Jump to content

I hate defense


lalldonn

Recommended Posts

I'm on my phone so I can't create a diagram but if someeone else wants to I appreciate it. Knockout match you hold jtxxx aq954 t9x ---. Both vul lho opens 1c, partner passes, rho bids 2d wjs. You double whether you like it or not and lho rebids 3c. Partner doubles ending the auction. Partner leads the 3 of hearts and dummy comes down xx jt76 qjxxxx x. Declarer plays the jack. If you win the ace declarer plays the 8. How do you defend?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm on my phone so I can't create a diagram but if someeone else wants to I appreciate it. Knockout match you hold jtxxx aq954 t9x ---. Both vul lho opens 1c, partner passes, rho bids 2d wjs. You double whether you like it or not and lho rebids 3c. Partner doubles ending the auction. Partner leads the 3 of hearts and dummy comes down xx jt76 qjxxxx x. Declarer plays the jack. If you win the ace declarer plays the 8. How do you defend?

 

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt542haq954dt94c&e=s83hjt76dqj7652c5&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1cp2dd3cdppp]266|200[/hv]

 

3-J-??; A->8

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

if partner ( normwally ) leads the 2 from 832, I would play Q because partner is surelly 3235, with 4 diamonds he would lead A before singleton.

Why return the Q ?

Just play a lower one.... This will prevent Declarer from later scoring the 10 , if he started with three ( concealing the 2 ) .

If he plays low too on the return.... partner will ruff .

 

If Declarer started with K 8 doubleton, he is getting that K anyway.

 

EDIT: I'm not sure a return is best anyway . I kinda like clown's -shift .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why return the Q ?

I think Fluffy meant that he would play the Queen on the first trick rather than the Ace. I just know that in real life I would take the Ace and return the J without thinking at all. Since that is the normal Intermediate play (and this is a forum hand in the Expert Forum), Fluffy's line is probably correct.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Fluffy meant that he would play the Queen on the first trick rather than the Ace. I just know that in real life I would take the Ace and return the J without thinking at all. Since that is the normal Intermediate play (and this is a forum hand in the Expert Forum), Fluffy's line is probably correct.

i'd win ace and return a low diamond - give diamond count and partner can play a trump if his holding is leadable, before declarer scores a spade ruff in dummy. if declarer has akx(x) of spades this has to be done immediately.

IMO, Fluffy's line is expert; but, Wank's is experter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand why one would hate defence, on this hand. I don't see any clearly 'right' answer. I assume competent opps, because it's a KO in which josh is playing, so the 8 from declarer is a mandatory card from K82 or K8. There no inference here. Leading a heart back may still be right even if declarer has the K82: maybe the low ruff is what partner needs.

 

But, and this seems to me to be a big 'but', partner is going to be endplayed most of the time should he hold a stiff heart, and meanwhile we allow declarer to make our partner ruff a card that may be a loser on other defences.

 

A diamond back may be needed if partner has Kx, but he'll probably score that eventually anyway.

 

I'm not going to lead the diamond in the hope that it allows partner to kill a spade ruff: it isn't impossible that that is necessary, but partner will often be losing a trump trick even if he works out that it is best defence.

 

So by elimination, I lead a spade, but which one?

 

I think low. If partner has the 9, we are usually going to be ok. If declarer has the 9, along with HH, then we hope that he gets it wrong, and there aren't a lot of such holdings where the J works anyway. Maybe he has AQ9 and decides his best play is the Q, intending to then play A and a ruff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'd win ace and return a low diamond - give diamond count and partner can play a trump if his holding is leadable, before declarer scores a spade ruff in dummy. if declarer has akx(x) of spades this has to be done immediately.

You are imagining a hand where declarer has 4 spades, I have a lot of trouble imagining a 3 bid with 6-1 minors. 3 spades is certainly possible though.

 

I now think Q is probably too risky, partner could be singleton and that would really suck, I can picture declarer pitching hearts on diamonds after endplaying partner two or 3 times. the risk/reward is far from even for the Q play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would play the Q on J

 

It is too early to commit and put my all eggs in one basket at trick one, even if pd has a stiff i may be able to score 2 hearts later. This also keeps communication open in defense. It seems to me the most flexible and recoverable move at this point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is quite possible West is void in diamonds, in which case we can probably give partner a heart ruff, and he may be able to exit with a trump safely, stopping the spade ruff in dummy. Give partner Qxx x AKxx KJxxx and the heart ruff is the only defence. West would have a normal pull to 3C with 3-3-0-7, and partner has his penalty double. Note that partner has done well to avoid leading a top diamond, fatally.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...