[1eyedjack]

1NT = 12-14

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♦3 (ostensibly 4th highest) lead from East.


I spectated this hand, but perhaps I am the alone in thinking it interesting. Feel free to ignore.

[inquiry]

1eyedjack, on 2012-June-02, 08:21, said:

1NT = 12-14

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♦3 (ostensibly 4th highest) lead from East.


I spectated this hand, but perhaps I am the alone in thinking it interesting. Feel free to ignore.

I plan to win the Diamond nine....

Let's start with is this matchpoints or imps, and follow that up with what did East play at trick one.

[Codo]

I would win. To duck will gain if the suit is 5-3 or worse and they do not manage to shift to clubs in time. I would cash my five spades and hope that they have the diamonds 4-4, or that a discard will help me.

[billw55]

I assume RHO plays a diamond honor on trick one, otherwise this is trivial.

Win trick one due to danger of club switch. Drive out ♥A. If LHO wins, all is well, nine or ten tricks, next board. If RHO wins, I have a guess from ♦J9. I will try the nine since LHO almost surely has the remaining honor. If this also fails, last chance is that diamonds break 4-4.

The table result notwithstanding, I think the system that avoids a spade contract on this deal may need a little work.

[Antrax]

inquiry/billw55, the diagram is opposite what you expect - N is declaring and E is on lead, so the lead is through the ♦AJ9.

[1eyedjack]

Sorry - IMPs. That said, if you make this contract at MPs you are going to score well, I think.
Hand has not been rotated but orientation is as dealt. Again sorry.

[1eyedjack]

billw55, on 2012-June-02, 09:49, said:

The table result notwithstanding, I think the system that avoids a spade contract on this deal may need a little work.

You may be right in the long term, but on this hand it is interesting to note that 4S has no play while 3NT can be made.

[1eyedjack]

Codo wins the cigar - at least as this hand was dealt.

On autopilot it is normal to insert the ♦9 from dummy at trick 1, hoping for opening leader to hold the ♦T.

And on some deals that might be right. Say Diamonds break 5-3 and the ♥A is in the hand with the shorter ♣ holding.

But the lead of ♦3, while consistent with a five card suit including ♦2, perhaps on balance of probability suggests a 4-4 split.

[Fluffy]

the right card to play is ♦J, opponents aren't switching after beating it and you give yoursef 2 extra chances: ♦5-3 blocked, and ♦KQ onside

[billw55]

Antrax, on 2012-June-02, 10:23, said:

inquiry/billw55, the diagram is opposite what you expect - N is declaring and E is on lead, so the lead is through the ♦AJ9.

er ... whoops.

[1eyedjack]

Fluffy, on 2012-June-02, 14:28, said:

the right card to play is ♦J, opponents aren't switching after beating it and you give yoursef 2 extra chances: ♦5-3 blocked, and ♦KQ onside

On the occasion that I was spectating, declarer played the 9, which lost to the 10. That defender switched to Clubs despite the 10 winning. I am not convinced that he would have done anything different had he beaten the J. But yes, if leader had held KQ it would have worked.

[StevenG]

I was dummy on this hand and, at the time (seeing only the two hands shown), thought going up with the Ace and hoping the diamonds split was the only plausible line. Losing the first trick and letting them switch to a club guarantees failure.

billw55, on 2012-June-02, 09:49, said:

The table result notwithstanding, I think the system that avoids a spade contract on this deal may need a little work.

My partner told me afterwards that she normally opens 1♠ on this type of hand, but someone had strongly criticised her a few days earlier for doing so and insisted 1NT was mandatory. Despite many players I respect advising otherwise, I have always found that opening 1M on a 12-14 5332 works better than opening 1NT. I didn't consider the possibility of five spades in partner's hand. I am happy with my decision to raise to 3NT rather than look for a spade fit, given the balanced nature of my hand.

[han]

3NT is usually better than 4M with 5332 vs 4333. Check it if you don't believe it.