Two from Palm Springs

[Phil]

1. [hv=d=s&n=skqt8h9dj987cq865&s=s4hakjt743daq2cj7]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

You play in 4♥ (no bidding from opps).

 

1. ♣A, 5, 2 (UDCA), 7

 

2. ♠2, K, A, 4

 

3. ♣10, J, K, 6

 

4. ♠3, ?

 

Opponents are reasonable but not great. How would your line change if you were playing against WC?

 

 

2. ♠Qxx ♥ATxx ♦Jxx ♣9xx; r/w IMPs

 

(1♦) - 1♠ - (pass) - 2♠

(3♣) - 3♥ - (5♣) - ?

 

If you pass:

What do you do if pard x's?

 

 

[Fluffy]

I trust ♠2 and finese the 10.

 

On the other hand double fit is a good excuse for bidding 5, 5♥.

[Benoit35]

I trust ♠2 and finese the 10.

We didn't trust it the first time... Queen of spades.

 

So we fear a 5-2 club split, and dare not cash the ♣Q just yet. Or ever, because once we leave the dummy, there's no coming back.

 

This is our one and only chance to finesse a red suit. I would hook the diamond king right away, and hope for ♥Qx on my left. With a 4-?-?-5 West this is not so unlikely.

[CSGibson]

I trust ♠2 and finese the 10.

We didn't trust it the first time... Queen of spades.

 

So we fear a 5-2 club split, and dare not cash the ♣Q just yet. Or ever, because once we leave the dummy, there's no coming back.

 

This is our one and only chance to finesse a red suit. I would hook the diamond king right away, and hope for ♥Qx on my left. With a 4-?-?-5 West this is not so unlikely.

Agree with all of this analysis.

[manudude03]

On the first hand, I think I'm playing the ♠10, then attempting to cash the ♣Q (clubs 3-4) to hopefully pitch 2 diamonds. The diamond finesse option requires quite a lot of luck. If you play the Jack and it gets covered, you need to hope for Qx hearts and Tx (or KT) diamonds. If you play low to the Queen, you need to hope for Qx hearts and Kx diamonds.

 

There is also the slim hope that East started 5-1-5-2 with singleton ♥Q where the ruff would still allow for the diamond finesse (trump to the 9).

 

On the second hand, 5H for me, we've already shown spade support, let partner decide which major we play in. On a good day, we make.

[Phil]

1. RHO had AJxx Qxx Kxxx xx. You don't have a legitimate line to make AFAICT. I'm not sure RHO is good enough to cover the heart if you led it from dummy. I took the legitimate line; diamond finesse; ♥AK.

 

2. This was a hand the opponents appealed. This hand passed (I'd probably bid 5♥) but pulled a slow x of 5♣. AC rolled it back to 5C x'd making. 5H is -2.