For your reading pleasure

[mike777]

Friend just emailed me this quiz.

 

everyone is vulnerable on these (of course)

 

1. x Ax AKT9x Jxxxx

 

1S P P 2D

 

P 2NT P ??

 

 

 

 

 

2. Dummy: Axx xx AJT9xx xx

 

Me: QT7x Kxx Kx ATxx

 

 

 

1C 2D X 2NT

 

P 3NT All pass

 

 

 

I lead a low spade and it goes to the 8 and Jack. Hamman leads a small diamond. Maybe I should play the King, but I'd hate to see

 

that crash a stiff queen, so I play second hand low. Dummy plays the Ace and returns a diamond to partner's queen and my King. Now what?

 

 

Edit: btw on hand two if P plays low and then Q rather then Q and low does that mean anything in your partnership?

[luke warm]

#1 - 3C

 

#2 - ♥K

 

edit: course ♥x is probably right, so partner can take the ace and lead thru hamman's queen.. tho he'd probably hold up and block the suit anyway.. oh well

 

reedit: i swear i posted that before i read justin's lolol

[Guest Jlall]

First one: 3C, i have clubs and diamonds so i'll bid them hehe

 

Second one: interesting hand...a low heart feels right. Perhaps declarer has something like KJ Qxxx xxx KQxx. If he has Qxx of clubs I messed it up :)

[Fluffy]

First one: 3NT, too strong for 3♣.

 

Second one... hope for partner to have ♥AJ10 or ♣QJ and ♥A: low ♥.

[Winstonm]

Hand 1) I can't think of anything spectacular to do. 3NT.

Hand 2) I think it more likely that declarer bid 2N on KJ, AQxx, xxx, Jxxx than on KJ, Qxxx, xxx, KQxx.

 

However, pard's hand would be a better double with 98xx, AJ10x, Qx, Jxx.

 

I'm swayed by the lack of a diamond honor is declarer's hand - without a diamond honor, he is more prone (I hope) to have the better hand. I will switch to the low club and look the fool when it makes.

 

winstonm

[luis]

#1: I just bid 3♣ I don't think 3NT has any merit with my hand.

 

#2:

If declarer has the hA then the only switch that may win is a club (pd needs KQ of clubs)

If pd has AJT of hearts only a low heart wins (club holdings don't matter)

If pd has the hA and QJ of clubs I have to play the hK and then a heart to prevent pd from crossing hearts hpoing that I have KJ

 

So I think I'm going to play the hK now, this wins when pd has hA and QJ of clubs and when pd has the hA and the club Q and declarer misguesses clubs. I guess this is more probable than AJT in hearts or KQ of clubs with no heart ace.

[HeartA]

First one: 3NT, too strong for 3♣.

 

Second one... hope for partner to have ♥AJ10 or ♣QJ and ♥A: low ♥.

1) no brainer 3♣, imo

 

2) Agree with Fluffy, I would switch to ♥x. After all, pd's double showed a major, didn't it?

[Free]

3♣

 

small ♥

[mike777]

1) 5 Clubs made, 3NT was down.

 

2) Last week posted Larry Cohen's quote about top class playing frequent suit preference in this space. 2 Clues on this hand, partner has played small D and then Q of D. Hamman has made the avoidance play of ace of D. Does that make it more likely Partner has A of hearts or K of clubs?

 

Hamman's hand was:

 

KJ2

AXXX

XXX

QXX

[Guest Jlall]

I don't read any suit preference implications when pard has Qx. Maybe declarer has xx and is doing something strange, who knows. It could blow a trick.