Mirror image blues

[pescetom]

MP

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sk643hakq7d87ca74&n=sqjt2hj932da9ck98&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=1c(2%2B)p1h4d4hp4s(Control)p5c(Control%2C%20odd%20kc)p5hppp]320|240[/hv]

 

NS are playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT, 1♣ could be 2 in 4=4=3=2 and excludes 4 card diamonds unless longer.

West is usually conservative, but has faced aggressive pre-empts from NS in the past and maybe decided it was time to give them some of their own medicine.

North opts for 4♥ and South thinks there might be more, but they stop in 5♥.

The lead of ♦K is no surprise to declarer, but the dummy is.

 

1. Are you going to concede three tricks ? If not, what is your plan? (please use a spoiler for first 24 hours to allow as many as possible to think).

 

2. Are you happy with North's opening and choice of 4♥ and with South's decision to investigate slam (no spoiler required)?

[Cyberyeti]

I didn't open the north hand so we're not going slamming.

 

The most obvious way to avoid losing 3 tricks is for W to hold

8 diamonds to the KQJ and not the spade ace unless it's stiff, my plan is to draw trumps hoping for a 3-2 break. Cash one club and play spades, hoping E doesn't have a second diamond so I can cash 2 clubs and exit a diamond to W, or W is 1381 and is endplayed with the spade ace

 

[pescetom]

I didn't open the north hand so we're not going slamming.

Fair enough, also a strong NT by South will probably not elict 4♦ at this vulnerability. But as South would you go slamming if North opened?

 

 

The most obvious way to avoid losing 3 tricks is for W to hold8 diamonds to the KQJ and not the spade ace unless it's stiff, my plan is to draw trumps hoping for a 3-2 break. Cash one club and play spades, hoping E doesn't have a second diamond so I can cash 2 clubs and exit a diamond to W, or W is 1381 and is endplayed with the spade ace

 

 

 

You're painfully close, but it might as well be infinity.

Both respond to clubs, W takes your spades play with A and returns ♦Q then a small club.

 

 

[Cyberyeti]

 

 

You're painfully close, but it might as well be infinity.

Both respond to clubs, E takes spades with A and returns ♦Q then a small club.

 

 

 

 

OK, I see now, you cash both clubs in the hope that either W has 2 clubs and a stiff ♠A or E can cash a club but has to give you a ruff and discard to take care of the diamond

 

 

And no I don't go slamming, I'm actually not sure I bid 4♥ if I have opened, not going to go well opposite for example Kxxx and the two minor suit Qs, if partner can't act again not sure I want to be in this auction any further.

[pescetom]

 

OK, I see now, you cash both clubs in the hope that either W has 2 clubs and a stiff ♠A or E can cash a club but has to give you a ruff and discard to take care of the diamond

 

B-)

 

And no I don't go slamming, I'm actually not sure I bid 4♥ if I have opened, not going to go well opposite for example Kxxx and the two minor suit Qs, if partner can't act again not sure I want to be in this auction any further.

Two separate questions I think. As South in the circumstances I go slamming, as N who opened not certain which of my three options is best.

[pescetom]

 

OK, I see now, you cash both clubs in the hope that either W has 2 clubs and a stiff ♠A or E can cash a club but has to give you a ruff and discard to take care of the diamond

 

B-)

 

And no I don't go slamming, I'm actually not sure I bid 4♥ if I have opened, not going to go well opposite for example Kxxx and the two minor suit Qs, if partner can't act again not sure I want to be in this auction any further.

Two separate questions I think.

As South in the circumstances I think it's reasonable to go slamming, as N who opened not sure which of the three options is best.

[Cyberyeti]

I suppose if N overbids twice S might go slamming, I'd suspect something like Qx, Jxxx, AQ, KQxxx as a minimum for this auction so far, a minimum ish weak NT just passes over 4♦.

[akwoo]

If I'm going to open this hand in a strong NT context, I want us to be playing 14-16 1N, not 15-17. (Sadly there are pairs out there whose explicit agreement is 15-17 but upgrade an awful lot of 14s.)

 

4♥ is a gross overbid.

 

It's reasonable for S to go slamming at that point.

[pescetom]

If I'm going to open this hand in a strong NT context, I want us to be playing 14-16 1N, not 15-17. (Sadly there are pairs out there whose explicit agreement is 15-17 but upgrade an awful lot of 14s.

Not sure how this comment relates to the hand in question. I would open the South hand as 1NT with either agreement, would you not too?

[akwoo]

Not sure how this comment relates to the hand in question. I would open the South hand as 1NT with either agreement, would you not too?

 

I'm talking about North's hand. If I'm opening this kind of balanced hand on a regular basis, then my range on my 1N rebids is too wide if playing 15-17.

[pescetom]

Here's the full board, as played in a national simultaneous tournament.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sk643hakq7d87ca74&n=sqjt2hj932da9ckt8&w=sah85dkqjt5432c53&e=s9875ht64d6cqj962&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=1c(2%2B)p1h4d4hp4s(Control)p5c(Control%2C%20odd%20kc)p5hppp]400|300[/hv]

 

The solution of course is to take the diamonds lead with Ace, pull three rounds of trumps, two rounds of clubs and then a spade to the stiff Ace: West takes a diamond trick but is then forced to continue in ruff and sluff.

 

Alert readers will have noted that the North hand in OP was slightly different: I tweaked it to eliminate the red herring of possible stiff ♣QJ in West.

 

At national level, almost a third of those who played in hearts made 11 tricks. I suspect that some stumbled into the solution more or less by accident, after playing off AK clubs and realising that a third was doomed: maybe some others were graced by West after playing spades prematurely.

A surprising number made the top for NS of W 4♦x-2, although none in my club.