[Echognome]

Your opponents are a pair that have played for the U.S. in the Bermuda Bowl.

Scoring: IMP

1♥ - (P) - 1♠ - (2♦);
3♦ - (4♦) - P - (P);
4♠ - All Pass

---

Lead: ♦A

Plan the play.

[Fluffy]

First option cross ruff finding lho with 4+ hearts and ♠AQ

Ruff, cash 2 clubs, then ♥A and ♥ ruff, ♦K and ♦ ruff, ♥ ruff and 4th ♦ ruff.


Scoring 1♦, 1♥, 4 ruffs, 2♣ and leading a heart from dummy.


Now there must be something better scoring 4 club tricks.

4 clubs, 3 trumps, 1 heart, 1 diamond, 1 ruff jsut requires ♠Q onside and everythign 3-2. Looks much better.

We can discard or ruff the first trick, it is hard to say wich one is better, I think discarding.

Next win ♥A and overtake ♣10 with the king to run ♠8.

[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

1♥ - (P) - 1♠ - (2♦);
3♦ - (4♦) - P - (P);
4♠ - AP

---

I took a line similar to Fluffy's line 1. However, the 2nd round of clubs was ruffed by East and a diamond was returned. I then changed tack and played for West to be something like Ax xx AQJxx Jxxx. That wasn't a success either.

So to change gears, play or defend 4♠ after the lead of the ♦A?

[Fluffy]

OMG, do you really mean this is makeable?

I can't see a way, looking at RHO's shape we can make 4♥ and 4♦ and 1♣ but that leaves us with stiff king of spades and then he can jus truff with ♠Q and draw trumps.

[mikegill]

Play

Spoiler

Ruff, hA, heart ruff, cT heart ruff, cK. IF RHO doesn't ruff, you just play another club, so lets assume he does. He can't return trumps even though he has 3 and you have 2 in each hand, since it concedes a trump trick and you still have a diamond stopper, so he has to play a diamond (a heart is clearly silly for him). You ruff in dummy and play winning hearts, pitching clubs. On the 5th one, if he ruffs, you overruff and play a club, leaving him with only his 3 trump tricks. If he doesn't ruff, you pitch your last club and lead a winning club. To this point you have scored 3 hearts, 2 heart ruffs, 2 diamond ruffs and a club for 8. If he pitches, the club is your 9th trick and a further club lead guarantees a 10th by trump promotion. If he ruffs, simply overruff and cash your dK for your 10th trick while he follows with his last diamond.

[kfay]

DEFEND!!!

[shyams]

I choose to play.

Start as before; but when East ruffs the 2nd club and returns a diamond I choose to ruff it in dummy and play a spade off the table. This guarantees two losers in trumps (even if West had the Ace and East the Queen) but allows us to score 2 ruffs, 3 clubs, DK, HA, and the SJ + 4th spade in South hand.

[gnasher]

shyams, on Mar 24 2010, 10:52 PM, said:

I choose to play.

Start as before; but when East ruffs the 2nd club and returns a diamond I choose to ruff it in dummy and play a spade off the table. This guarantees two losers in trumps (even if West had the Ace and East the Queen) but allows us to score 2 ruffs, 3 clubs, DK, HA, and the SJ + 4th spade in South hand.

What's 2+3+1+1+2 ?

[shyams]

gnasher, on Mar 24 2010, 10:16 PM, said:

shyams, on Mar 24 2010, 10:52 PM, said:

I choose to play.

Start as before; but when East ruffs the 2nd club and returns a diamond I choose to ruff it in dummy and play a spade off the table. This guarantees two losers in trumps (even if West had the Ace and East the Queen) but allows us to score 2 ruffs, 3 clubs, DK, HA, and the SJ + 4th spade in South hand.

What's 2+3+1+1+2 ?

LOL, sorry. I should not be posting on BBO when working late from office...

[kfay]

mikegill, on Mar 24 2010, 01:25 PM, said:

Play

Spoiler

You ruff in dummy and play winning hearts

You what?

When did you draw West's trump?

[kfay]

shyams, on Mar 24 2010, 04:52 PM, said:

I choose to play.

Start as before; but when East ruffs the 2nd club and returns a diamond I choose to ruff it in dummy and play a spade off the table. This guarantees two losers in trumps (even if West had the Ace and East the Queen) but allows us to score 2 ruffs, 3 clubs, DK, HA, and the SJ + 4th spade in South hand.

Post is a little incomplete so I assume you're not doing this after crossruffing and having K10 in dummy and J8 in hand?

Please elaborate so I can disprove.

[mikegill]

kfay, on Mar 24 2010, 09:34 PM, said:

mikegill, on Mar 24 2010, 01:25 PM, said:

Play

Spoiler

You ruff in dummy and play winning hearts

You what?

When did you draw West's trump?

D'oh. I guess I'm going with defend then.

[lamford]

I would vote to defend. After ruffing the ace of diamonds, I would try a spade from dummy and East will go in with the queen. Now he needs to cash the ace of spades to beat me, and he may play back a diamond instead, trying to continue the force. Certainly, if West led the ace of diamonds I would play him for the king as East.

So, with the sight of all four hands I defend.