Jump to content

Straightforward 3NT


Recommended Posts

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sk62ha963dacq10842&s=saq104hqj10dq103ca65]133|200|Scoring: IMP

S: 3NT[/hv]

From the Danish Club Team Championships over the weekend.

 

1N - 2

2 - 3N

P

 

Lead: 2 (4th best).

 

A straightforward auction to a normal contract. West leads an annoying 2, your weakish spot. How do you plan the play? Advanced and better players are kindly requested to wait until the B/I's have had a go, alternatively use hidden text.

 

Roland

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh so many options - a sure sign I'll get this wrong.

 

So RHO has 5 s. I'm not really keen about him leading diamonds through me, though of course if the honours are split and I guess right I might survive. Still, I think I'd rather be putting LHO on lead, if I have to.

 

So, while the clubs look like the most promising source of tricks, normally, I think the risk is just too great. (There are some Hx holdings I can pick up for 1 loser and take 3, 1, 1 and 4, but individually they seem like longshots)

 

Instead, I'll aim for 4, 3, 1 and 1.

 

A. Cash the A, low to the QJ.

 

If RHO wins and returns a or , I have my 9. If she returns a , I might pick up my 9th trick on a guess in s. A return is best, but maybe she'll be out. (A return also makes it safer to put her back on lead.)

 

If LHO wins and returns a , guess time. I'll go with the T and pray. Anything else, I win,.

 

When I'm back in, cash A, cross to the K, cash the 9, and finesse the J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Declarer needs to develop extra tricks in Hearts or Clubs.

 

If the K of Hearts is with West then a simple finesse will produce 4 tricks in the suit. That's a 50% chance of success plus some chance of success if the finesse loses and East has both Diamond honors or one Diamond honor and declarer can guess what to do when East returns a Diamond.

 

Playing a Club to the Ace and then a Club toward the dummy will work if West holds Kx, KJ, or KJx or if East holds the singleton King. This line of play will fail if West holds x, xx, or xxx. Again there is the same 'plus' chance of success if declarer is lucky in Diamonds.

 

Math is not my strong suit but I make the Heart chances about the same as the Club chances.

 

So I would play a Club to the Ace just in case East plays the singleton King. If not I will finesse in Hearts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...