Now What?

[pclayton]

[hv=n=s3h953daq7642caq5&w=skj765h742d83cj82]266|200|Scoring: IMP

1D - 1H - 2D - 3N[/hv]

 

1. ♠6, 3, A, 4

2. ♠9, 10, ?

 

What is your plan?

[cherdano]

I would duck. Of course that will be wrong if partner has ♠A98x and made a good unblocking play, but I think the odds favor playing partner for ♠A9x and an entry before they have 9 tricks.

[kenrexford]

Does partner has A9x of spades and Declarer Q10xx, or does partner have A9xx in spades and Declarer Q10x?

 

The problem is also from partner's side. If you have elected fourth best from four, then with A9xx he may visualize the need to force an honor and/or maintain the lead. If you have five spades, then he needs to give you count.

 

But, the 9 is not high enough. If your have KJ10x, then the 9 accomplishes nothing, as you must now win the trick. If you are missing the J or 10, then Declarer can cover and you need to exit anyway. So, the "I need to lead the 9" play is a mirage, IMO.

 

Therefore, trusting partner to have given count, I duck also.

[pclayton]

This was from a late night team game and my pard held this hand.

 

As it turned out I did have ♠A982 as Arend suggested. I did lead back the 2 blocking the suit. The only card (besides the [sp}A) my hand held was the ♥K, and declarer had a heavy 3N call.

 

I apologized for blocking the suit, but I can't ever see us untangling our tricks.

[ASkolnick]

I actually think you should return the 8♠, not the 9. This will have the same effect of untangling the suit, but when declarer plays the T♠, not the 9♠, partner may be able to figure out you are unblocking the suit.

 

If you return, the 9♠, I would probably duck.

[Finch]

So, the "I need to lead the 9" play is a mirage, IMO.

 

Therefore, trusting partner to have given count, I duck also.

Well, clearly from A982 leading back the 2 blocks the suit.

 

I actually think you should return the 8♠, not the 9. This will have the same effect of untangling the suit, but when declarer plays the T♠, not the 9♠, partner may be able to figure out you are unblocking the suit.

 

Only if declarer always plays his lowest spade. Why shouldn't declarer play the 10 from Q109x?

 

In short, this is one of those positions that you cannot always get right. The one thing I don't think you should do is return an asystemic card from A982. Either return the 2 to give count (and possibly block the suit) or return the 9 and give partner the actual headache. At least then if you return the 8 partner will know it is from A8x and not go wrong on that layout. (Alternatively, if you think the 8 is right from this holding, then partner will still go wrong half the time, but get the A9x holdings right.)

 

There's also the third possibility that the correct action is to cash 3 spades and the AK of hearts. Not so likely here (as partner could have taken one top heart to tell us the layout) but very similar looking hands can make that possible.

 

Suppose dummy is the same, but we have the king of hearts in addition. Now we are left guessing if declarer has something like

 

Q108x

QJxx

KJ

KJx

 

(win and cash out in the majors)

 

or

 

Q10x

AQxx

Kxx

KJx

 

(cash spades)

 

or

 

Q108x

AQJ10

x

KJxx

 

(win and clear spades)

 

 

On my empirical evidence to date, it's been right to win and cash out 4 times out of 4 in the last year. I don't know quite what inference you can draw from that, however...

[pclayton]

I actually think you should return the 8♠, not the 9. This will have the same effect of untangling the suit, but when declarer plays the T♠, not the 9♠, partner may be able to figure out you are unblocking the suit.

 

If you return, the 9♠, I would probably duck.

The 8 is the worst card to return (although I thought about it in the post-mortem) because it absolutely denies the 9. At least the 9 sends a possible message about unblocking.

 

Why can't declarer hold QT94? Why would declarer favor playing the 10 over the 9 and v.v.?

 

(thinking about this hand more), I think there's a lot to be said for just returning the 2 in the actual situation. If you come to grips that you are never cashing five tricks, why not at least cash 4 and partner's (presumed) ♥A. That would be the winning defense if declarer held: ♠QTx ♥QJxx ♦KJx ♣Kxx.

[ASkolnick]

I'll respond to that, why the 8♠?

 

OK. Because while yes it is possible, that a declarer from QT9x may choose to play the T since it is equivalent, we can take an "inverted" restricted choice type position. If the T9 are equivalent, why did declarer play the T? Because it is possible because he did not hold the nine and partner needed to do something to unblock the suit.

 

Sure, it could be from A8x, but you are no worse off then you were before, and you now have possible "additional" information to make your choice of plays. I am not saying I would get it right though.

[gnasher]

I think declarer should always play the 10 from Q109x. If he plays the 9, he marks himself with four, because from Q9x he would, I assume, play the queen.

[kenrexford]

From A982, there is no solution. It is allowed that a bridge situation may develop where there is no solution.