7 Spades

[MrAce]

[hv=pc=n&s=sqt754hd63cak7654&n=sakj3hakj93daq94c&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=pp2cp2sp3sp5hp7sppp]266|200[/hv]

 

MP

 

This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a club. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

 

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.

 

How do you plan the play? (trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sqt754hd63cak7654&n=sakj3hakj93daq94c&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=pp2cp2sp3sp5hp7sppp]266|200|

MP. This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a clun. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

 

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.

How do you plan the play? (trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)[/hv]

 

You have 2 X ♥s, 1 X ♦s, and 2 X ♣s = 5 top winners in the plain suits.

tricks. You need 8 more. Perhaps

• 5 X ♠s, 2 X ♣ ruffs, and a long ♣.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X red ruffs, and a long ♥.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X ♥ ruffs, and the ♦ finesse.

Hence my guess is:

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff or over-ruff a ♣ . If ♣s are 4-3, then cross to ♠Q (RHO shows out), Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Ruff a ♥, Draw trumps, Cash ♣ winners, Cross to ♦A, and Cash ♥ winners.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥AK, discarding a ♣ and a ♦. If ♥QT appear, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J9.
• If ♥QT don't appear then Ruff (or Ruff-finesse) a second ♥. If ♥J is good, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J.
• If ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it, Finesse ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♦A.

This line fails when RHO can over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s but caters well for other possibilities.

[MrAce]

You have 2 X ♥s, 1 X ♦s, and 2 X ♣s = 5 top winners in the plain suits.

tricks. You need 8 more. Perhaps

• 5 X ♠s, 2 X ♣ ruffs, and a long ♣.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X red ruffs, and a long ♥.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X ♥ ruffs, and the ♦ finesse.

Hence my guess is:

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff or over-ruff a ♣ . If ♣s are 4-3, then cross to ♠Q (RHO shows out), Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Ruff a ♥, Draw trumps, Cash ♣ winners, Cross to ♦A, and Cash ♥ winners.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥AK, discarding a ♣ and a ♦. If ♥QT appear, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J9.
• If ♥QT don't appear then Ruff (or Ruff-finesse) a second ♥. If ♥J is good, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J.
• If ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it, Finesse ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♦A.

This line fails when RHO can over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s but caters well for other possibilities.

 

Think a bit more. You have much better line if you think your 3 rounds of ♣ and 3 rounds of ♥ will survive, as you relied on in your line.

[alok c]

1)♠J

2&3)♥ AK-discarding 1♦ & 1 ♣

4)♥ ruff

5&6)♣ AK -discarding 2♥

7) ♣ ruff

8)♦A

9)♦ ruff

10)♣ ruff

11)♦ ruff

12&13)♣ &♦ ruffs.

[alok c]

delete

[alok c]

delete

[Cyberyeti]

Best I can see will make if clubs are 4-3 or hearts are Qxx or the diamond finesse is on, except where W has only 2 hearts and can overruff the third and the clubs fail to break.

[nige1]

Think a bit more. You have much better line if you think your 3 rounds of ♣ and 3 rounds of ♥ will survive, as you relied on in your line.

IMO, It's a close decision because my line takes the kiddies off the streets.

 

For example, when ♣s are 4-3, then I'm home

• If trumps split 2-2.
• if trumps are 3-1, then defenders need to follow to only 2 rounds of ♥s.

If ♣s are 5-2 but RHO can't over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s, then perhaps it's better to cross-ruff -- but, IMO, it's still close.

[Cyberyeti]

IMO, It's a close decision because I try to take the kiddies off the streets. e.g. If ♣s are 4-3, then I'm home

• If trumps split 2-2.
• Failing that defenders need to follow to only 2 rounds of ♥s.

 

This is true, but I'd quite like to make when hearts are Qxx/xxxxx and clubs don't break and the diamond finesse fails.

 

How about:

 

A♠

A♥ditching diamond

♥ruff

♣ ruff high

♥ ruff (if Q hasn't dropped doubleton)

♣ ruff high

 

if clubs have split or Q♥ has come down, this is over, if the doubleton heart is on my right there is no issue with a ruff or if E has ♠98, if nothing has worked yet I can fall back on my choice of the diamond finesse or hearts 4-4 depending on the discards, I have to choose because I have to discard something on the third round of trumps, and don't have the entry to cash the top heart first then take the diamond finesse.

[Fluffy]

You should try to hide the trump position, knowing west has 3 clearly suggests to play for cross ruff.

[nige1]

OK, suppose that LHO has ♠ x x x ♥ Q x x ♦ x x x x x ♣ x x.

 

My line still works:

 

Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣ (discovering the 5-2 break). Cash ♥AK (♥Q drops). Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A. Ruff a ♦ high. Draw trumps with ♠KJ and Cash ♥J.

 

What if LHO discards a ♥ on the 3rd ♣?; For instance, if ♥Q appears under ♥A you still have a near certainty by delaying the cashing of ♥K

Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A, Ruff a ♦ high. Finish by cashing ♠KJ (drawing trumps) and ♥KJ

[Cyberyeti]

OK, suppose that LHO has ♠ x x x ♥ Q x x ♦ x x x x x ♣ x x.

My line still works:

 

Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣ (discovering the 5-2 break)

Cash ♥AK (♥Q drops). Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A. Ruff a ♦ high.

Draw trumps with ♠KJ and Cash ♥J.

 

What if LHO discards a ♥ on the 3rd ♣? If ♥Q appears early, then you delay cashing dummy's ♥ top(s). For instance, if ♥Q appears under ♥A you still have a near certainty by delaying the cashing of ♥K. Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A, Ruff a ♦ high. Finish with ♠KJ (drawing trumps) and ♥KJ.

 

This basic line still works if LHO has a singleton or doubleton ♥Q.

For instance ♠ x x x ♥ Q ♦ x x x x x x x ♣ x x

 

Don't you have a potential problem where a heart is discarded from xxx on the clubs, where K♦ is onside (effectively the first hand replacing HQ with x and Dx with K).

[ahydra]

High crossruff lines look appealing. There are several variations:

 

a) S10, DA, HA, HK, H ruff low, CA, CK, C ruff, D ruff low, C ruff, D ruff low, high crossruff

b) As above but ruffing two hearts rather than two diamonds

c) SA, HA, HK, DA, H ruff low, CA, CK, club ruff low, D ruff low, high crossruff

d) As above but ruffing a second diamond rather than a heart

 

Ignoring cases where you can overruff:

 

a) needs hearts 5-3 or 4-4, diamonds 4-3, clubs 5-2 or 4-3

b) 4-4 ; 5-2 or 4-3 ; 5-2 or 4-3

c) 5-3 or 4-4 ; 4-3 or 5-2 ; 4-3

d) 6-2, 5-3, or 4-4; 4-3 ; 4-3

 

which naively gives a) 46%, b) 29%, c) 46%, d) 37%

 

Perhaps not so appealing after all then :P. Let's take an equally naive look at Cyberyeti's line of playing for either rounded suit to behave (5-3 hearts with Qxx or clubs 4-3): a whopping 70%!

 

It's almost certainly possible to combine chances, but I can't seem to figure out the best way to maintain entries to the long clubs should we manage to set them up. (Too late in the evening!)

 

ahydra

[nige1]

Don't you have a potential problem where a heart is discarded from xxx on the clubs, where K♦ is onside (effectively the first hand replacing HQ with x and Dx with K).

Cyberyeti asks how we cope when a defender discards a ♥ on the 3rd round of ♣s.

There is a similar problem when ♥Q appears early. Here is the complete line, incorporating the slight improvements:

 

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣.
• If ♣s are 4-3, then ruff a second ♥. if that stands up, then claim: Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Cash ♠QT, drawing trumps, Cash ♣ winners. Cross to ♦A. and Cash ♥AK.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥A discarding a ♦.
• If ♥Q drops under ♥A, then prospects are good: Ruff a ♥ high, Cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q high. Claim: Cash ♠KJ, drawing trumps. Cash ♥KJ.
• When ♣s are 5-2 and a ♥ is discarded, then you can test ♥ after cashing only one ♥ honour. i.e. After ♥A. Ruff a ♥ high. if both defenders follow, then continue ♦A. Ruff ♦Q. As before you can now claim: Cash ♠KJ. Cash ♥KJ
• If no ♥ has been discarded and ♥Q doesn't drop under ♥A then cash ♥K discarding a ♣. Ruff a ♥ high.
• After ruffing ♥s, if ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it high, Finesse ♦Q, Cash ♠KJ. Cash ♦A.

The important point, however, is that when ♣s are 4-3, prospects are excellent, and you can claim early.

[MrAce]

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq" http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

 

http://www.d16acbl.org/U174/Scores/Apple/20170217mna.htm

[Phil]

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq" http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

 

http://www.d16acbl.org/U174/Scores/Apple/20170217mna.htm

 

Wow 3 sections.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&e=S8HQT8752DKJ72CQ8&s=sqt754hd63cak7654&n=sakj3hakj93daq94c&b=2&d=s&v=n&a=pp2cp2sp3sp5hp7sppp]300|300|

MP.

 

This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a club. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

 

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.

 

How do you plan the play?

(trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)

[/hv]

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq" http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

http://www.d16acbl.o...20170217mna.htm

If you swap the minor-suit deuces, then my line works, trivially. :)

If you swap the red fives, then Aloc C's line works. :)

 

As the cards lie, our suggested lines would fail and no player seems to have made 13 tricks. :(

 

At double-dummy, however, Gib succeeds with his variant of Mr Ace's recommended cross-ruff:

 

Win ♠A, Cash ♥AK discarding ♦s. Cash ♦A. Ruff a ♦ low. Cash ♣AK discarding ♥s. Ruff a ♣ low. Ruff a ♦ low. Claim on a high cross-ruff.

 

Thank you, Mr Ace, for an interesting real-life problem. :)

[ahydra]

So the winning line is my line (d). I think at the table it would be hard to find this - even if opps are kind enough to give you count in hearts, it would look like 4-4 rather than 6-2; and when the CQ drops on the second top club, you'd be nervous to ruff low for fear of being overruffed by the ♠9.

 

Still, if you ruff a diamond first in order to postpone the decision on which red suit to ruff second, you may feel that diamonds are 4-3; and if you believe the heart count / CQ then you can come to the realization that East is 1642 or 2632, and the latter won't get you anywhere (clubs can't be set up, you can't afford to ruff a club high) so you must play for the former.

 

After making my post above I reflected on various lines and figured that ( c ) would be the one I would take at the table, which fails here when the third round of hearts gets overruffed. Ah well.

 

ahydra