Interesting 3NT play problem

[Mbodell]

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=sj83hj73dj8652ct2&s=sq74hatdaq3cakq83]133|200|Scoring: MP

1♣*-P-1♦**-P

2NT***-P-3NT

 

* - 16+ any

** - fewer than 8 points or fewer than 2 controls (A=2,K=1)

*** - 22-25 balanced[/hv]

 

Opening lead K♥. Plan the play.

[jtfanclub]

I have to admit, I'd win the ace of hearts and punch down the queen of diamonds. Doing the AKQ and another club works great if the opponents continue hearts, but on a spade switch they may keep me entryless to dummy.

[skjaeran]

I have to admit, I'd win the ace of hearts and punch down the queen of diamonds. Doing the AKQ and another club works great if the opponents continue hearts, but on a spade switch they may keep me entryless to dummy.

Why ♦Q and not ace? Would seem stupid to lose to the bare ♦K wouldn't it?

[pclayton]

I have to admit, I'd win the ace of hearts and punch down the queen of diamonds.  Doing the AKQ and another club works great if the opponents continue hearts, but on a spade switch they may keep me entryless to dummy.

Why ♦Q and not ace? Would seem stupid to lose to the bare ♦K wouldn't it?

It would seem even stupider to lose 2♠, 1♥, the ♦K and a club :P

 

I'll start with the ♦Q too.

[jtfanclub]

I have to admit, I'd win the ace of hearts and punch down the queen of diamonds.  Doing the AKQ and another club works great if the opponents continue hearts, but on a spade switch they may keep me entryless to dummy.

Why ♦Q and not ace? Would seem stupid to lose to the bare ♦K wouldn't it?

I lose control if somebody has KT9x of diamonds, which is twice as likely as the singleton king. If I lead the ace and queen of diamonds, and they take it and return the ten, I'm almost certain to lose two diamonds, two spades, and a heart, even if the clubs break 3-3.

[Mbodell]

If you play the Q♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low. If you play the A♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low. Now what?

 

(For the record at the table I played A♦ first and both followed low)

[pclayton]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

 

If clubs are 3-3, all I need to do is cash the clubs, the A♦ and exit the heart 10. They are welcome to cash their 2♠, ♥ and ♦K but I'll make a trick at the end.

 

If clubs are 4-2, this hand gets VERY complicated. I don't want to go into all the permutations here.

 

I have a weird feeling about this hand and think I'm missing something obvious.

[jtfanclub]

If you play the Q♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  If you play the A♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  Now what?

Now I continue with the A of diamonds. No risk of them taking two diamond tricks now. If RHO shows out, I can continue another diamond to set up the diamonds. If LHO shows out, I guess the next play is the ten of hearts and hope for a spade switch or a 3-3 club split.

 

If diamonds are 3-2, I play a third diamond.

[Mbodell]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

[pclayton]

If you play the Q♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  If you play the A♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  Now what?

Now I continue with the A of diamonds. No risk of them taking two diamond tricks now. If RHO shows out, I can continue another diamond to set up the diamonds. If LHO shows out, I guess the next play is the ten of hearts and hope for a spade switch or a 3-3 club split.

 

If diamonds are 3-2, I play a third diamond.

How are you reaching the long diamond? By the way, LHO really blundered if he didn't grab the 1st diamond looking at KT9x.

[Mbodell]

If you play the Q♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  If you play the A♦ at trick 2 it holds, both follow low.  Now what?

Now I continue with the A of diamonds. No risk of them taking two diamond tricks now. If RHO shows out, I can continue another diamond to set up the diamonds. If LHO shows out, I guess the next play is the ten of hearts and hope for a spade switch or a 3-3 club split.

 

If diamonds are 3-2, I play a third diamond.

Diamonds were 3-2 with K♦ in the 3 card bit. So you won trick 1 in ♥, trick 2 and 3 in ♦, and lost trick 4 to the K♦ to the RHO (LHO pitched a ♥). RHO returns a club. Now what?

[pclayton]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

Well I guess if clubs are 3-3, I'll just cash A♦ and exit the heart.

[jtfanclub]

Diamonds were 3-2 with K♦ in the 3 card bit. So you won trick 1 in ♥, trick 2 and 3 in ♦, and lost trick 4 to the K♦ to the RHO (LHO pitched a ♥). RHO returns a club. Now what?

Now I can safely cash out clubs, leaving the Qxx of spades and the HT in my hand, and the Jx of spades and the Jx of hearts in dummy.

 

I lead the heart ten next, and as I've stripped the minors, I'm guaranteed one more trick.

[Mbodell]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

Well I guess if clubs are 3-3, I'll just cash A♦ and exit the heart.

If clubs are 3-3, all I need to do is cash the clubs, the A♦ and exit the heart 10.

 

So all you need to do is cash the clubs the A♦ and exit the ♥T. What did you pitch from dummy while cashing the clubs.

[pclayton]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

Well I guess if clubs are 3-3, I'll just cash A♦ and exit the heart.

If clubs are 3-3, all I need to do is cash the clubs, the A♦ and exit the heart 10.

 

So all you need to do is cash the clubs the A♦ and exit the ♥T. What did you pitch from dummy while cashing the clubs.

Under this scenario I only need to pitch once and its a diamond.

[Mbodell]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

Well I guess if clubs are 3-3, I'll just cash A♦ and exit the heart.

If clubs are 3-3, all I need to do is cash the clubs, the A♦ and exit the heart 10.

 

So all you need to do is cash the clubs the A♦ and exit the ♥T. What did you pitch from dummy while cashing the clubs.

Under this scenario I only need to pitch once and its a diamond.

Ok, so you only cash 3 rounds of clubs (hence only one pitch)? Leaving

 

Jxx

Jx

Jx

-

 

in dummy

 

with

 

Qxx

T

x

xx

 

in hand and you've, to date, won 1♥ (A), 3♣ (AKQ), 2♦ (AQ). You lead the T♥ which is covered by the Q♥ by LHO who then plays another ♥, setting up a ♥ in his hand and the opponents are going to score A♠, K♠, K♦, Q♥, 4th ♥ from LHO (and maybe a 5th ♥) and set you at least 1.

[Mbodell]

Diamonds were 3-2 with K♦ in the 3 card bit.  So you won trick 1 in ♥, trick 2 and 3 in ♦, and lost trick 4 to the K♦ to the RHO (LHO pitched a ♥).  RHO returns a club.  Now what?

Now I can safely cash out clubs, leaving the Qxx of spades and the HT in my hand, and the Jx of spades and the Jx of hearts in dummy.

 

I lead the heart ten next, and as I've stripped the minors, I'm guaranteed one more trick.

This line works.

 

It wasn't the line suggested to me by RHO after the game (cash Q♦ on trick 2, then run ♣ pitching ♦ from board and squeeze opponents in diamonds and majors).

 

The line I tried at the table was:

 

A♥

A♦

Q♦

5 clubs pitching 1♦ and 2♠

lose ♥T

but then I got a spade through dummy's J♠ to RHO A♠

RHO cashed K♦ LHO pitching ♥

RHO lead a ♠ back through my Qx to LHO's KT

 

and I was down 1 thanks to my poor pitching.

[pclayton]

Now I play 2 top clubs. If they break 4-2 or better I clear the suit. This gets me up to 4♣, 1♥, 2♦.

What do you throw on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ♣ (they broke 3-3).

Well I guess if clubs are 3-3, I'll just cash A♦ and exit the heart.

If clubs are 3-3, all I need to do is cash the clubs, the A♦ and exit the heart 10.

 

So all you need to do is cash the clubs the A♦ and exit the ♥T. What did you pitch from dummy while cashing the clubs.

Under this scenario I only need to pitch once and its a diamond.

Ok, so you only cash 3 rounds of clubs (hence only one pitch)? Leaving

 

Jxx

Jx

Jx

-

 

in dummy

 

with

 

Qxx

T

x

xx

 

in hand and you've, to date, won 1♥ (A), 3♣ (AKQ), 2♦ (AQ). You lead the T♥ which is covered by the Q♥ by LHO who then plays another ♥, setting up a ♥ in his hand and the opponents are going to score A♠, K♠, K♦, Q♥, 4th ♥ from LHO (and maybe a 5th ♥) and set you at least 1.

Yeah this doesn't work - I can't get back to my hand for the clubs....

[skjaeran]

I have to admit, I'd win the ace of hearts and punch down the queen of diamonds.  Doing the AKQ and another club works great if the opponents continue hearts, but on a spade switch they may keep me entryless to dummy.

Why ♦Q and not ace? Would seem stupid to lose to the bare ♦K wouldn't it?

It would seem even stupider to lose 2♠, 1♥, the ♦K and a club :unsure:

 

I'll start with the ♦Q too.

Yeah, sorry. I overlooked the fact that dummy has no entry. So this is a very complicated hand.