6 or 7 teams

[benlessard]

Your hand

 

AJxxx

QTxx

Ax

Ax

 

partner hand is almost known.

 

void

AKxxx (no jack)

Kxxx

Kxxx

 

Partner may have a minor jack but not both since he didnt open 1C (15+)

 

You are playing against a B team in imps. Do you bid 7 ?

[effervesce]

6 is enough for me. 13 is too much-you only have 10 tricks off the top, and to get 3 extra tricks by ruffing is unlikely. My rule is to not bid 7 unless you can see count 13 tricks or see a good % line (>60%) for 13.

[Mbodell]

6 is enough for me. 13 is too much-you only have 10 tricks off the top, and to get 3 extra tricks by ruffing is unlikely. My rule is to not bid 7 unless you can see count 13 tricks or see a good % line (>60%) for 13.

If hearts split 2-2 or 3-1 (90+%) and which ever of clubs or diamonds we pick splits 4-3 with the 3 either having only 1 trump or being in front of the dummy, and the other minor also splits 4-3 we will make 7 by ruffing in dummy. This is like 20 or 30% total I think.

 

We can do a dummy reversal ruffing spades 4 times which will work when hearts split 2-2 and spades are no worse than 5-3 and minors are no worse than 4-3. I think this line might actually be better, but it is still like 30%.

 

So I'll settle for a safer 6♥.

[Guest Jlall]

Here is one line that comes to mind immediately: on a trump lead you should plan to ruff 3 spades. If spades come in (4-4 or KQx) you are home. If they do not you should have ruffed out one of the minors and now have various squeeze chances but you will have to guess which one is operating. The most likely would be a double squeeze when RHO guards spades, LHO guards the minor we have isolated, and no one can guard the other minor. If we have a minor suit jack we can just decide to finesse the minor or try ruffing out the queen then playing for the squeeze. On a non trump lead it is more complicated but you can generally do the same thing.

 

Anyways, I would just bid 6.

[655321]

6♥.

 

7♥ looks like a terrible contract.

 

Ruffing 3 spades in hand doesn't work unless trumps are 2-2, does it?

You need to cross to dummy 4 times (once for each spade ruff, and once to draw the last trump) and there are not enough entries. Even with 2-2 trumps, one of the minors will have gone, so all that is left is a simple squeeze if spades haven't come home.

[Guest Jlall]

6♥.

 

7♥ looks like a terrible contract.

 

Ruffing 3 spades in hand doesn't work unless trumps are 2-2, does it?

You need to cross to dummy 4 times (once for each spade ruff, and once to draw the last trump) and there are not enough entries.  Even with 2-2 trumps, one of the minors will have gone, so all that is left is a simple squeeze if spades haven't come home.

If they lead a trump a trump is your entry. If they lead a spade then that is your fourth entry. If they don't then you need 2-2 hearts or stiff jack. Given that they know dummy is 0544 I would guess that a trump lead is super likely vs 7H though.

[655321]

OK I see, makes sense if it is played by the QTxx hand.

 

OP did not say which way up it is being played. AKxxx hand opened the bidding, but we don't know if he opened 1♥, or perhaps with the relay system, might have been 1♦ showing hearts.

[Guest Jlall]

OK I see, makes sense if it is played by the QTxx hand.

 

OP did not say which way up it is being played. AKxxx hand opened the bidding, but we don't know if he opened 1♥, or perhaps with the relay system, might have been 1♦ showing hearts.

Sorry you're right, for some reason I was thinking your hand was the equivalent of declarers hand...that is dumb obviously, I am just used to hogging the dummy I guess :P

[benlessard]

The hand was played by me AKxxx of H.

 

Partner bid 7 (I thought it was a bad bid since IMO there is a chance they are not in 6 at the other table)

 

If they are not in slam we are riskying 25 IMPs to win 2 IMPs. I did get a trump lead and I was lucky to have the 9 of H.