[gnasher]

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The double of 1♠ showed 4+ spades.

Lead: ♣9

Edit: fixed the layout (thanks Fluffy)

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2013-February-21, 06:41

[Fluffy]

you have the hands rotated.


if lho has ♦K we are cold after ruffing a heart in dummy for 6♣, 2♥, 3♦.

If he does not have that card, he must have ♥K, so start with ♥A + ♥Q ruffed, then draw trumps, and if trumps break duck a heart before committing to diamond finese.

[mikeh]

Fluffy has it right, I think. LHO has to have at least one red King, and by playing AQ♥ we cater to his holding Kxxx in hearts, with rho Jxx. The only difference I see is that I wouldn't care if trump don't break. I can handle 4-1: assuming the hearts haven't come home for me, I still have 2 trumps. They can tap me once but I hook the diamond, use my last trump to ruff a spade, and hook again.

Trump aren't 5-0 Who doubles 1♣ with 9xxxx in the suit? Plus we'd know at trick one and Andy would have told us.

[ArtK78]

Are you going to float the ♥Q if it is not covered? If it loses and a club is returned, you may need to run the diamonds to make. 6 clubs, 1 heart and 3 diamonds won't get it done. You may have a squeeze on LHO, but it would almost have to be a 3 suit squeeze, as you can't afford to correct the count.

[mikeh]

 ArtK78, on 2013-February-21, 10:31, said:

Are you going to float the ♥Q if it is not covered? If it loses and a club is returned, you may need to run the diamonds to make. 6 clubs, 1 heart and 3 diamonds won't get it done. You may have a squeeze on LHO, but it would almost have to be a 3 suit squeeze, as you can't afford to correct the count.

No: I am going to fall back on a Bol's Bridge Tip from many years ago...so long ago that I can't recall who said it tho I think it was Zia: if they don't cover, they don't have it.

I'll ruff if not covered, and then play for the diamond hook to work. I am assuming competent, ethical opps who won't give anything away by tempo on the heart Q.

[FrancesHinden]

 mikeh, on 2013-February-21, 10:20, said:

Fluffy has it right, I think. LHO has to have at least one red King, and by playing AQ♥ we cater to his holding Kxxx in hearts, with rho Jxx. The only difference I see is that I wouldn't care if trump don't break. I can handle 4-1: assuming the hearts haven't come home for me, I still have 2 trumps. They can tap me once but I hook the diamond, use my last trump to ruff a spade, and hook again.

Trump aren't 5-0 Who doubles 1♣ with 9xxxx in the suit? Plus we'd know at trick one and Andy would have told us.

You have run out of trumps. Win the lead. A and Q of hearts, covered and ruffed. Now you have to get back to hand somehow, e.g. with a spade ruff. Draw trumps. You have only one trump left if they were 4-1.
You can still take this line if you want and just revert to the diamond finesse if trumps are 4-1.


I'm not convinced that LHO will cover the HQ 100% of the time looking at Kxxx. He probably will with the jack as well, but that's not the layout you are looking for.
I would take a diamond finesse at trick 2. One possible upside is RHO taking it from Kxx in order to play another trump. RHO may not be able to tell whether his partner started with 1096 or 10963 if LHO doesn't give a clear count signal.

[wanoff]

Get real - both kings are likely to be with the doubler.
I'll finesse both queens and hope they can't play a second trump.

[wanoff]

 wanoff, on 2013-February-23, 07:09, said:

Get real - both kings are likely to be with the doubler.
I'll finesse both queens and hope they can't play a second trump.

Sorry, I didn't see the first double.

[y66]

Very interesting when LHO is 4441 with king and jack of hearts and RHO has the DK.

[FrancesHinden]

 y66, on 2013-February-23, 08:39, said:

Very interesting when LHO is 4441 with king and jack of hearts and RHO has the DK.

Only if LHO also has the AKQ of spades (or you pick it and duck the first round of diamonds completely then cash the ace).

[gnasher]

 FrancesHinden, on 2013-February-23, 04:06, said:

I would take a diamond finesse at trick 2. One possible upside is RHO taking it from Kxx in order to play another trump. RHO may not be able to tell whether his partner started with 1096 or 10963 if LHO doesn't give a clear count signal.

If RHO has ♦Kxx, it won't usually matter what he does. If he ducks, you can ruff a heart then set up the long heart, unless LHO is 4531 with ♥KJ. I think that hand would probably overcall rather than doubling.

[mikeh]

 FrancesHinden, on 2013-February-23, 04:06, said:

You have run out of trumps. Win the lead. A and Q of hearts, covered and ruffed. Now you have to get back to hand somehow, e.g. with a spade ruff. Draw trumps. You have only one trump left if they were 4-1.
You can still take this line if you want and just revert to the diamond finesse if trumps are 4-1.


I'm not convinced that LHO will cover the HQ 100% of the time looking at Kxxx. He probably will with the jack as well, but that's not the layout you are looking for.
I would take a diamond finesse at trick 2. One possible upside is RHO taking it from Kxx in order to play another trump. RHO may not be able to tell whether his partner started with 1096 or 10963 if LHO doesn't give a clear count signal.

I said I could handle 4-1 trump by taking the diamond finesse twice: iow, I said I would revert to the diamond finesse, but without using the word 'revert'

[lalldonn]

Depends on opponents of course, but a good player will like never cover the heart queen early IMO. What would that gain? He especially knows you won't run it without the jack since a trump would come back and you would have lost your heart ruff.

I'm with Frances, diamond finesse at trick 2.

[lesh]

I would win and take the ♦ finess:

1) If it wins I play ♥ to the 10. If it loses by a J♥ and a ♦ comes back then I will play LHO for 4441, I will finess again and cash the A♦. If RHO ruffs I overruff, ruff ♥, ruff ♠, draw trumps and set up ♥. If he discards a ♥, I discard a ♥, ruff ♠, ruff small ♥, ruff ♠, draw trumps and claim.

If ♥ loses by a J♥ and a ♣ comes back then I will draw trumps and finess ♦ again for 3-3 and if they turn to be 4-2 I will play for 3rd K♥.

2) If Q♦ loses to the K♦ and a trump comes back I will need 3-3♦ so LHO has strated with 4432. If a ♦ comes back then I will need 3rd J♥ with LHO.