Free Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 [hv=v=b&n=sakqjt98haq763dcj&s=s2h952dak54ca9843]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] We ended up in 6♥ by South, opps were absolutely quiet. West lead a small ♣, East covered with the Q. What is the best way to play this contract? I think you need the ♥ 3-2...Imo you have 2 possible lines:- Finesse. If W has the K you make the contract.- Play ♥A and small ♥. If the K is singleton or doubleton you make. Does anybody know the percentages on both lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke warm Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 i'm not much on percentages (meaning i'm not sure about the exact %), but it seems to me that odds are 4:1 against K being stiff and 3:2 against it being doubleton... that being the case, it appears that taking the 50% finesse is better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Finesse: 1/2 of 3-2 splits = 34%A & small: 2/5 of 3-2 splits = 27% (I don't think you make it with singleton K, lose 2 hearts anyway.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhar Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 If the K is singleton or doubleton you make. If one opponent has ♥JT84, don't you lose two trump tricks? I finesse. Because you might have to ruff a spade to get back to your hand to finesse (risking the defenders leading a second spade which might produce another trump trick for the defense), you don't have the luxury to play the Ace first or duck a round to save an undertrick against singleton King. If you had an easy no-cost entry to your hand (which you don't), you might try leading a low heart from dummy trying to dupe RHO holding Kx, then finesse if the King doesn't show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted September 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 If the K is singleton or doubleton you make. If one opponent has ♥JT84, don't you lose two trump tricks? Hmmm, looks like I was a bit sleepy on that one. I first state that you need 3-2 trump split, and then I say you can make with stiff K - ZZZZZZZZ :( You're absolutely right. I guess Whereagles answered this - hope correct B) I had to play this, finessed and went -1 ;) That stupid K was offside and RHO had only 2♥s - boohoo... I don't think anyone made that contract anyway, but perhaps playing 6♠ would've been better (probably not a ♣ lead). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytoox Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 playing ace first is always right in this case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted September 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 playing ace first is always right in this case. Really? Perhaps I didn't mention that my LHO had a singleton ♠, so I had NO re-entry to my hand ;) ! It was the killing lead, otherwise I'd probably play ♥A first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtfanclub Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Hmmm... KTJ84 are missing, yes? LHO only: Good for finesse: KJT KJ8 KJ4 KT8 KT4 K84*Good for drop: T84 J84 JT8 JT4 *Unless trust your opponent and snuff the J or T, in which case that one is even. Shouldn't be any case in which playing it one way or the other matters. So 5 or 6 to 4. Hmmm...this will sound dumb, but how about instead of A and another or a finesse, what about ruffing a diamond and leading a low heart from the board? How many people with the KT, K8, or K4 have the nerves to duck smoothly? So if he doesn't play it, you assume he doesn't have it, and next you try ruffing a spade for an entry (hey, I notice they didn't lead a spade with or to partner's shortness) to try another finesse. Not that I'd try it in real life, but it's a thought.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 The technical play is ♥A and then small to the ♥Q, that would maybe be the best play at MP, at IMP jeopardizing the contract to save an undertrick when ♥K is bare offside is not worth it, so jsut play ♥ to the ♥Q inmediatelly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iscbrooks Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 6♠ is the better bid, both because of the ease in pulling trump and because of the bonus 150 points. This is a bit off-topic (you need the heart tricks anyway), but I just thought I'd mention that despite the heart fit spades is better when you get extra points and know that you will have no problems pulling trump. Also, playing ace and low♥ makes with a singleton king, after you cash AK♦. You don't need to set up the whole suit, only make two tricks. And the Q♥ does just that, even though it sets up the opponent's J♥ (which never gets a trick). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted September 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 What 150 bonus points are you talking about?? :D On the rest I fully agree. Problem was that my partner considered this as a GF 55+ hand, so the long ultra-strong ♠ suit went down the trash. I advised him to open this as GF in ♠ next time, and rebid some ♥ later on. But I still think that after a ♣ lead (less likely but anyway) you'll need to cash your ♦AK and you'll probably finesse again. On a non-♣-lead I think you can make it after some ♠s, since West will probably discard some ♥s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Don´t ever open a 2 suiter with 2♣, having to take a blind action at 5 level is often hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 A two-suiter like that one counts as a spade 1-suiter :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iscbrooks Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 What 150 bonus points are you talking about?? Honours:The top five trumps (A K Q J 10) are called honours. If one player holds all five of these cards, that player's side scores a bonus of 150 above the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted September 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Ah lol, I think you didn't see it was an MP event, no rubber :D 6♥ or 6♠ score the same over there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke warm Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 playing ace first is always right in this case. play ace then what, low? you seem to be catering only to K doubleton... i see entry problems playing that way, but maybe i'm wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhar Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 playing ace first is always right in this case. play ace then what, low? you seem to be catering only to K doubleton... i see entry problems playing that way, but maybe i'm wrong I think you're right, Jimmy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 PLay ♥A, reenter dummy ruffing a ♠ and lead a ♥, ,this sadly loses to ♠5-1 and also when someone has ♠xxxx/♥Kx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hog Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 PLay ♥A, reenter dummy ruffing a ♠ and lead a ♥, ,this sadly loses to ♠5-1 and also when someone has ♠xxxx/♥Kx. There is a problem with this line -a strong player will duck smoothly with kxx and now you are in the same position - do you rise q or do you duck? Also as you say, your line leaves you vulnerable to the poor S break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke warm Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 absolutely... with Kxx and A gone, ducking is the only thing to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 You don´t play the ace at first round to guess a ♥Kx offside, you play it to go just 1 off when ♥K is stiff offside, that is the proper play if the suit when you are plenty of entrties, but on this case it isn´t probaby worth it since you could create a losing spade in the proccess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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