Slam defense

[Hanoi5]

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sq98652ht73d98ct7&w=sakha94dk5432c654&e=sjhqj862daqtcaj83&s=st743hk5dj76ckq92]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

After 1♦-1♥-1NT-2♣-2♥-5♥-6♥, South Led ♣Q (Rusinow), East won and played the ♥Q which South quickly covered and West won with the Ace. The 9 of ♥ was played and covered and declarer made all the tricks. 'Why did you cover with the Ten?' 'I thought you had the 8. Why did you cover with the King?' 'I expected declarer to think I had KT'. Who's right?

[dburn]

Who's right?

North should not have covered the nine; declarer's correct play for no loser when the queen is covered is to lead to the jack next. If declarer did not have the eight he would not lead the nine, since this is a "hopeless" play.

 

South was right in the sense that declarer should have been going to play South for ♥K10. Students should note that if South does not cover the king in this position, East will (if playing optimally) next run the jack, so perhaps South ought to have allowed this to happen, since he seems to know more than North does.

[Jlall]

South should generally not cover, it's embarassing when partner has T8x but that is very unlikely.

 

Sometimes you have to cover with Kx to protect your KT, but in practice unless you play a lot of hands vs someone it's best to duck and make them guess. No one is going to play you for KT just because you covered, that is a pipe dream, people cover with Kx all day.

 

Covering with the ten is dumb, if partner had K8 declarer would not try a chinese finesse playing for K8 rather than a legit KT. But I really doubt it mattered at that point, declarer is hooking, if nothing else he can pick up stiff K plus a covered Kx.

[wank]

as jlall says both players erred.

 

also, it's normal here as north to follow with the middle card after south ducks the king to represent 10x and encourage declarer to continue with the jack to pin the 10.

[gnasher]

South should generally not cover, it's embarassing when partner has T8x but that is very unlikely.

Even if partner has 108x, declarer won't usually get the suit right - knowing that you'd sometimes cover from Kx, but never from Kxx, declarer will usually lead the jack next.

[gnasher]

also, it's normal here as north to follow with the middle card after south ducks the king to represent 10x and encourage declarer to continue with the jack to pin the 10.

I'll bear that in mind next time I have to play this combination against you. Always playing the middle card is as bad as always playing the small one.

[Jlall]

South should generally not cover, it's embarassing when partner has T8x but that is very unlikely.

Even if partner has 108x, declarer won't usually get the suit right - knowing that you'd sometimes cover from Kx, but never from Kxx, declarer will usually lead the jack next.

True that

[Fluffy]

declarer won't play you for tight KT when he can catter Kx AND stiff K

[MFA]

South should generally not cover, it's embarassing when partner has T8x but that is very unlikely.

It's even more embarassing, perhaps, when partner has Jx.

[dake50]

Cover with Kx dblton iff partner may have Jx, 10xx, 9xxx; ie. a promotable holding is what I learned.

Not covering may get a few tricks deeper into the hand before the Kx is resolved. Thus no certainty of later entries, no certainty wasn't ducked. 'Let'em guess'