WellSpyder Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 [hv=pc=n&s=sk85ha2dqj74caqt6&n=st42hkq86dat32ck3]133|200[/hv]Imps. You reach 3N after a simple Stayman sequence (1N - 2♣; 2♦ - 3N) and LHO leads ♠Q, which assuming it is from length will show the J and deny the K while being ambiguous about the A. RHO plays ♠3 (low is discouraging). What is the best line? 1) Do you win ♠K or hold up? I guess a lot depends on whether in your experience oppo tend to continue the suit or not in these circumstances. If they do, you are almost sure to make the contract, while if they switch you may find it harder. So what is your experience here? 2) If you win ♠K, what do you play next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 I think LHO would have to be very bad to continue the suit, he would be playing for partner to hold ♠K3 specifically, and they use hesitations to solve this issues. Call me cynic, but unless RHO hesitated I would never duck. After winning ♠K I am a simple mind who would test for ♥J109, and ♣J short before diamond finese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilKing Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 1) I win. The key layout (quite likely) is lefty holding AQJxx in spades. I think they have an easy switch if I duck. 2) Spade. If spades are 4-3 I am cold. If they are 5-2, squeeze chances are >>>>> diamond finesse plus other combos. The East hand is going to get trashed on the run of the spades. I am prepared to look foolish if lefty has six spades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellSpyder Posted January 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 1) I win. The key layout (quite likely) is lefty holding AQJxx in spades. I think they have an easy switch if I duck. 2) Spade. If spades are 4-3 I am cold. If they are 5-2, squeeze chances are >>>>> diamond finesse plus other combos. The East hand is going to get trashed on the run of the spades. I am prepared to look foolish if lefty has six spades.OK, if you play back a spade you will find the layout is indeed the one you envisaged. Leftie takes his 4 spade tricks, while rightie discards ♣2, ♦8 and ♦9. LHO now switches to a small ♦, so you will have to choose between the finesse or a squeeze.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnasher Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 OK, if you play back a spade you will find the layout is indeed the one you envisaged. Leftie takes his 4 spade tricks, while rightie discards ♣2, ♦8 and ♦9. LHO now switches to a small ♦, so you will have to choose between the finesse or a squeeze....It's easier to get these right at the table, but it looks like he's 2425. If so, we can afford to get the diamonds wrong - play ♦A and he'll be squeezed in the round suits. If he's discarded like that from a 2326 shape he's done incredibly well, but I'm still not off - if I guess to cash the clubs next, LHO will be squeezed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilKing Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 If he's discarded like that from a 2326 shape he's done incredibly well, but I'm still not off - if I guess to cash the clubs next, LHO will be squeezed. Same problem applies (perhaps more so) if he is 2623. But my guess is we are basically making this all the time. Admittedly, if East follows to the third diamond I still have to guess what to do when he guards diamonds and one of the round suits with West shape being either 5512 or 5314, but I will assume West would come in with the former. Conclusion: if East follows cash clubs, if East blows cash clubs. If that doesn't work, I can still claim I would get it right at the table. :ph34r: Who is East? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellSpyder Posted January 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Conclusion: if East follows cash clubs, if East blows cash clubs. If that doesn't work, I can still claim I would get it right at the table. :ph34r: Who is East?East is a county A team player, but no more than that. And yes, you would have got it right at the table, since anything works! (East was 2425 and was squeezed on the DA.) I played it exactly as you/Andy suggest, with the result that I made two fewer tricks than most (8) other tables and one fewer than the rest (3 tables). I haven't heard how the play went at all the tables in a county match, but ducking T1 seems to have been quite popular, and I guess those that didn't do this followed something like Fluffy's line. I was a bit surprised no-one else seemed to see it the way I had, and wondered afterwards whether perhaps the risk of a switch at T2 if I ducked T1 was sufficiently illusory that the risk of a 6-1 spade break might be at least as high, so I am reassured that some at least of our resident experts would have done the same thing. Of course if you duck and West does switch at T2 you are still OK when the D finesse works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLOGIC Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 I was a bit surprised no-one else seemed to see it the way I had, and wondered afterwards whether perhaps the risk of a switch at T2 if I ducked T1 was sufficiently illusory that the risk of a 6-1 spade break might be at least as high, You are overthinking it. Most people are not good enough at bridge to play for a suicide squeeze. It shouldn't surprise you heh. Well played btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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