A 3NT play problem

[Finch]

This hand came up yesterday.

It should have been very cute.

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=s6ha952d10953cq643&s=saj4hkj4dakq42ck7]133|200|Scoring: MP

2♦ P 3♠ 3NT

all pass[/hv]

 

2♦ = 4-4 or better in the majors, about 4-8 HCP

3♠ = pre-emptive

 

You get the 3 of spades lead (4th highest) to RHO's queen.

Plan the play.

 

(When you get that far, East has ♦Jxx)

 

(at the table South didn't make the obvious 3NT call over 3S, so didn't get the problem. At other tables EW didn't have such a revealing start to the auction and 3NT on an uncontested auction is much harder.)

 

EDITED TO FIX THE SPADE SUIT

Edited September 24, 2007 by FrancesHinden

[Mbodell]

This hand came up yesterday.

It should have been very cute.

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=s6ha952d10953cq643&s=saj2hkj4dakq42ck7]133|200|Scoring: MP

2♦ P 3♠ 3NT

all pass[/hv]

 

2♦ = 4-4 or better in the majors, about 4-8 HCP

3♠ = pre-emptive

 

You get the 3 of spades lead (4th highest) to RHO's queen.

Plan the play.

 

(When you get that far, East has ♦Jxx)

 

(at the table South didn't make the obvious 3NT call over 3S, so didn't get the problem. At other tables EW didn't have such a revealing start to the auction and 3NT on an uncontested auction is much harder.)

My first instinct is to win the A♠ and play ♥ to the A and then ♥ to the J. Now if the finesse wins I have 3 heart tricks, 1 spade, and 5 diamonds for a safe game with chances for extras in clubs or 3-3 hearts and 2-2 diamonds (need both for safe transport if no clubs). I make sure to toss my high ♦ from dummy (5-9-10 in case singleton J drops and I can then have transport again for 3-3 ♥) to not block the suit on a 3-1 split. If the ♥ finesse loses the non-dangerous opponent is in who likely continues ♠ and I get a stopper with Jx when West leads, also providing the safe ninth trick. If West knows not to continue ♠ by not playing on ♦ yet the ♣ switch versus the ♦ switch isn't a given, and on a ♦ switch I can play the T from dummy and, if covered with the J, possibly set up transportation to the ♥ if they spit 3-3 by playing the second round of ♦ to the 9 after cashing the K♥.

 

Of course all this business about 3-3 ♥ is likely useless since the 2♦ business promises 4-4 or better. But I still think this is a decent line for 9 tricks. We are only in trouble if West has the Q♥, K♠, and not A♣, and finds the ♣ switch to partner who continues ♠.

[Codo]

I win the ace and have 8 tricks.

The problem layout is of course the Ace of club with east and Kxxx in spade with West.

 

But I see not many chances to win against that layout. (Some doubleton heart honour with east) so I would try to win the ace of spade and play the jack of Heart before touching diamonds. If this is covered, I let it run, hoping that they have no clue where they should switch too.

If I regain the lead, I cash the King of Heart and finesse the ten for my ninth trick.

 

I feal, there must be something better, but I don´t find it. :)

[helene_t]

I win the ace and cash ♥K, hoping for the ten or queen sec by East. Otherwise I'll have to hope for ♣A by West or ♠K by East.

 

If East drops ♥Q or ♥T, I test the diamonds before taking the heart finese.

[Fluffy]

if hearts are 5-1 you lose 1 spade, 3 hearts 1 club, even when both club cards are onside.

 

 

I don't see any squeeze, I'll just try ♠A, the ♥A to see if ♥Q drops and a club to see if ♣A is onside or spades are blocked.

[paulg]

It looks like East has the ♣A and West the ♠K. Odds are that West holds the ♥Q too.

 

If you play five diamonds then West has to discard perfectly and keep 3 spades, 3 hearts and a club. East can keep 4 spades, ♣A and 2 hearts. It doesn't cost to see if they fail to do this, but if they can then I'd probably cash the ♥K and play East for ♥10(x).

 

(If West does discard a spade then I can establish a club trick safe in the knowledge that I can duck the spade return and they'll be blocked. Alternatively, if he discards all his clubs I can endplay him in hearts to play spades).

 

Clearly I'm missing something.

 

Paul

[1eyedjack]

If I cross to the ace of hearts at trick 2 and lead a club to the King, how likely is it that East will hop in with the Ace on the first round of Clubs? Perhaps I play in too many club games.

[Fluffy]

reading Paul's post there might be an improve to just play clubs, running ♦s dismises you chaces of RHO ducking the club, but instead, you can force LHO to discard a heart, at that time playing ♥K+♥A will drop ♥Q doubleton on East wich is a good extra chance.

[mikeh]

I haven't had time to think about the play, but anyone who plans to play on clubs early, hoping rho will duck, plays in very weak fields. Against opps with a pulse, this line seems like a zero line if there ever was one

[Fluffy]

I haven't had time to think about the play, but anyone who plans to play on clubs early, hoping rho will duck, plays in very weak fields. Against opps with a pulse, this line seems like a zero line if there ever was one

There isn't anything much better, and remember diamonds are hidden, so is ♠J who could be ♠K, RHO has 3 or 4 clubs to the ace, maybe without the jack, hoping is not that obvious

[jdonn]

If I cross to the ace of hearts at trick 2 and lead a club to the King, how likely is it that East will hop in with the Ace on the first round of Clubs?  Perhaps I play in too many club games.

Likelihood = 100% (almost)

 

I will run diamonds before I do anything for sure. I only need one spade pitch from either opponent, since if rho throws one they don't have enough spade tricks and if lho throws one spades are blocked. There is no rush to lay down the king of hearts, I can always do that later. If leading a club to the king asap really works for some people I am dying to play in your games.

[mikeh]

having given it a little more thought: about the amount I could give it at the table (unless in a very long match with no time pressure), I can't see beyond winning the ♠A and runnng the diamonds, pitching a club from dummy and observing the enemy discards. This is a situation in which I'd expect most defenders to be telling each other about the club suit... but I doubt that I'd learn anything to my advantage.

 

If I then still read, as I do to begin with, LHO for Kxxx of spades, and no club Ace, I think I am reduced, if they discard accurately, to playing rho for Hx in hearts, and I'm going for 10x. If LHO errs and discards a spade, then either the KQxxx were on my left all along or LHO has screwed up (I doubt he false carded at trick one on this auction) and either way, I play a club.

[hatchett]

I agree with Mikeh, I don't think you can make it if they defend accurately if RHO has the ♣A and LHO has 4 ♠ to K, unless RHO has Hx or H heart.

[pclayton]

having given it a little more thought: about the amount I could give it at the table (unless in a very long match with no time pressure), I can't see beyond winning the ♠A and runnng the diamonds, pitching a club from dummy and observing the enemy discards. This is a situation in which I'd expect most defenders to be telling each other about the club suit... but I doubt that I'd learn anything to my advantage.

 

If I then still read, as I do to begin with, LHO for Kxxx of spades, and no club Ace, I think I am reduced, if they discard accurately, to playing rho for Hx in hearts, and I'm going for 10x. If LHO errs and discards a spade, then either the KQxxx were on my left all along or LHO has screwed up (I doubt he false carded at trick one on this auction) and either way, I play a club.

This is sensible. A club up early is a zero-play line. RHO doesn't know the entire hand, but there are many positions where rising is correct, including the case when we hold ♠AKT / ♣JTx.

 

This hand will play close to double dummy for us, but we can't say the same for the defenders. If LHO does hold: ♠Kxxx ♥QTxxx ♦x ♣Jxx, he might make the 4 correct discards or he might not.

[Finch]

Oops.

 

I have given you the wrong spade suit in hand.

But now when I tell you the actual spades, you'll get it right easily.

 

South's spades are AJ4

[pclayton]

Oops.

 

I have given you the wrong spade suit in hand.

But now when I tell you the actual spades, you'll get it right easily.

 

South's spades are AJ4

Ah, enter the non-material aspect. Now we have a real squeeze against LHO instead of an imagined one assuming LHO does have 5 spades.

[1eyedjack]

A club up early is a zero-play line.

Inferior, certainly. But "zero-play" seems a hyperbolic adjective. Aside from the (agreed low) likelihood of sneaking a Club through, you still make when LHO has Club Ace. Also odds against, but certainly possible.

[Edmunte1]

I'll play West for 5 spades. With 5 spades in East, and in this vulnerabilities, probably West would have sacrificed in 4♠. On the fifth diamond, West is squeezed in 3 suits: has to keep all 4 winners in ♠, has to keep at least 3 cards in ♥ and the comunication card in clubs, and can't do it. I can call this, acording to Geza Ottlik, a squeeze against exit cards (correct me if i'm wrong)

[han]

How cruel Frances, I gave this problem a lot of thought this problem and felt really stupid!

 

Nice hand though.

[Finch]

How cruel Frances, I gave this problem a lot of thought this problem and felt really stupid!

 

Nice hand though.

Sorry for not checking the post carefully. Or I could have made life a little harder by saying they were playing attitude leads!

 

As many posters have worked out, this hand does indeed fall into the general category of what Ottlik called 'non-material' squeezes.

 

West is 5-4-1-3 and on four rounds of diamonds he can discard 2 clubs and one heart. On the last diamond he can't discard a spade or you can set up a club (that's a material trick), he can't discard his heart menace (that's a material trick) but he also can't discard his last club, which is the vital link to partner's hand for a spade through (non-material).

 

When he does discard the club (anything else being obviously fatal) you just play three rounds of hearts endplaying him to give you the SJ, which also picks up Qx on your right.