Matchpoint defense

[han]

[hv=d=e&v=b&e=s93hq86542da109c82&s=sk875hj3dkj82cj73]266|200|Scoring: MP

.. - pass

1NT - 2D

2H - 3H

4H[/hv]

 

Partner leads the diamond 5 (3rd/low), you win with the king, declarer playing the 6. What do you return?

 

Note: this may not be a "problem hand" in the sense that you can figure it out. It's just a hand I had this afternoon.

[Finch]

Looks as if partner has either led from a doubleton, or has the Queen.

Also we know declarer has falsecarded at trick one either way (i.e. the 6 is not declarer's lowest card).

 

This seems a complete guess.

 

If partner has led from Qxx, it's right to continue diamonds.

If partner has led from Qxxx, it's possibly right to switch to trumps, or alternative might be right to switch to spades, or might be right to switch to clubs.

 

Trying to stop a diamond ruff is probably too hard, it needs partner to have Axx hearts and we might make two trump tricks if that's his hand anyway.

 

Against that Qxx is a super-aggressive lead.

 

I'd probably just play a diamond back and hope. Very boring.

[Guest Jlall]

Was declarer good or bad? And what tempo did they duck trick 1 in?

 

IMO bad players never duck when they have AT9 opp xxx, and a lot of people give away if they have the queen or not by their tempo at trick 1 (if you have the queen you can insta duck etc). I think very often at the table you can figure out if they have the queen or not basically.

 

Anyways, I tend to play unknowns for the queen always when they duck so I would shift to something. A spade looks more promising than a club because it might cash our tricks immediately (if we have the AK), or set up a slow trick (if partner has the queen and one club stop), or might not blow a trick even when it loses (if partner has the jack). A club caters to more specific layouts (clubs going away on the spades).

 

On the other hand it looks like declarer has falsecarded with the D6 at trick 1 which would imply he isn't a drooler (since he didnt play his lowest spot). That is kind of troubling... there's probably a correlation between people who falsecard and people who duck when they have xx(x) in diamonds... Dummy also invited with that hand which no walter the walrus would do so that indicates the opps might be good. Maybe look at their convention card to see if they play complicated methods :P

 

On the other hand if declarer has no diamond queen he might have gone up ace and worked on a black suit if he needed some pitches (ie if I need to shift to a black suit).

 

Anyways I think I've convinced myself to play a diamond unless I have reason to believe they suck, or if they insta ducked at trick 1, in which case I play a spade.

[pclayton]

I don't think pard led from Q-x-x at MPs. That would be pretty odd unless other leads are worse. If pard led from a doubleton, I dont want to play a diamond back. I dont think the position is obvious to declarer, but frankly I'm tired and too lazy to work it out.

 

A spade needs less than a club at this point so thats what I'm playing.

[han]

Maybe look at their convention card to see if they play complicated methods :P

Their auction was actually:

 

1NT - 2D

2H - 3D*

4H

 

where 3D was alerted as an invite with 6+ hearts. I didn't think that this was relevant but now it turns out it is!

[ArcLight]

This is probably silly at MPs and more appropriate at IMPS/Rubber bridge but my thoughts are:

 

1. pard lead from a 4 card ♦ suit Q 7 5 x. ♦ will yield no more tricks.

2. Assume Declarer has 16+ HCP, I will say 16.

3. This leaves pard room for 9 HCP (-2 for the Q) = 7 remaining.

 

If pard has the AQ of clubs, we are not setting this.

We need pard to have A of spades and king of clubs.

 

Lead a club now, so we can make the king when we get in with spades.

 

Leading a diamond lets declarer eliminate dimes or just gain a tempo, and go after which ever black suit he needs

[han]

Arclight, partner can have 1, 2, 3 or 4 diamonds, why do you assume 4?

[ArcLight]

Han,

I assume 4 but its certainly possible thats not correct.

 

If pard has 1♦ then:

Declarer would have a 5 card diamond suit Q7643. He might not consider that worth an accpt.

 

If pard has 2♦ then:

I dont see how he will get me in for a ruff, unless he has the ♠ ace, and a trump entry. If pard has the trump ace, it can work, with the K (Kx) there might not be a ruff.

But you are right - returning a diamond is the correct play in this case. If it is, I took a view and lost.

 

If pard has 3♦ to the Q then:

Returning a ♦ is correct, as it will establish my Jack.

 

I assumed 4♦ and covered that above.

 

 

Maybe my assumed card layout requires too many specific cards?

Maybe teh dime return is better and see what happens.

 

 

As for not leading from Qxx ♦, pard may indeed have an unsupported ♠ace, a trump honor (and he doesnt want to lead trumps), and a weak club suit. Maybe he chose x from Qxx ratehr than a club from T 6 4.

[Vilgan]

I would return the J of diamonds I think. If I am going to leave open the possibility that partner has a doubleton and an entry, I need to tell him where my entry is. It sounds like declarer having Qx of diamonds is not possible given the lead of the 5. If it is possible for declarer to have Q6 of diamonds, I have to lead the 8 back.

 

Heart return could easily be right. Part of my reasoning for a diamond is that with Axx of hearts, partner could likely have led hearts themselves (altho ATx might be hard to lead from).

[jdonn]

I thought about this a long time, and I like returning a diamond. It could set up another diamond trick, or could set up a diamond ruff if partner led a doubleton. A black suit could certainly be right too, but even then I would have to guess which one.