Hands that make you return to the bridge table

[Gerben42]

On the first club night of the year I played a hand of the kind that makes me come back to the bridge table again and again. Here it is:

 

Partner opens an unfavourable weak two in ♥, RHO passes and you pick up:

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=s2h6dakq5cakqt964]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

4♥ may be best for 620, or 3NT going with overtricks, but that may fail on ♠ leads. If partner has the ♥A (not too unlikely) slam has a chance and this of course outscores both 4♥ and 3NT if it makes.

 

To leave opponents in the dark you just bid 6♣.

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=s843haj98742d87c8&w=sakq765hq5dt62c32&e=sjt9hkt3dj943cj75&s=s2h6dakq5cakqt964]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

LHO leads ♠A and switches to a trump.

 

If any intermediates want to solve this hand, go ahead. If you are an expert, don't write the solution please.

[jtfanclub]

If I run all the trump except the last, we have...

 

[hv=n=s8ha98d87c&w=skq7hq5dtc&e=sjhkdj943c&s=sh6dakq5c4]399|300|[/hv]

 

Play the last trump, RHO should discard a heart. Now play 2 diamonds.

 

[hv=n=s8ha98d87c&w=skq7hq5dtc&e=sjhkdj943c&s=sh6dakq5c4]399|300|[/hv]

 

When you play the last diamond, LHO has to discard a spade, you discard a spade on dummy, and you finesse the heart for the last two tricks. If RHO had kept a heart, you could cash the heart and the spade.

 

Here's what stumps me, though. If I see it double-dummy, it's easy. With intermediate opponents, it's easy.

 

With expert opponents, what can't LHO have a heart and a spade, RHO have a heart and a diamond, and with two tricks left I take the finesse and it fails, when the drop would take the rest of the tricks? They can see what's coming a long ways away.

[jocdelevat]

If I was the op easy for declerer to make his d's because I would never leave the K heart unguarded or discarded when I see ace heart on my right and hearts not played yet for diamonds.

[655321]

Great hand Gerben!

 

I was reading the relevant chapter in Love just 2 days ago, but have never seen one of these at the table.

[y66]

Run clubs and diamonds to reach this position:

 

♠8

♥AJ

 

♥6

♦Q5

 

If either opp started with both heart honors and long diamonds, they are down to ♥H and ♦xx and I will take a diamond and 2 hearts.

 

If heart honors are split, then one opp must guard diamonds and the other must guard spades. After I play DQ, one opp will come down to ♥H and a diamond and the other to ♥Hx or ♠x ♥H. If RHO is guarding spades, he can wait to see what dummy discards and protect his heart honor or keep a spade accordingly. So, I hope LHO is guarding spades.

 

Maybe I'll see the first scenario at the table. Don't think I'll work out the second one. I'll run clubs and diamonds and watch the discards when I play DQ on trick 11. If dummy's last spade is not good by the time I have to play from dummy (or if I haven't counted spades :lol:), I will pitch it and hope something good happens when I play HA.

 

Thanks for the problem. :)

[Tomi2]

On the first club night of the year I played a hand of the kind that makes me come back to the bridge table again and again. Here it is:

you must use every hint Gerben gives you...

its late and you play in a German club... so lots of tired ladies around you. Now while you think about your squeeze your opps fall asleep and you simply put ♥J into the ♦suit and a small d♦ to the ♥'s

you have both 8 and 7 in both suits but there is still a chance that opps dont see it. so when they wake up again you caim the top tricks :rolleyes:

[new126]

The answer is to win the second spade leade from west with a trump in hand. Play the AK ♦. Play the 5 ♦ and trump with the 8♣ in dummy. Play A♥ play low heart and trump with 6♣ in hand. Play remaining ♣ then play Q♦ and win contract.

[keylime]

Gerben,

 

That is a GREAT hand.