Friday, December 3, 2010

Play in 4H?

After a miserable first session, the second session of the LM pairs for my dad and I started out okay and when Grue went down in this 4H contract against us on the 4th round, I got a little optimistic, but then things really fell apart. I was glad to see Grue misplay one, although on a closer look, it's not as clear-cut as I thought at the time.

Dealer: N
Vul: EW
North
AQ64
KT
AJ52
K53
West
JT2
A7642
986
74
East
98753

QT7
AQJT9
South
K
QJ9853
K43
862

WestNorthEastSouth
1NTX4
Pass4Pass Pass
Pass

Double showed a 1 suited hand (clubs). My dad led a diamond which Grue won with the 10 and with almost no thought played the king of hearts. I won and led a club through to get my ruff for -1. Clearly the contract could have been made by cashing two spades to pitch a club from dummy or even make an overtrick by cashing the SK and coming back to hand with a diamond to pitch 2 clubs on the AQ. At the time I though this was a pretty obvious play but it's not really. The diamond lead, which looks like it's probably from shortness so getting trumps in asap may be the way to go, basically playing for either east to have the heart ace or west to have the club ace, not unreasonable at all. Fooling around trying to use a diamond entry to get to cash 3 spades is too dangerous, and cashing the AQ of spades, squandering a potential spade trick, could cost an overtrick. On the other hand, if the diamond lead was from the Q, the defense has already given you a slight advantage over the field so playing safer to make 4 may be right. So, I still think the right play is the play the AQ of spades, pitching a club from dummy at tricks 2 and 3, so you can ruff the 3rd club high later, but I'm not so sure any more.

We got 47 out of 64 matchpoints as weak notrumpers might wrongside the contract and go down immediately on a club lead from my hand.

2 comments:

  1. I wonder if anyone was in 3NT, which is, funnily enough, cold for ten tricks. Maybe 1NT by North, 2S showing spades and a minor, 3H (forcing), pass, 3NT by North, all pass? :)

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  2. I was in 3NT after the auction:
    1D 2C! 2H P 3NT P P P

    Not sure why you think its cold? I got the CQ lead and ducked it. After the spade switch I thought I was in good shape since it looked like there was probably a 6 card suit for the overcall. I led a heart and was quickly down 2.

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