[Wackojack]

Scoring: MP

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Playing Acol club night MP against average opponents. Bidding:
South West North East
Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
Pass 2♠ Pass 3♦
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Pass

Partner was playing the hand

North leads ♦K and declarer took with the Ace, South following with ♦6. He then played ♣Q (do you agree?), North following with 6♣ which South took with ♣A. South returned ♦2, which North took with Q♦ returning ♦5 which was won by ♦J in dummy. He now plays ♣K, South following and threw a spade from his hand, whereupon North also throws a spade. Has partner played correctly so far? (I believe he has). At the table I thought he then played against the odds, but in the post mortum, driving home, tried to convince me that the line he took which turned out to be a poor match point score was the best. Now I am not sure. Your views on how he should continue? Would the order in which South played the 6 and 2 of ♦ make any difference to your choice.

[Free]

So let me get this straight, ♣s are split 5-1 (5 for south), and ♦s are split 4-3? What is the problem? Just continue ♣, you still have control in all suits, you'll only lose 1 more ♣ and maybe a ♦, so = or +1...

I don't see an immediate possibility to make +2, unless you can set up a squeeze (which you can't).

[Flame]

Its too hard for me, cant tell whats right now, and oviosuly couldnt tell at the table, i would probebly play like your partner did.

[luke warm]

at matchpoints i'd take the ♦A, lead a ♥ to the Q and finesse the 10♥... if this wins, i'd finesse the ♠J... if this wins i'd lead toward the ♣Q

at imps i'd play like your partner, tho at matchpoints i might end up giving the contract away

[pclayton]

I'm assuming diamonds are 5-2; certainly they'd duck the diamond if they were 4-3.It seems far-fetched to try to squeeze 11 tricks out of this by not playing on clubs.

To make +460, I'd have to: hook the 10♥, hook the J♠, unblock the K♠ and hope for 3-3 ♥'s. If either case is wrong, I endanger 10 tricks and may even go down in 3N.

+430 looks like a good score. Other tables might start with 1♥ - 1N, which will not get a ♦ lead. On a spade lead, South will certainly shift to a ♦ on winning the A♣.

By the way, South made a huge error in not ducking the A♣ at T2, but I think your partner made a minor error in not overtaking the Q♣ with the K.

I think its conceivable a few pairs won't get to 3N either; opting for a partial or the 5-2 heart game, which looks real nasty on a stiff club lead.

[Wackojack]

[quote name='Free' date='Nov 2 2004, 08:31 AM']So let me get this straight, ♣s are split 5-1 (5 for south), and ♦s are split 4-3? What is the problem? Just continue ♣, you still have control in all suits, you'll only lose 1 more ♣ and maybe a ♦, so = or +1...

I don't see an immediate possibility to make +2, unless you can set up a squeeze (which you can't).

Sorry I didn't make it clear that all follow to the 3rd round of diamonds. To me the initial line of playing on clubs was OK because it gave the best chance of making an overtrick. The more adventurous (luke warm) play could be a top or bottem. However, when clubs are seen to split 5-1, the play comes down to who you think holds the 13th ♦10. By continuing clubs you make 10 tricks if North was leading from ♦KQ105, but only 9 tricks if it was from ♦KQ5. Now at the risk of going down you could play off the hearts making 10 tricks if 3-3 or Jx. Perhaps if partner had looked carefully at the order South had played the diamonds, the 6, 2 and then the 7, he would have suspected that South held the last diamond and 9 tricks would get a poor score.

At the table partner continued clubs and South cashed his last diamond. Since South also had ♥Jx and North had the ♠Q 630 and 660 were the most common results.


Yes, interesting!
So how would you rate partner's play?

[pclayton]

The diamond spots indicate South has the 13th diamond and North made a gambling lead from KQx. Now that south has the 13th diamond makes a big difference. I can safely make 9 if north has the 4th heart and 10 if the J falls.

South is now likely to lead a diamond on this hand with the hand played by East. If its a seasoned pair, I would expect the lead of the 7 from 10-7-6-2. North makes a neutral shift to spades. Club to Ace and the diamond continuation. Declarer must play the Ace to block the suit; 9 tricks looks to be the limit here. So I'm still ahead of the game, since I have scored a 2nd diamond trick.

Go after hearts and wrap up nine or 10. Clubs is the right play at IMPs, since it guarantees 9.

[Free]

Wackojack, on Nov 3 2004, 12:39 AM, said:

So how would you rate partner's play?

Excelent

[Flame]

With the way the club splited and the fact that north lead the diamonds id say north rate to have the last diamond is more then 90%.