I played it right at the table

[SimonFa]

MPs, both red, dealer West.

 

♠642 ♥Q6 ♦AQ53 ♣KT63

 

 

♠K5 ♥AK873 ♦K94 ♣AQ2

 

(P) P (2S) X

(P) 3S* (P) 3NT

 

 

*11-HCP, 11-12 total points, forcing (yes I was playing in a GIB tourney)

 

OK, maybe 3NT isn't everyone's cup of tea but it seemed to be the right bid to me as partner appeared to be denying 4 Hearts.

 

Trick 1 = S9 2 7 K

 

There's 9 tricks off the top but its MPs so I wanted to maximise my trick count.

 

Where do you start and why? I got a joint top and would like to know if I got lucky or have been learning something from all those books and forum reading?

 

 

 

At the table I remembered that my three suits are 36% to break 3-3, so where to start. Given the 2S opening I didn't see any suit breaking 3-3 but it would be worth a try and I couldn't afford a finesse.

 

I started on clubs on the basis that I had a chance that the one hand would hold Jx if they weren't 3-3. In Diamonds I would have needed to have one hand holding exactly JT if it wasn't 3-3. I couldn't remember the odds but Jx seemed like a better bet than JT and Hearts had to break exactly 3-3 for the extra trick.

 

Whatever happened I couldn't risk a finesses, so I started on Clubs and cleaned up 13 tricks when the broke and both ops pitched a Heart.

 

West: ♠98 ♥J542 ♦JT76 ♣J74 East: ♠AQJT73 ♥T9 ♦82 ♣985

 

 

 

As always thanks in advance for all responses.

 

Simon

[nige1]

MPs, both red, dealer West.

♠642 ♥Q6 ♦AQ53 ♣KT63

♠K5 ♥AK873 ♦K94 ♣AQ2

(P) P (2S) X

(P) 3S* (P) 3NT

Trick 1 = S9 2 7 K

Well played, SimonFa: minors first because defenders can't see your ♥ holding (and cash ♦AK, in case a defender has ♦JT doubleton).

[EricK]

I'm not good enough to say what the best play is, but I would have played ♦ first (in case JT is doubleton); followed by ♥ as I have no choice how to play that suit; and finally I would have played ♣ by which time the count ought to tell me whether to finesse or play for the drop of J♣.

[MickyB]

It's very likely that at least one suit is breaking 3-3. RHO's most common shapes are 6(322) and 6(331).

 

I think you should play on diamonds first, intending to play on hearts next. If RHO shows up with two hearts and three diamonds, I would play him to be 6232 and risk the club finesse. [The finesse is not necessary if he shows up with three hearts and two diamonds, because LHO is then squeezed in the minors].

 

Edit: Sorry, slow post, EricK beat me to it.

[ArtK78]

I'm not good enough to say what the best play is, but I would have played ♦ first (in case JT is doubleton); followed by ♥ as I have no choice how to play that suit; and finally I would have played ♣ by which time the count ought to tell me whether to finesse or play for the drop of J♣.

The problem with this approach is that by the time you have learned enough about how to play the club suit you have eliminated the entries from both hands so that you can't take advantage of the information.

 

You should play on the minor suits first, especially against bots. They will throw a heart from a four card holding quite frequently.

[EricK]

The problem with this approach is that by the time you have learned enough about how to play the club suit you have eliminated the entries from both hands so that you can't take advantage of the information.

 

You should play on the minor suits first, especially against bots. They will throw a heart from a four card holding quite frequently.

I'm not sure I follow what you are saying. I plan to eventually play A, Q and then small ♣ and, if the J has not yet appeared, either finesse or play for the drop according to the count. What other entries do I need?

[ArtK78]

I'm not sure I follow what you are saying. I plan to eventually play A, Q and then small ♣ and, if the J has not yet appeared, either finesse or play for the drop according to the count. What other entries do I need?

Sorry. I wasn't looking at the hand when I posted this, and I thought it was KTx opposite AQxx.

 

Nevertheless, there is a lot to be said of playing the minors first and hoping to provoke a heart pitch. It was pointed out earlier that you did not show your 5 card heart suit, so a pitch from Jxxx (or Txxx or 9xxx) is not impossible.

[wank]

Sorry. I wasn't looking at the hand when I posted this, and I thought it was KTx opposite AQxx.

 

Nevertheless, there is a lot to be said of playing the minors first and hoping to provoke a heart pitch. It was pointed out earlier that you did not show your 5 card heart suit, so a pitch from Jxxx (or Txxx or 9xxx) is not impossible.

i don't play against bots and have no wish to do so, but, if they throw hearts here, they need reprogramming.

[nige1]

I don't play against bots and have no wish to do so, but, if they throw hearts here, they need reprogramming.

Here, many human defenders (like me) would probably need reprogramming too.

[SimonFa]

Thanks for all the replies, very informative and helpful.