To switch or not to switch...

[bluecalm]

[hv=pc=n&s=sk43hk85dkqt983c4&e=saqt8765hj4d6c732&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d3s5ddppp]266|200[/hv]

 

Random but probably better than BBO avg opps, matchpoints.

1D is generally 5+, 4 only with 5C or 4-4-4-1 (any).

 

You lead A♠ (good/bad ?).

The first trick goes:

A♠, 3♠, 2♠, J♠

 

You play UDCA so partner plays the 2 from 92 or stiff 2 :)

What now ?

(note for people having problems with directions: dummy is at the bottom and we are on the right, the bidding covers the table, green area is outside the table).

[Hanoi5]

I'm a wishful thinker. ♥J.

[gnasher]

I agree with the lead.

 

Now I'd lead another spade. Partner has made a penalty double without that much in high cards, so he's quite likely to have a singleton spade. Even if he hasn't, it's unlikely that a single discard on a spade will help declarer. A heart switch would be necessary if partner had something like xx AQxx xx Qxxxx, but that doesn't look remotely like a penalty double.

[manudude03]

Spade, partner shouldn't be encouraging with 92 here.

[gnasher]

Spade, partner shouldn't be encouraging with 92 here.

That just gives you an identical problem when partner plays the 9 at trick one.

[Codo]

I agree that 92 is no reason to give a positive signal. What is positive about this holding?

But even if the spade spot has no meaning at all (like the nine) I guess a second spade must be right.

[pooltuna]

continue with ♠Q

[bluecalm]

I played Q♠ and as declarer hand was:

J

xxx

AJxx

KQJxx

 

and partner's:

xx

AQxxx

xx

Axxx

 

It was +100 for 33% of match points (instead of +500 for all of them).

I wondered if partner being short in diamonds (making spade shortness less likely) coupled with his apparent tricks somewhere (for the double opposite non-vul preempt) is enough to make a heart switch.

I still don't know, but Hanoi5 won ;)

[Codo]

So partner sees the King of spades in Dummy, so he knows, we have just one spade trick.

he sees Kxx in Hearts in dummy and holds AQxxx.

 

Shall he signal positive or negative?

 

I have quite a strong opinion here. He failed. not you.

 

If he had played the nine, it still had been a guess (which I had gotten wrong), but it had surely been the right card.

[mikeh]

What are people talking about when they say that partner should be encouraging or discouraging????

 

 

This is a COUNT situation, and cannot be anything else, unless you play a method I have seen played far too often, but never by good players: a tank and 'obvious' thought before playing the 9 for hearts and the 2 for clubs.

 

If you held the stiff 2, how would you 'encourage' spades, playing standard? or the stiff 9, playing udca.

[Codo]

1. Why is this a count situation?

2. How does this help you?

 

It is quite obvious that attitude and or count suffer from the same deficites.

[Phil]

It is quite obvious that attitude and or count suffer from the same deficites.

 

In that there are only 13 cards in a suit to signal with?

[akhare]

Agree with the lead, but the continuation is a guess (Q♠ seems as good as any).

 

Playing OS, pard would have played the ♠9 to suggest a ♥ switch, which works well on this layout (too bad if 9♠ was a stiff :D)...

[bluecalm]

This is a COUNT situation, and cannot be anything else

 

Yup, I even included this in OP saying partner plays 2 from 92.

Anyway, do you switch ? :)

[Statto]

All we really know from the play of ♠2 is that partner didn't start with stiff ♠9. We may be able to infer something from restricted choice, also taking note of declarer's play of ♠J, but I'm not sure, and in any case a ♠ continuation looks safe if not killing.

[JLOGIC]

Double on this auction is typically begging for ace and a spade from partner, unless partner just has them set which is unlikely from dummy obviously. I think a spade is clear.

[JLOGIC]

All we really know from the play of ♠2 is that partner didn't start with stiff ♠9. We may be able to infer something from restricted choice, also taking note of declarer's play of ♠J, but I'm not sure, and in any case a ♠ continuation looks safe if not killing.

 

Yes I always think about this and I think it might be useful in some spots. It is definitely worth putting in the memory bank that if partner plays either the highest spot in standard, or the lowest spot in ud, that declarer has restricted choice on his spot. However, if partner plays the middle spot in either carding method, declarers play is mandatory and thus not restricted choice (he must play high in standard and low in ud).