[Phil]

All red, swiss

Dummy: Qxx xx AQ8x AT8x
You: AKJT9 Kxx J2 6xx

RHO overcalled 1♦. LHO leads the D9. PTP.

[JLOGIC]

My plan is low and let them ptd lol.

[rhm]

If the lead is from a doubleton ducking is obvious.
If LHO has 4 spades, a club switch at trick 2 will beat you.
It seems you still need the ace of hearts with RHO and trumps 3-2

If the lead is a singleton, what line of play succeeds?

Rainer Herrmann

[lowerline]

Phil, on 2012-December-16, 21:17, said:

All red, swiss

Dummy: Qxx xx AQ8x AT8x
You: AKJT9 Kxx J2 6xx

RHO overcalled 1♦. LHO leads the D9. PTP.

I think you need spades 3-2, ♥A onside and diamonds 5-2. I don't see a winning line if one of those conditions isn't met...

Steven

[Phil]

rhm, on 2012-December-17, 04:13, said:

If the lead is from a doubleton ducking is obvious.
If LHO has 4 spades, a club switch at trick 2 will beat you.
It seems you still need the ace of hearts with RHO and trumps 3-2

If the lead is a singleton, what line of play succeeds?

Rainer Herrmann

I agree that ducking is the superior line of play, at least from a technical perspective.

I might have mentioned that these opponents weren't the top pair in the room. In addition, because of the format, many of the teams in contention played themselves early, and were left playing teams that had no chance of placing. I'm pretty sure this team finished 11th or 12th out of 12.

Against lesser (or tired or unmotivated) opponents that might try for diamonds ruffs or uppercuts, I think this line is appealing:

1. ♦A
2. ♥x, and assuming RHO hops and...
3-4. ...Plays diamond K, diamond - we discard a club

If LHO ruffs we win when she started with no more than three spades which is likely. If she discards, we get our 10th trick right away.

FWIW, I ducked the diamond. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th tricks took about 1/50th of the time the first trick took.

This post has been edited by Phil: 2012-December-17, 10:24

[PhilKing]

But if they started with six diamonds, they will hop ♥A and come back a low diamond ...

[gnasher]

Phil, on 2012-December-17, 09:49, said:

Against lesser (or tired or unmotivated) opponents that might try for diamonds ruffs or uppercuts, I think this line is appealing:

1. ♦A
2. ♥x, and assuming RHO hops and...
3. ...Plays a diamond - discard a club

I assume you mean ♦K, diamond (if he plays a diamond at trick three, you have to follow suit). You gain when LHO is 3=1 in the pointed suits and they misdefend, but you lose when he's 2=2. Also, if they're that bad they may misdefend after you play low from dummy and LHO is 1=3: after ♦K, diamond ruff, a club return lets it through.

[Phil]

PhilKing, on 2012-December-17, 10:07, said:

But if they started with six diamonds, they will hop ♥A and come back a low diamond ...

They should, but ♦K, ♦ is definitely the reflex play for a weak player.

[PhilKing]

Phil, on 2012-December-17, 10:23, said:

They should, but ♦K, ♦ is definitely the reflex play for a weak player.

But often it is right to cash the king first. In my experience, they then lead low with rare confidence forcing me to ruff with a trump winner ...