Level 4, C-3

[adamw]

This deal has a few problems.

 

First of all, there are two reasonable solutions:

 

1. The recommended line, duck three rounds of ♥ and then take the ♦ hook or cash the ♦A, depending on who holds the long hearts.

 

2. Win the third ♥ and retain the option of strip-squeezing West.

 

If we win the third ♥ and cash the ♠s we learn that West holds 4♠ and is likely 4=5 in the majors. When no one shows out on the first ♣ West is 31, 22, 13, or 04 in the minors. The first two are more likely and allow a throw-in to succeed.

 

Another issue with the problem is that East plays the ♥6 at trick 3. This is the lowest spot outstanding and makes it vanishingly unlikely that East holds 5♥.

 

Another issue is that poor play goes unpunished. If declarer ducks three hearts, cashes four spades, and then cashes two clubs and the ♦A he should go down, but makes when BridgeMaster allows the ♦K to fall singleton. This destroys the main lesson of the hand, to take the safety play in ♦ while retaining control of the black suits.

[dsLawsd]

No deal is here- so a little micro deal???????????

[barmar]

No deal is here- so a little micro deal???????????

He's referring to a Bridge Master exercise.