You bid it, now make it - GNT finals hand

[CSGibson]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt4ht97543da864c&n=saq73hkj8d3ckqj98&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1c(if%20balanced%2C%2015-17)p1hp1s(unbalanced)p2d(transfer%20to%202H%2C%20drop%20dead%20or%20GF)p3h(just%20shy%20of%20a%20jump%20shift%2C%203%20hearts)p4hppp]266|200[/hv]

 

On the auction: Partner shows an unbalanced hand with 5+ ♣, 4♠, 3♥ and just shy of jump shift strength. Your 2♦ was a transfer to 2♥, in a version of XYZ; it showed either a drop-dead hand or a game forcing hand.

 

Lead is the diamond 5, 3rd & low leads. RHO plays the Q. Thoughts on a line of play?

[akhare]

I remember this hand -- perhaps, you should also give the line of play you took at trick 2 (which I agree with)?

 

I think the defence on the hand on the subsequent tricks should have been different, but don't want to spoil it before it's time...

[Leo LaSota]

Line of play I would take is jack spade trick 2. If the finesse does not lose to the king behind the AQxx, I then lead king club planning to discard diamonds if RHO does not show ace clubs. If spade jack loses to king offside, I still have many possible layouts that will enable 4H to make. Another option would be to just enter dummy trick 2 via a diamond ruff or spade to the ace and take the ruffing finesse in clubs. On a few layouts in which king spades is offsides, this would be the only winning line to take. However, the % line is to finesse jack spades trick 2. It is clear on the hand that you must go after gathering extra tricks in one of the two black suits. Again, the % line is to go after the spades trick 2 by running the jack.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt4ht97543da864c&n=saq73hkj8d3ckqj98&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1c(if%20balanced%2C%2015-17)p1hp1s(unbalanced)p2d(transfer%20to%202H%2C%20drop%20dead%20or%20GF)p3h(just%20shy%20of%20a%20jump%20shift%2C%203%20hearts)p4hppp]266|200|

CSGibson writes "On the auction: Partner shows an unbalanced hand with 5+ ♣, 4♠, 3♥ and just shy of jump shift strength. Your 2♦ was a transfer to 2♥, in a version of XYZ; it showed either a drop-dead hand or a game forcing hand. Lead is the diamond 5, 3rd & low leads. RHO plays the Q. Thoughts on a line of play?

 

 

My guess ♦A, ♠J

• If ♠J wins then ♠A, ruff a ♣, ruff a ♦, ruff a ♣, ruff a ♦, ruff a ♣, and claim (ruffing a ♦)..
• If ♠J loses, then ruff finesse ♣ [/hv]

[CSGibson]

Continuation:

 

If you run the spade J, you lose to the K, and a small club is returned. LHO has carded the 5 of spades on the jack, playing UDCA.

[nige1]

Continuation: If you run the spade J, you lose to the K, and a small club is returned. LHO has carded the 5 of spades on the jack, playing UDCA.

Looks like LHO has ♣A :( so you ruff the ♣. If two more rounds of ♠ stand up, you still have a possible cross-ruff, as before.

[CSGibson]

It turns out that 2 more rounds of spades hold up and the cross-ruff works. At the table, I decided to play for the defenders not to work out the layout, which worked also, because I thought 3-3 spades less likely after the initial spade spot by LHO. I also felt fairly confident that lefty had the heart Q, because he did not lead trump. I ruffed the club, played a heart to the J & A, let the club return run to the A, pitching a diamond, ruffed the diamond return, and pulled the last trumps (2-2).

[akhare]

It turns out that 2 more rounds of spades hold up and the cross-ruff works. At the table, I decided to play for the defenders not to work out the layout, which worked also, because I thought 3-3 spades less likely after the initial spade spot by LHO. I also felt fairly confident that lefty had the heart Q, because he did not lead trump. I ruffed the club, played a heart to the J & A, let the club return run to the A, pitching a diamond, ruffed the diamond return, and pulled the last trumps (2-2).

 

In addition to Chris' fine reasoning and play, couple of additional points:

 

1) Opening leader might have well chosen to lead doubleton ♠ instead of an osbsure ♦ lead, especially holding trump control

 

2) The small ♠ was deliberately intended to obscure the ♠ count. The opening leader expected partner to return a ♦, which would have given declarer more pause for thought.

 

Regardless, the stated line of play would have worked at the table.

[gszes]

trick 1 win A

trick 2 dia ruff

trick 3 ruff a small club

trick 4 dia ruff

trick 5 ruff a small club

trick 6 dia ruff

 

assuming the club A has not shown up yet

 

trick 7 ruffing finesse of club k (pitching a spade)

trick 8 if lho winds and returns a spade rise

trick 9 club (hoping for 44 or opp has to ruff with

trump honor) pitch spade

trick 10 ruff spade

trick 11 exit heart (opps due only 2 heart tricks or

1 if ruff with heart honor trick 9)

 

if lho drops club A on the 1st round of clubs

Spade J

spade to Q

spade A hoping for 33

club K pitching a dia

 

opps should now be held to 3 hearts or 2 hearts and a dia

 

if lho drops club A 2nd round of clubs

ruff the last dia

club k pitching a spade

assuming lho ruffs and returns a spade rise

top club pitching last spade assuming lho ruffs

win any return and exit a trump hoping they were

31 originally