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Defensive Play TWENTY ONE


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[hv=lin=mn|sakasan.08.IMP-177.6|md|4H96CK,HJ4C2,SQ4HAT7532DT73CA6,S2HKQ8DKQJ8CT9873|sv|e|mb|P|mb|1S|mb|P|mb|2H|mb|P|mb|4N|mb|P|mb|5H|mb|P|mb|6S|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|

pc|c2|pc|c6|pc|c7|pc|ck|pc|h6|pc|h4|pc|ha|pc|h8|pc|h2|pc|hk|pc|h9|pc|hj|]400|300|i don't approve of the bidding, but this is the way it went at the table. North took 4nt as roman key card agreeing hearts as trumps (since he didn't show the spade queen). If you have a forcing raise available, then you should use that first to set trumps, then 4nt. You also might not agree with the the club seven at trick one. Your partner's club was "fourth best" or lowest from three, but you have the problem, not your partner here.

 

Your partner's play in hearts might have shown two (if udca), but then again, you can count to 13 and know partner and declarer are both out of hearts.

 

What is your planned defense?

 

[/hv]

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It seems like declarer isn't worried about a trump promotion with a heart lead (he seems to be ready to lead hearts himself!) or with losing a top diamond. In fact, I expect the play to go on a red card lead or spade lead: enter dummy with Q of spades to ruff out the last heart, pull trump, enter with the club, run all the hearts. So the answer must be to lead a club and kill dummy's entry before he can pull trump. Very nice hand, Ben.

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The question is do I play declarer for 7 or 8 Spades?

 

On that bidding I'm more inclined to think he started with 8 and partner can only have 2 Spades, so if I lead up to A declarer gets to dummy with the Q after ruffing out the Hearts.

 

In which case the contract is cold as he only has 1 Diamond loser to pitch.

 

So we have to play declarer for 7 Spades and assume they are solid, which means partner has 3 and declarer can't get back in to dummy to pitch his 2 Diamond losers. Did I say 2 Diamond losers? Surely partner can't have the A? Wouldn't he have led it? Maybe not.

 

So this gives us two routes to defeat the contract: either a trump promotion and a Diamond if Declarer has Ax and can't pitch the loser(s) on Hearts or 2 Diamonds if partner has the Ace and declarer xx.

 

As this is a puzzle I'm going for the 2 Diamond option and leading the King.

 

I think in the club I would probably go for the trump promotion as that agricultural bidding implies a guess.

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Simon, S drove to slam (and alone to the five-level) opposite a non-GF 2/1 response and without promise for any trump support. If he's willing to bid himself to 6 minus the Q, you can be sure his trumps are good. So, trump promotion isn't realistic.

He has no heart honors, and at most AKJ of spades. That + K clubs is only 11 HCP, agricultural or not, your partner doesn't have the ace of diamonds.

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A lead would have set the slam that is certain but it is too late for that now. What you do not want to do is play a now, decalrer will win the Ace play a trump to dummy's Q and ruff a high making the good. With the Q in dummy you can be sure that his trump suit is self supporting. He will then take out partners trumps and go to the A of for discards on the .

 

Your plan of defense is evident, take out dummy's entry NOW, before the are good and lead a .

 

Good luck,

 

Theo

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[hv=lin=mn|sakasan.08.IMP-177.6|md|4SAKJ9863H96DA4CKQ,ST75HJ4D9652CJ542,SQ4HAT7532DT73CA6,S2HKQ8DKQJ8CT9873|sv|e|mb|P|mb|1S|mb|P|mb|2H|mb|P|mb|4N|mb|P|mb|5H|mb|P|mb|6S|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|

pc|c2|pc|c6|pc|c7|pc|ck|pc|h6|pc|h4|pc|ha|pc|h8|pc|h2|pc|hk|pc|h9|pc|hj|]400|300|Several people got this one right.

 

The problem here is that dummy has a huge sources of tricks in hearts. He will need one entry to set them up, and one entry to run them. He has two entries to dummy, but the entries will not be equally serviceable. He will need to pull all the trumps before he can enjoy his long hearts. Thus, if partner has any three trumps, a club return now to knock out the club ACE will be fatal. He can ruff a heart, but then after spade ace and spade to the queen, the 3=1 trump split will do him in. What if declarer has 8 trumps? The slam will make if declarer has the diamond ace, and as noted above will go down only if you cash the diamond ace. But is it reasonable to bid this way with no red card honors at all and at most kq of clubs and akj of spades.

 

Removing or blocking entry to long suit is a play I think is on the upper beginner level, which is why i gave this the beginner level subtitle.

 

 

[/hv]

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