Improving My Game 2

[Guest Jlall]

You hold KJ32 Kx AT9 xxxx.

 

RHO opens 1C, LHO bids 1S, RHO bids 2S, passed around to partner who Xs. R/R at MP you elect to pass and pray since +200 will be a top and you are likely to go for -200 if you bid something.

 

Partner leads the D3, 4th best, and dummy hits with ATxx Qxx Qxx AJx. (The 2 of diamonds is not in dummy). How do you defend?

[uday]

Playing P for HA, DK would allow for 6 tricks

 

so DA, HK, HA, Hruff, DK and a eventual spade trick. If P does not have the DK, he'll need the SQ.

 

Of course, if he does not have the HA the defence will collapse :) but his club cards won't help much anyway so might as well assume he has the H card

[mike777]

My interm. level guess is:

 

A of D

K of H.

[Guest Jlall]

Playing P for HA, DK would allow for 6 tricks

 

so DA, HK, HA, Hruff, DK and a eventual spade trick. If P does not have the DK, he'll need the SQ. 

 

Of course, if he does not have the HA  the defence will collapse :) but his club cards won't help much anyway so might as well assume he has the H card

Right this is the simplest way to 6 tricks but puts all of our eggs in one basket. Is it worth it, or is it better to try to remain flexible by ducking at trick 1? Other than the obvious danger of declarer having Jx of diamonds this may be a disaster if declarer has Jxx of diamonds and Kx of clubs.

[han]

My first plan was to win trick 1 and play the heart king. This would be disasterous when declarer has the heart ace. However, it seems more likely that partner has it, and if so that would probably be a great start. If declarer has the heart ace then we might not be able to set it anyway.

 

I changed my mind though. I'm going to make the "normal" play by ducking the first trick. That could blow a diamond trick (when partner has lead from Kxxxx), but it seems more likely that going up gives up a trick (KJxx, Jxxx). Most likely it won't matter in the diamond suit (Kxxx, Jxxx, Jxxxx), but perhaps when we get in later we will know what to do. There is no hurry to shift to a heart.

 

One reason for playing like this is that I expect that partner usually doesn't have a spade void. If not then that means that if declarer has 2 diamonds then partner is at least 5-5 in the red suits which is quite unlikely given the auction. I'm not claiming that partner will never have a spade void on this auction, not at all, but I think that with a void partner would fairly often bid 2NT instead of doubling.

 

I'd say the most likely shapes are partner with 1-5-4-3 and declarer 4-3-3-3 (hoping that all adds up).

[pclayton]

I'm ducking the 1st trick. There's too many permutations on this hand to commit to grabbing the A♦. It seems its only 100% right when pard is leading from Kxx32 with the A♥.

 

By the way, spades feel like 4441 around the table, which means pard has 5 hearts, so we aren't getting 2 heart ruffs anyway. Even if declarer is 5=4=2=2, declarer can ruff high on the 4th round.

[Foxx]

I've already thrown the dice once by converting partner's balancing double, so I might as well walk the plank again (♦A, ♥K).

 

I wouldn't be doing all this if it were IMPs.

[cherdano]

Playing P for HA, DK would allow for 6 tricks

 

so DA, HK, HA, Hruff, DK and a eventual spade trick. If P does not have the DK, he'll need the SQ. 

 

Of course, if he does not have the HA  the defence will collapse :) but his club cards won't help much anyway so might as well assume he has the H card

Right this is the simplest way to 6 tricks but puts all of our eggs in one basket. Is it worth it, or is it better to try to remain flexible by ducking at trick 1? Other than the obvious danger of declarer having Jx of diamonds this may be a disaster if declarer has Jxx of diamonds and Kx of clubs.

The danger of ♦Jx is very low percentage as it would have to be J2 specifically. The latter is more likely, declarer could well be 5332; with 0544 partner would certainly balance with a double (if he chooses to balance).

 

On the other hand, playing low wins when declarer is 4333 and Kxx, or xxx of diamonds. But with a holding like x Axxxx Jxxx Kxx wouldn't partner lead a trump? If partner has x Axxxx KJxx xxx we beat it anyway. I don't see many layouts where playing low is right that are consistent with the lead. Maybe - Jxxxx KJxx KQx.

 

I think I go up with the ace and play the ♥K but I am still in the tank.

[benlessard]

I think partner will lead from KQx(x)♣ before leading from KJx(x)♦ despite the 1♣ opening. So my guess is that hes got only 1 club honnor therefore surely the ♥A and the ♦K.

 

Plus partner with a defensive values hand ♣KQ♣ and no ♥A♥ will not X.

 

So lets play for partner A♥. In fact im pretty certain hes got it.

[cherdano]

Partner balanced at matchpoints with a spade singleton or void, after he couldn't bid over 1S. He doesn't promise 10 hcp.

[benlessard]

[hv=v=b&s=shjxxxxdkjxxckxxx]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

This is the best hand partner could have without the ♥a♥ and without ♣KQ♣.

 

And its not enough to balanced X red imho. And they will always make whatever i play. So im certain partner has either ♣KQ♣ or the ♥A♥. With ♣KQ♣ he would probably lead them.

[Guest Jlall]

I thought forever and got it right, partner had --- Axxxx Kxxx xxxx. Still not sure it's the right play.

[nige1]

[hv=v=b&s=shjxxxxdkjxxckxxx]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

This is the best hand partner could have without the ♥a♥ and without ♣KQ♣.

 

And its not enough to balanced X red imho. And they will always make whatever i play. So im certain partner has either ♣KQ♣ or the ♥A♥. With ♣KQ♣ he would probably lead them.

Well done Jlall. IMO benlessard shows that you made the logical choice.