get out a club to E blank Ace. ruff the D return high and it's the same position as before when we lead the last club

This line works assumes opener is - J10xx KQJxxxx Ax which seems very likely on the bidding. I can't find a line that works when opener is - J10xx KQJxxx AJx as well, but it doesn't seem likely he has this hand.

One last point, on my construction W could beat us leading the CA and continuing clubs (it messes up the entries for ruffing Hearts)

Felix

[inquiry]

Gold Star to Felix, his line would land this difficult doubled game.

 

But this isn't necessarily an easy hand to play. Even drawing the right conclusion about the location of the club ace and the 4-0 trump split, you have one more hurdle to leap. The deep dark question is how many clubs does EAST hold.

 

There are two possible hands, if you buy the analysis I suggested earlier. East with...

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Ax C-QJx (CJ with either), or with

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Axx C-QJ

In the first case, your play works like a charm. In the second scenario, however, you have to set up and take your club and then ruff two diamonds in low in dummy to make (they get a trump promotion if you try the wrong line, say the one Felix expressed that is the one that works).

 

This is why this hand is almost double dummy. If East is 4-4-2-3 you can not cash EVEN ONE SPADE to see how the trumps are spliting, or you are down. The secret is to ruff the third diamond with an honor and exit a club as Felix correctly played. IF EAST is 4-4-3-2 you may, or maynot, cash one high trump, but what you must due is ruff two diamonds low in dummy and lead towards the club king. This requires three entries to your hand.. Ahh, now you get the picture, you have to ruff your good heart ACE as one of the entries so you can elope with 5 trumps in dummy, 1H, 3H ruffs and a club.

 

Given West's scant values for the jump to 3D, I think I would play him for 7D, but I would test out clubs, and diamond before ruffing the heart to see if I could get a club.... Something like,

 

Win HK, ruff heart, club. Win club continution (did EAST drop the CLUB QUEEN?), heart ruff, diamond ruff (DID EAST DROP the diamond ACE). Now I have to decide. Do I ruff the heart ACE and ruff my last diamond low, or do I cash the heart ace and exit a club. In this ENDING east is either...

J8xx H-Q D-x in which right line is heart ruff, diamond ruff

or

J9xx H-Q D-void C-H in which cash heart, exit club does the trick.

 

Use a combination of spot card played by EAST (D-ACE? CLUB-QUEEN?) and your appreciation of WEST's 3D bid to decide if WEST has 0-4-6-3 or 0-4-7-2... of course playing for the second distribtution gives you a great story to tell...... as anyone can make 10 tricks on the cross ruff in the first case. ;D

 

Ben

 

PS.. one kibitizer who will remain annoynomous to protect my identity commented at the time this hand was played that "sometimes you need five trumps for a four trump double"....

[mpefritz]

I would probably play LHO for 0=4=6=3 or 1=3=6=3 or 1=4=6=2. If East started with Ax of diamonds, wouldn't he usually play the DA at trick 1? What shift was he looking for? If LHO started 0=4=7=2, then I pay off and don't look like a star, but it seems like I am playing to more likely distributionS on the "cross ruff" line.

 

fritz

[Felix]

There are two possible hands, if you buy the analysis I suggested earlier. East with...

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Ax C-QJx (CJ with either), or with

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Axx C-QJ

In the first case, your play works like a charm. In the second scenario, however, you have to set up and take your club and then ruff two diamonds in low in dummy to make (they get a trump promotion if you try the wrong line, say the one Felix expressed that is the one that works).

Ben, on the second hand you give i believe my play works too...say the play goes KD, JH to the Ace, King of H, H ruff and club up ducked (an honor falls from E). Now anoher H ruff, D ruff and low club, E playing his other honor, what should west do? if he ducks there's no trump promotion, if he wins my C10 becomes good, anyway 10 tricks. So the only problem hand is when East holds Qx or Jx in clubs (as i stated in my previous post)

Felix

[inquiry]

There are two possible hands, if you buy the analysis I suggested earlier. East with...

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Ax C-QJx (CJ with either), or with

 

S-J8xx H-Qxxx D-Axx C-QJ

 

Ben, on the second hand you give i believe my play works too...say the play goes KD, JH to the Ace, King of H, H ruff and club up ducked (an honor falls from E). Now anoher H ruff, D ruff and low club, E playing his other honor, what should west do? if he ducks there's no trump promotion, if he wins my C10 becomes good, anyway 10 tricks. So the only problem hand is when East holds Qx or Jx in clubs (as i stated in my previous post)

Felix

 

Hi Felix,

 

Yes if EAST has specifically the club QJ doubleton, your line will work as well. I meant for the modifier (CLUB JACK with either) listed on hand option one to apply to both hand one or two. That is, while the double allows you place the club queen (if WEST has the CLUB ACE), placing the club jack is too fine a point. If EAST holds C-Qx instead of QJ as shown in the illustration, then your line would indeed fail. But that fact that this line handles Qxx, QJx or QJ with east and fails only against Qx is furhter support for playing this way.

 

Ben

[Trpltrbl]

Your partner tables

 

AKQ76

AK54

8

K98

 

after your LHO opens 1d, all non. p doubles, RHO redoubles, and you bid 1S. LHO jumps to 3d, p bids 4S, and RHO doubles.

 

The opening lead is the King of Diamonds and your hand is the mammoth

 

T952

7

T53

T7653

 

The opening leads wins, RHO contributing the 4. Plan the play on the Jack of Hearts continuation.

Club Ace has to onside. I need also to be 3 hearts with Cl Ace. SO ruff H at trick 3 and play Club towards the K, after that y x ruff hand to 10 tricks.

Maybe wrong but I play it that way.

 

Mike ;D