[Trumpace]

You are South, you hold

KQT983
KQJ
3
A43


RHO is dealer and opens 1D.
You double.
LHO preempts to 4D.
Partner doubles.
RHO passes.
You bid 4S.

LHO doubles!

Passed out.

LHO leads the ♦T and you see

Scoring: IMP

Lead ♦T. Contract 4♠ doubled.

---

RHO wins the ♦Q and continues with ♦A which you ruff.

Plan the play.

(As usual Adv/+ please don't spoil early. Feel free to give hints, though).

[dustinst22]

Modifying

[Trumpace]

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:22 PM, said:

I'll take a stab at this.

Since West has already shown up with the AQ♦ ...

It is east who has the ♦AQ.

[dustinst22]

Trumpace, on Aug 9 2010, 03:24 PM, said:

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:22 PM, said:

I'll take a stab at this.

Since West has already shown up with the AQ♦ ...

It is east who has the ♦AQ.

Sorry, read it wrong

I think my line if play is still correct though as East is the favorite to hold the Ace.

The tough part will come if west overtakes with the ace. Now what to do on the next lead -- play for the drop or the finesse.

[pooltuna]

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:22 PM, said:

I'll take a stab at this.

Since West has already shown up with the AQ♦, he certainly can't also have the A♠ as that wouldn't leave East enough to open with.  Thus, my plan will be to lead toward my hand twice and play a top spade each time.

I'll enter dummy in hearts, lead a spade to my king, then re-enter via clubs for another lead up to the queen.  This play should only lose if Declarer started with AJxx.

I assume you mean RHO is 4-1. I think....

Spoiler

you need to assume a 4-1 trump break and make it anyway

...

[vuroth]

I'll slam down the K♠ and go from there. I'll be awfully happy to give up 2 trump tricks, and awfully unhappy to give up 3. Let's get the trumps pulled asap.

[dustinst22]

vuroth, on Aug 9 2010, 03:35 PM, said:

I'll slam down the K♠ and go from there.  I'll be awfully happy to give up 2 trump tricks, and awfully unhappy to give up 3.  Let's get the trumps pulled asap.

Giving up 2 trump tricks can give up the contract.

[Trumpace]

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:30 PM, said:

Trumpace, on Aug 9 2010, 03:24 PM, said:

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:22 PM, said:

I'll take a stab at this.

Since West has already shown up with the AQ♦ ...

It is east who has the ♦AQ.

Sorry, read it wrong

I think my line if play is still correct though as East is the favorite to hold the Ace.

The tough part will come if west overtakes with the ace. Now what to do on the next lead -- play for the drop or the finesse.

What kind of hand does LHO have for doubling 4S?

[Trumpace]

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:36 PM, said:

vuroth, on Aug 9 2010, 03:35 PM, said:

I'll slam down the K♠ and go from there.  I'll be awfully happy to give up 2 trump tricks, and awfully unhappy to give up 3.  Let's get the trumps pulled asap.

Giving up 2 trump tricks gives up the contract.

Why?

[dustinst22]

Trumpace, on Aug 9 2010, 03:36 PM, said:

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:30 PM, said:

Trumpace, on Aug 9 2010, 03:24 PM, said:

dustinst22, on Aug 9 2010, 03:22 PM, said:

I'll take a stab at this.

Since West has already shown up with the AQ♦ ...

It is east who has the ♦AQ.

Sorry, read it wrong

I think my line if play is still correct though as East is the favorite to hold the Ace.

The tough part will come if west overtakes with the ace. Now what to do on the next lead -- play for the drop or the finesse.

What kind of hand does LHO have for doubling 4S?

Tough to say, some will double with shortness in this spot....but it seems like we're saying he has AJxx or AJx in which case we must just lead trumps immediately.

[quiddity]

Play LHO for AJxx of trumps. What will happen if you bang down ♠K?

[dustinst22]

quiddity, on Aug 9 2010, 04:05 PM, said:

Play LHO for AJxx of trumps. What will happen if you bang down ♠K?

Yes I see now Clearly the best play is to lead the K.

[quiddity]

What will happen if you bang down ♠K and LHO ducks? Predict the next 3 or 4 tricks.

[Phil]

This is a very nice hand. This theme will stick with you once you learn it, which I'm afraid a few so far have not.

[neilkaz]

Phil, on Aug 9 2010, 07:17 PM, said:

This is a very nice hand. This theme will stick with you once you learn it, which I'm afraid a few so far have not.

Great theme from a great book which along with it's sequel have helped me not to feel like a dufus playing declarer

The trick is to visualize and recognize this theme at the table and that certainly isn't easy, especially in a setting where you have to play rather quickly. I have seen this theme before but will admit that I wasn't alert enough to spot it here (obviously I forgot this problem from this book I'd recommend to all B/I).

Seriously, I must say that in no way is this a B/I problem but then again while most of the playing problems posted here are fine, many are too tough even for most of BBOF's B/I talent.

.. neilkaz ..

[Trumpace]

neilkaz, on Aug 9 2010, 10:13 PM, said:

Phil, on Aug 9 2010, 07:17 PM, said:

This is a very nice hand. This theme will stick with you once you learn it, which I'm afraid a few so far have not.

Great theme from a great book which along with it's sequel have helped me not to feel like a dufus playing declarer

The trick is to visualize and recognize this theme at the table and that certainly isn't easy, especially in a setting where you have to play rather quickly. I have seen this theme before but will admit that I wasn't alert enough to spot it here (obviously I forgot this problem from this book I'd recommend to all B/I).

Seriously, I must say that in no way is this a B/I problem but then again while most of the playing problems posted here are fine, many are too tough even for most of BBOF's B/I talent.

.. neilkaz ..

At the table, absolutely agree about the toughness, this is a hand which I suppose even a few experts might get wrong.

Away from the table, I think this is too instructive a hand not to be in the B/I forum.

Besides, I did say that Adv/+ can give hints if they think they are needed.

[jukmoi]

The right play is a bit counterintuative. I once read the correct solution without trying to solve the hand first. Now I will never know if I would have got it right.

[vuroth]

quiddity, on Aug 9 2010, 04:26 PM, said:

What will happen if you bang down ♠K and LHO ducks?  Predict the next 3 or 4 tricks.

I don't think it's makeable if spades are 5-0, unless LHO makes a mistake and wins the first round of trumps. If he ducks once, he can tap me with diamonds later.

If spades are 4-1 or better, just drawing trumps (K or T is fine) will get me the contract.

[lmilne]

Try the King again, vuroth.

[vuroth]

For 4-1?

K♠ ducked.
Q♠ draws the ace.
- diamond return ruff, force J♠, ruff another diamond. Draw trump. Make 4♠s, 2♣s, 4♥s
- same with club and heart returns really. I don't fear a ruff, and they can't get rid of my heart entry to dummy to claim my 4th heart.

For 5-0?

If the K♠ is covered, I'm fine, because the one thing I fear is a diamond tap, and LHO can't tap me in diamonds on trick 3 as I can ruff on the board (and cross safely to my hand, as RHO's bidding seems to preclude a void in LHO).

If the K♠ is ducked, I have to avoid losing AJ♠ and another ♠. If I try to continue drawing trumps, LHO's jack is immediately promoted. If he exits ♦s twice, he'll have longer ♠s than me and I'm down 1. If I try to run ♥s and make him shorten his trumps, he'll win a low ♠ trick, and now I need to avoid losing to the J♠. That would seem to involve an endplay in trump, with with his 5-6 ♦s I have no chance at endplaying him.