Another hand from last weekend's GNT qualifier

[LukeG]

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=skqha954dk763ckq4&s=s9754hkq3d854cat6]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

RHO opens 1NT (12-14), you pass, LHO bids 2♥ transfer, partner doubles showing 14+ and saying nothing about his ♥ holding, RHO passes showing a doubleton ♠, you pass, LHO bids 2♠, partner and RHO both pass, you bid 2NT and partner raises you to 3NT. The opening lead is the ♥ Jack. Plan the play.

[cnszsun]

I will win by ♥K, then play ♥Q, if west isnot JT doubleten i have to endplay east twice to get two more tricks. I play east has a hand like this:

♠: AX

♥: TXXX

♦: AQJT

♣: XXX

 

Play ♠ to force out East's Ace, win return, cash another ♠ honour and three ♣ honors to strip East's safe exit, duck small ♦ to east, he is endplayed once.

He has to give you a ♥ or ♦ trick, no matter what he returns, cash your winner and endplay East in ♦ again.

[LukeG]

I was kibitzing this hand - it was a different flight than mine.

 

The double endplay is an interesting possiblilty that did not occur to me. But would LHO lead the ♥ Jack from something like Jxxxx, Jx, xx, xxxx? With that hand I might lead a ♣, hoping that we had eight or more of them between the two hands.

 

The actual declarer ducked two round of ♦s, which seems like a give-up play to me. The winning line is to lead a ♠, win the ♣ return and then run your major suit winners. RHO started with Ax, xxx, AQJ, Jxxxx and is squeezed on the fourth ♥. If he discards a ♣, play two more ♣s and duck a diamond. If he discards a diamond, duck two rounds of ♦s to set up the king.

 

This line of requires that you guess whether RHO's distribution was 2-3-4-4 or 2-3-5-3.

[Trpltrbl]

Beisdes the J of ♦ LHO can only have 1 other Jack, which is hopefully the Jack of ♠. Play ♠ to dummy, win return and cash major suit winners, and ♣. play ♦ up to dummy and duck.

 

Mike :D