[AL78]

Sim pairs.

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We play weak NT and Lebensohl, so 3♣ is natural and forcing (maybe a TOX is better here?), and I decided I might as well show my heart suit. The opening lead is the ♠3 which runs to your jack. How do you plan to play the hearts?

[FelicityR]

Hello AL78. I realise you want to improve and many of your posts are instructional, but I cannot take this hand seriously when the opposition gift you an opening trick in ♠s with ♠KQ1098 between them. Someone didn't lead an honour from ♠KQ or put up their honour on the opening lead is plain amateurish. Better to be honest.

[AL78]

FelicityR, on 2020-July-10, 04:15, said:

Hello AL78. I realise you want to improve and many of your posts are instructional, but I cannot take this hand seriously when the opposition gift you an opening trick in ♠s with ♠KQ1098 between them. Someone didn't lead an honour from ♠KQ or put up their honour on the opening lead is plain amateurish. Better to be honest.

I admit we had unusually poor opposition yesterday evening (partly why we won) but I was just curious as to how others would play the heart suit given the bidding. I feel it is worth posting instructional hands where there is a possibility my judgement was flawed.

[nullve]

AL78, on 2020-July-10, 02:42, said:

The opening lead is the ♠3 which runs to your jack.

Had NS been competent, then a possible explanation for what happened at trick one could be that South missorted his hand and thought he held something like

Qx2
x
ATxxxxx
Kx,

when in in fact he held something like

KQx2
x
ATxxxxx
x.

[AL78]

nullve, on 2020-July-10, 05:14, said:

Had NS been competent, then a possible explanation for what happened at trick one could be that South missorted his hand and thought he held something like

Qx2
x
ATxxxxx
Kx,

when in in fact he held something like

KQx2
x
ATxxxxx
x.

This is on BBO, so not possible to missort hand. Another explanation is a misclick.

[nullve]

AL78, on 2020-July-10, 06:28, said:

This is on BBO, so not possible to missort hand. Another explanation is a misclick.

True and yes.

[nudnikbp]

Following up on the defensive misstep at trick one, try leading the heart jack at trick two. Maybe the defense will blow two tricks on one hand. If South doesn't cover play the heart ace and return a heart. Play the king if North follows low, then lead the club jack. If the heart queen doesn't drop you still may be able to discard your spade loser.

[AL78]

nudnikbp, on 2020-July-11, 05:12, said:

Following up on the defensive misstep at trick one, try leading the heart jack at trick two. Maybe the defense will blow two tricks on one hand. If South doesn't cover play the heart ace and return a heart. Play the king if North follows low, then lead the club jack. If the heart queen doesn't drop you still may be able to discard your spade loser.

That would have been a good idea, I didn't think of that at the time and it would likely have worked.

At the time I decided South had done a lot of bidding on not that many HCP and little enthusiasm from North, so I played him for a singleton heart, playing ace then back to the jack. Wrong - South held ♥Q5, so I gave away the trick they apparently blew at trick one. I made 11 tricks: four hearts, five clubs, and two spades.

The apparent trick I gained at trick one wasn't a gained trick. I still only have 12 tricks if I get the hearts right, because I have three losers in hand, and can only throw two of them on dummy's clubs, so have to lose a diamond or spade at the end. The lead I got only replaces a diamond ruff with a second spade winner for the 12th trick.

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[nullve]

12 tricks after 1. ♠3-♠2-♠7-♠J 2. ♥J:

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Only 11 tricks after the same start:

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