[Walddk]

Scoring: IMP

South 3NT
Lead CK

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This hand came up in a club game (IMPs) the other night.

You open a 10-12 NT. West overcalls 2♠, spades and a minor (at least 5-4), partner doubles to show invitational values or better. 3♥ from you, 3♠ by partner, asking for a spade stopper. The auction ends after you bid 3NT.

West leads ♣K which you allow to hold, East following with the 3, giving count when a king is led against NT (low-high from an even number). ♣J continuation by West.

You are far away from taking 9 tricks. Plan the play please.

Roland

[FrancesHinden]

Do you mean the overcaller has promised at least 5 spades and a 4+ minor, or could he be 4-5? What is the minimum he needs to double 1NT?

It appears that East has a doubleton club, unless he would play his middle one from three (and even then a doubleton is much more likely)

Anyway, I need one red card onside, because as soon as East gains the lead he will lead a spade through.

I can see a couple of possible lines
i) king of hearts tripleton onside: win second club, ace of diamonds, jack of hearts, cash 3 hearts and two diamonds and exit in clubs
ii) king of hearts doubleton onside: win second club, ace of diamonds, heart to the queen, ace of hearts, hearts, diamonds, exit in clubs

I can decide which of these to play for by cashing the king of diamonds before the ace: if LHO has a singleton diamond, play for Kxx hearts onside, if LHO has a doubleton diamond play for Kx.

[FrancesHinden]

Of course, the difficulty with cashing the KA of diamonds to get a count on the hand, is that it gives up an easy make when West has Kxxx x Qxx KQJxx

So perhaps I should just play for Kx of hearts or Qxx diamonds on my left instead.

p.s. if East discards on the second club I'll have a rethink.

[Walddk]

FrancesHinden, on Apr 17 2009, 12:02 PM, said:

Do you mean the overcaller has promised at least 5 spades and a 4+ minor, or could he be 4-5? What is the minimum he needs to double 1NT?

At least five spades and at least four in a minor. I also asked RHO about what they require for a double of 1NT. I got a vague reply, something like "a good opener if balanced, could be less with shape, but could also be strongish."

If you think clubs are 5-2 (seems likely, I agree), and when you are told that West has at least five spades, you will probably restrict your lines to a minimum. One of the lines looked appealing to me.

By the way, if you decide to win the ace at trick two, East follows with the 4, indicating an even number of clubs.

Roland

[whereagles]

After a quick look, I'd play LHO for

KJxxx
Kx
x
KQJxx

Then it's easy. Take the club ace 2nd round, back to hand in ♦A, finesse and cash 4 rounds of hearts, throw LHO in with the last club. Making 2 spades, 1 club, 4 hearts, 2 diamonds.

Since LHO seems to have 5 clubs, the pictured hand isn't even totally unlikely. I'm probably down though

[FrancesHinden]

Walddk, on Apr 17 2009, 11:36 AM, said:

At least five spades and at least four in a minor. I also asked RHO about what they require for a double of 1NT. I got a vague reply, something like "a good opener if balanced, could be less with shape, but could also be strongish."

If you think clubs are 5-2 (seems likely, I agree), and when you are told that West has at least five spades, you will probably restrict your lines to a minimum. One of the lined looked appealing to me.

Yes, if LHO is discovered to be 5-5 there's less point cashing the DK first, it's diamond to the ace, heart up looking for Kx or singleton K on my left (or 5035 with Qxx in diamonds).

[se12sam]

I think the problem could also be a bare King of heart with West. If you play J (to finesse), you make only 3 heart tricks.

So, I think the line should be diamond to Ace*, low heart to the Queen**, heart Ace (hope King falls), two hearts and then the end play in clubs.



*If West is void in diamonds, we run HJ.

** If King pops up from West, you are home by cashing two diamonds, four hearts and then throwing West in with a club.

[xcurt]

Why aren't we defending 2♠x right now?