Correct play for trumps after this auction please

[sceptic]

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sq8762hkt4dk5ck86&w=sajt9ha5daqt2c973&e=s5hq3d9763caqt542&s=sk43hj98762dj84cj]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

West North East South

 

 -     Pass  Pass  3♥

 3NT   Dbl   Pass  4♥

 Dbl   Pass  Pass  Pass

 

 

HA H4 H3 H2

DA D5 D9 D4

SA S2 S5 S4

C3 CK CA CJ

CQ H6 C9 C6

H7 H5 HT HQ

D6 D8 D2 DK

 

 

 

6th Card do I play the K hearts from dummy or is it correct to finese

 

I based this only seeing 12 hcp from West

 

also do you agree with the bidding, I think I only go down 1 if I had got the hearts right

[Winstonm]

I would finesse, expecting the 3N bidder to hold a double stop.

 

However, I would never face this problem because I would have passed the double. When you preempt you make the opponents guess. Partner's double said they have guessed wrong. Believe him.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

The finesse against the 3NT bidder

is certainly the percentage play,

he is more likely to hold AQx, it is not

certain, but more likely.

 

regarding the bidding:

I think 2H is more than enough, ... and

of course you should have passed partners

double, you were lucky finding partner with

the King of hearts.

And he still seems to trust your 3H openings.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Guest Jlall]

err..no offense to the posters above me but I think they're way off. With AQx of trumps people don't lead the ace of hearts, and if they do they don't shift. Maybe if you are playing against zia...

 

The bidding suggests AQx but the lead is a much much stronger clue.

[EricK]

That was my first thought too. But with the King pretty much marked on the right (I know, I know) the Ace won't cost a trick and it does allow you to definitely hold the lead and see what outside suit might be the best souce of tricks.

[P_Marlowe]

err..no offense to the posters above me but I think they're way off. With AQx of trumps people don't lead the ace of hearts, and if they do they don't shift. Maybe if you are playing against zia...

 

The bidding suggests AQx but the lead is a much much stronger clue.

Proves, that I should never attemp to comment on play,

... I did not look at the lead.

Lets see, how long this will keep me from posting

on similar topics.

 

I though I write down something about the 3H

bid, ... and just wanted to anser the primary

question as, ... I did hesitate for a couple of seconds.

[Guest Jlall]

That was my first thought too. But with the King pretty much marked on the right (I know, I know) the Ace won't cost a trick and it does allow you to definitely hold the lead and see what outside suit might be the best souce of tricks.

yes, yes there was a post on this earlier.

 

Suppose you were so clever as to give up a tempo and lead the ace of trumps from AQx, risking JT with partner, or stiff K, both unlikely but possible holdings. Also risking Jxx and a void in dummy, or Txx in a void in dummy (dummy never supported hearts). Also if you had a side doubleton you could never get a ruff with your small trump. Ok, fine, you're just that clever.

 

To your shock dummy hits with KTx and partner follows! Now... you know declarer probably thinks you have Ax... so you can continue your ruse by playing a low trump. You can later get in and pull the trump. Brilliant.

 

But you now play the DA at trick 2?! This is not the play of a brilliant defender who's made a brilliant (fine line between brilliant and stupid) lead.

 

Come on guys get real, I know on the forums everyone leads A from AQx of trumps and it's a standard lead, but in the real life it just doesn't happen. And if it did happen the DA would not be played at trick 2.

[EricK]

I agree that a lead from AQx is not at all what one would expect here. But then I'm not sure I agree with almost any of the actions taken on this board. When one is playing in that sort of game I am not sure what inferences one can safely draw.

[Wackojack]

Bidding:

 

South: If you open 3♥ on this, what do you open 2♥ on? Having opened 3♥ which is not everyones cup of tea, partner's double of 3nt MUST be respected. Remember a pre-empt is a one-shot bid.

 

West: A take-out double of 3♥ looks like the percentage bid. Easier to find a 4-4 spade fit if it exists. 3nt is often based on a running minor suit

 

North: With this hand I would expect 3nt to make most of the time. To double is asking for trouble.

 

East: Bid very well.

[the hog]

"Come on guys get real, I know on the forums everyone leads A from AQx of trumps and it's a standard lead, but in the real life it just doesn't happen. And if it did happen the DA would not be played at trick 2. "

 

Uh Justin I have had this lead done to me and I have done it myself in ftf bridge against a slam. It DOES happen. You are probably right about the DA at trick 2.

[Guest Jlall]

"Come on guys get real, I know on the forums everyone leads A from AQx of trumps and it's a standard lead, but in the real life it just doesn't happen. And if it did happen the DA would not be played at trick 2. "

 

Uh Justin I have had this lead done to me and I have done it myself in ftf bridge against a slam. It DOES happen.

This is not a slam. This is 4H X, with hearts bid on your RIGHT. Dummy hasn't even suggested 1 heart. You don't need 2 tricks, you need 4 tricks. There is a huge difference.

[Winstonm]

I didn't even notice that the lead was the heart ace. :P

[Gerben42]

When I was reading the first responses I thought huh? No one in their right mind is going to lead the ♥A from AQx on this auction. Then luckily Justin pointed this out already :P