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Hopeless at matchpoints

#1 User is offline   paulg 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 05:14

Scoring: MP

1♦ 1♠
2NT 3NT

Lead: ♣2


I rarely play matchpoints and wondered how the experts would play this hand against good opposition in a good field.

Opposition were silent in the bidding and lead the lowest club (playing 4th best leads). East will follow with the ♣10 if you play small from dummy.

There seems to be communication problems and blockages. In particular, if you cross in hearts and a diamond finesse loses, then a second heart will block the suit and cut you off from a club trick.

Or do you go all out and cash two clubs first, cross in hearts, finesse the diamond, win the return, back to the heart, cash club throwing spade and rely on the second diamond finesse?

Really just wondering what is reasonable at matchpoints.
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#2 User is offline   Fluffy 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 06:52

these hands are tough, because there are many many options.

Intuitivelly I'd play heart and diamond finese to the ♦10, I am giving up the clubs since I have nothing to discard from my hand comfortably.
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#3 User is offline   paulg 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 09:26

Diamond finesse loses to the ♦J and a club comes back.
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#4 User is offline   Fluffy 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 09:30

I'd try ♥A and another ♦ finese
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#5 User is offline   gnasher 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 11:49

I agree with Fluffy.

If the second diamond finesse wins, I can cash the diamonds and exit in a hearts (or spades, possibly). I already have a good idea of LHO's shape - 3334 or 4324 seems likely - so the ending might not be hard to read.

If the second diamond finesse loses, and LHO has another one, and he works out that he should return it, I'll do the same thing.
... that would still not be conclusive proof, before someone wants to explain that to me as well as if I was a 5 year-old. - gwnn
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#6 User is offline   paulg 

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Posted 2010-January-22, 15:51

As it happens the second diamond finesse does lose and a third one was returned, but the ♥J falls on the third round and you make nine tricks.

My initial thought was that this might be more of an IMPs line, as you have an easy ten tricks if the diamonds are friendly with an honour onside. But I see it does give you a chance when the diamonds are offside while retaining a fair chance of ten otherwise.

Paul
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#7 User is offline   dake50 

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Posted 2010-January-23, 12:00

Can I look at SK hoping next S9 finesse wins then needing only 1 more luck? C-block or switch forced, DQ wins, HJ falls. 2xS gets discards. Will I read well?
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