trick 1 defense problem

[manudude03]

[hv=pc=n&s=sak9874ht73d73cqj&e=shq96dkqjt642ca82&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1d(precision%200%2B!d)2spp3dp3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

IMPS.

Partner leads the ♠J (showing either the T or shortage). Declarer pitches the ♥6 from dummy. How do you defend?

[whereagles]

I suspect LHO wanted to play for penalties. So win, club.

[MrAce]

In most cases we need pd to hold ♦A in order to have a chance to beat this contract. There is also a chance that declarer may hold stiff ♦ A. (suppose declarer holds QTxxx Axx A 9xxx) In either scenario we need to knock down the ♣ A if we can. Ducking the spade requires pd to hold JT doubleton spades (with 3 he could have raised) which is way too specific to rely on imo.

 

♥ shift seems to cater If pd has something like Jx AJTx Axx Txxx but if this is the case club shift still works if pd has ♣T.(declarer can score 6 dia +2 clubs) So I think ♥ shift is not needed.

Keep in mind that if declarer held ♣K and weak holding in ♥, he would probably pitch ♣ x from dummy and not a ♥

[gszes]

It would not surprise me at all if lho held something like QTxxx and intended to

pass 2sx if their p reopened with x. The d rebid wrecked that idea so they backed

into 3n. p has to have to dia ace and another card for us to set this and it seems

unlikely p can have that much and not at least try 3s so p is spade short. A club

switch requires p to have KTx while a heart requires AK. Either is possible but is

lho more likely to bid 3n with QTxxx Jxx xx Kx or QTxxx AK(J) xx xx the first one

looks lie a pass while the second looks like 3n to me you decide.

 

FWIW if the club Q holds I would continue with the club J just in case p has the heart A

and the club K(T)x since p probably has 1 more spade.

[rhm]

I suspect LHO wanted to play for penalties. So win, club.

Why does this exclude partner holding the ♠T?

What would you bid over 2♠ at favorable vulnerability with

 

♠Qxxx

♥AKx

♦xx

♣Kxxx

 

or similar?

Unless declarer has the singleton ♦A switching to clubs means declarer has bid 3NT with 9 or 10 HCP opposite a limited opening and with no help in diamonds.

 

Rainer Herrmann

[whereagles]

That looks like a no-brainer 2NT bid to me :)

 

And besides, I said "suspect". Bridge is a guessing game.

[rhm]

That looks like a no-brainer 2NT bid to me :)

I would always go for the throat, but then I hope I have some brain :D

 

rainer Herrmann

[bluechip10]

[hv=pc=n&s=sak9874ht73d73cqj&e=shq96dkqjt642ca82&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1d(precision%200%2B!d)2spp3dp3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

IMPS.

Partner leads the ♠J (showing either the T or shortage). Declarer pitches the ♥6 from dummy. How do you defend?

 

My thinking. Pard should have at best Jx. If he had three spades, he would have bid 3sp preemptively. If he had a stiff spade and his own suit, he would have led it. Declarer passed over 2sp, so he probably has QTxxx at best. Spades are stopped. If declarer has the ace of dia, this hand is over if spades are continued. Why didn't declarer bid 2nt over 2sp overcall? What if declarer has QTxxx♠, Kx♥, xxx ♦, Kxx♣? Certainly possible. If this is his holding, 3NT is cold. Only chance I see is switching to the Q of club and hope that declarer does not have the K of Cl. And pard reads the club situation.

[AyunuS]

Don't duck the first trick. If you do, then even if partner has J10, declarer can just duck and take with the Q later so as to prevent you from running spades with that hand no matter what. Just take it and lead something else. Hearts might lead to setting up and extra trick for them so it doesn't seem worth it. But clubs you can't get endplayed with that holding and there's little fear of anything to lose in leading away from it. So just lead a club.