Tough defensive problem

[lamford]

[hv=d=w&v=n&e=s5hkjt9863dj7ca62&s=sat96h754dq94cjt5]266|200|[/hv]

 

1C*-Pass-1H-Pass

1NT-Pass-2H-Pass

3H-Pass-3S-Pass

4C-Pass-5C-Pass

6NT-All Pass

 

1C was strong. The cue-bidding style is first or second round controls.

 

Partner leads the three of spades (fourth best). How do you defend? In the Lederer it is 60% IMPs 40%BAM.

[pooltuna]

[hv=d=w&v=n&e=s5hkjt9863dj7ca62&s=sat96h754dq94cjt5]266|200|[/hv]

 

1C*-Pass-1H-Pass

1NT-Pass-2H-Pass

3H-Pass-3S-Pass

4C-Pass-5C-Pass

6NT-All Pass

 

1C was strong. The cue-bidding style is first or second round controls.

 

Partner leads the three of spades (fourth best). How do you defend? In the Lederer it is 60% IMPs 40%BAM.

Hard for me to imagine partner leading from either the K or Q♠ so I will insert the 9 to reduce declarers auto tricks. I have to plan my discards on ♥ before I try this so I will come down to AT♠ Q9♦ T♣

[hatchett]

Partner is unlikely to have underled ♠K. The ♥s are running. Declarer has ♣K. I will return a ♦ since I think the best chance of beating it is partner has ♦A. If partner has found a great lead from♠K, I will have to apologise.

[nigel_k]

I may lack imagination but I'm going to win and return a spade.

 

They have bid 6NT with a long suit so an attacking lead is called for and partner could even have the king. He is more likely to have led from king or queen than from the jack.

 

If declarer wins the king and runs hearts I'll need partner to have something in the minors in addition to the queen of spades.

 

If partner has king of diamonds and queen of clubs I just need to keep all my clubs so partner can let them go.

 

If partner has king of clubs and ten of diamonds I don't think there is anything declarer can do.

 

If we can't beat it at least I stopped the overtrick.

[Codo]

Ace of spade and spade back for Nigels reasons.

[phil_20686]

I disagree completely with all those who win the ace of spades. IMO there is approximately a zero percent chance that an expert level player will convert from 6h to 6N opposite a cue that is likely shortage without a spade stop. I'd sayy it's 100% that west has the K fo spades. Partner may have led from the Q in which case it may look like ducking doesnt matter, but it will control what hand guards the suit in the event of a squeeze. It will also rectify the count.

 

The auction is actually very revealing, in regular precision i think declarer has shown a 18-19 NT. I imagine he has enough to in hearts to make sure the hearts are running and the kc for teh same reason re conversion. He must also have the ace of diamonds.

 

Kxxx

AQx

Axx

Kxx

 

+ one more card

Since the Q of of clubs will give hin 12 on top, as will the QJ of spades, i think i will give him the spade Q.

 

KQxx

AQx

Axx

Kxx

 

the shape is somewhat unclear besides the fact that he seems to have 3-4 spades. On this layout winning the ace gives him his 12th trick. With this type of hand declarer has 11 tricks and will attempt to squeeze someone for his 12th as he has no other real options.

 

It must be safe then to pitch all your diamonds. Declarer could have 5 clubs conceivably. If declarer has the k of diamodns to go with the k s kc as and a h he has 12 on top. Same goes for the Q of clubs. Partner will realise he can let go of his clubs and keep only diamonds and a spade.

 

EDIT corrected terrible typing

[cherdanno]

Why does opener have 18-19 balanced?

Btw, I think at IMPs ducking would be clear, but the 40% matchpoints in the scoring makes me hesitate.

[phil_20686]

i thought that a strong club followed by a nt rebid showed a balanced hand just too strong for 1N.

[gnasher]

Btw, I think at IMPs ducking would be clear, but the 40% matchpoints in the scoring makes me hesitate.

If the 40% were true matchpoints, that might not be much of a concern - for it to matter, teammates would have to have bid 6NT as well, which seems far from certain.

 

However, I think that in this particular competition a difference of 10 counts as a tie, so the risk of an overtrick is an important consideration.

[lamford]

Indeed the East-West system was that 1NT was 17-19. The pair was in the winning Lederer team, and have reached, I believe, the semi-final of the European Team Championship. The system card (I don't think it has changed much), if it helps, is at:

 

http://www.bridgegreatbritain.org/homeinte...-fitzgibbon.pdf

 

Lederer participants will know the hand, so it might be hard for them to comment without giving the right defence, but if they can blot the actual hand out of their mind, their opinions would be welcome.

 

Suffice it to say that the decision, either at trick one or trick two, is crucial.

[lamford]

However, I think that in this particular competition a difference of 10 counts as a tie, so the risk of an overtrick is an important consideration.

Indeed 10 is a tie, so if they are in Six Hearts in the other room, conceding 6NT would not be a loss on either scale. But the overtrick might be.

[rhm]

I disagree completely with all those who win the ace of spades. IMO there is approximately a zero percent chance that an expert level player will convert from 6h to 6N opposite a cue that is likely shortage without a spade stop. I'd sayy it's 100% that west has the K fo spades. Partner may have led from the Q in which case it may look like ducking doesnt matter, but it will control what hand guards the suit in the event of a squeeze. It will also rectify the count.

 

The auction is actually very revealing, in regular precision i think declarer has shown a 18-19 NT. I imagine he has enough to in hearts to make sure the hearts are running and the kc for teh same reason re conversion. He must also have the ace of diamonds.

 

Kxxx

AQx

Axx

Kxx

 

+ one more card

Since the Q of of clubs will give hin 12 on top, as will the QJ of spades, i think i will give him the spade Q.

 

KQxx

AQx

Axx

Kxx

 

the shape is somewhat unclear besides the fact that he seems to have 3-4 spades. On this layout winning the ace gives him his 12th trick. With this type of hand declarer has 11 tricks and will attempt to squeeze someone for his 12th as he has no other real options.

 

It must be safe then to pitch all your diamonds. Declarer could have 5 clubs conceivably. If declarer has the k of diamodns to go with the k s kc as and a h he has 12 on top. Same goes for the Q of clubs. Partner will realise he can let go of his clubs and keep only diamonds and a spade.

 

EDIT corrected terrible typing

It is easy to construct hands where declarer has the ♠ King and ducking at trick one gives declarer the contract.

 

For example if declarer holds

 

♠KJxx

♥AQ

♦AKxx

♣Q9x

 

declarer simply cashes one diamond and runs heart when you duck. He has always 12 tricks

Declarer last discard was the ♠ king, so you had to keep the ♠ ace

Declarer has Q9 in ♣ and Ax in ♦

You had to keep J10 in ♣ to avoid a finesse against your partner and had to come down to a singleton queen of ♦ .

What are your partners last 4 cards?

He has to keep Kx in ♣ and Tx in ♦, but gets now thrown in with a ♦ to lead from the king of ♣.

 

If you win trick one and return anything but a ♦ I do not see how declarer could come to 12 tricks on this layout.

 

 

Rainer Herrmann

[hatchett]

Rainer I don't think declarer will have Q9x ♣ for his 4♣ cue.

[rhm]

Rainer I don't think declarer will have Q9x ♣ for his 4♣ cue.

Oops.

Good point

 

Rainer Herrmann

[lamford]

Thanks all for the comments. You have to win and return a diamond, as declarer has KQx AQx Kxx KQxx. The defender at the table crossed the first hurdle when he won with the ace of spades, but now returned a spade, and declarer claimed. I think this was very tough, and next time the Irish will not be so lucky!