Blue Ribbon Play #1

[sathyab]

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=st532hkqt9xxdaqcq&s=saq6hxdkjxxcakxxx]133|200|Scoring: MP

1h-(1s)-2c-(p)-2h-(p)-3nt[/hv]

 

Lead is the ♠8 on which RHO plays low. LHO follows low when you play a ♥. K or 9 ? If you think there'd be people playing in 4♥, they might be making only ten tricks with a ♠ lead but probably eleven without it. If the ♥9 loses to the Jack, it might prove hard to untangle all your tricks given the blockages in minor suits. If the ♥ Jack is on-side, ten tricks won't win very many MPs.

[Phil]

3N looks very normal at MPs to me, although I would expect 20-25% in 4♥.

 

Off the top we have two spades and 7 minor suit winners. Once the heart loses, a spade will come back and reduce our minor count to 6, but we get a heart trick to compensate.

 

If we play the K and it fetches the Ace and a high spade comes back we will win in hand, play a minor to dummy and knock out the heart J. If LHO wins, RHO doesn't have an entry and we expect to make 5 losing only two hearts. If RHO wins the J, he'll cash a spade and we will make 4.

 

If we play the 10 we have chances to take 12 tricks with 5 hearts, two spades, and five minor tricks. Looks right to me to play the 10. if hearts are Jxxx(x) on our left, we can make four easily and there seems to be some stepping stone chances. From what I can tell the ending looks quite interesting.

 

Note: Its unclear to me what will happen in hearts. RHO will be on lead and a spade lead may not be found from KJ9xx.

[MFA]

I finesse the ♥T.

Why shouldn't I? It's the percentage play, and if east has ♥AJ, he can establish only 1 spade trick anyway.

The communication is no problem. If east wins the ♥J and returns a big spade, I can win and enter dummy with ♦A for instance. Then I knock out the second heart and take 10 tricks.

[Vilgan]

3NT looks like the par contract and I'm happy to be there. Finessing J of hearts seems fairly normal..

 

If it loses I make 10 tricks. If it wins I make 10 or possibly 11. Only way King wins is AJ tight in RHO and that seems anti-percentage.

 

4♥ will likely get 11 tricks, so hopefully its Jxx of hearts onside. Too bad I couldn't make north bid 3NT on his Txxx ;P

[sathyab]

The percentage play wins a lot of MPs. You catch Jxxx on-side. All RHO can do is win the first or second heart and force out the ♠A, but you get to dummy with ♣Q, play the remaining ♥s and when you discover the 4-2 break, unblock ♦s and throw LHO in with the last ♥.

 

I got this one wrong at the table. I thought I needed to ensure ten tricks in NT as 4♥ would make only as many tricks. It turns out that 4♥ makes 5 even with a ♠ lead. And just as importantly, as MFA pointed out clearly, in spite of the blocked suits, you still make ten tricks if the ♥Ten loses to the Jack.