[phil_20686]

mikeh, on 2012-October-24, 09:07, said:

This inexperienced player fell into the trap of cashing the top clubs, pitching a spade, and then ruffed a club and cashed the spade K, pitching the diamond as LHO ruffed in. LHO now could give me the contract by exiting a heart or by leading a diamond for me to ruff. Choosing the latter, he made me ruff in dummy and I was utterly helpless! I had no choice but to lead a heart to my A and then lead my last diamond and ruff it in dummy. I was astounded to make 11 tricks, despite my inexperienced line of play.

Phil: I suspect you didn't see this was the N/B forum, else you wouldn't have made the statement about unusual v unusual being 'completely standard' here.

Obviously I didn't see it was the N/B forum.

Re lines. As far as I can see our lines are 100% equivalent if rho is 55. But if he should have wandered in with 4153 my line picks that up and your line fails? I have seen stranger things.

[the hog]

phil_20686, on 2012-October-24, 07:33, said:

@HOG (and others): 2N shows the unbid suits, it is completely standard in this situation to play that 3H = to play, 3d = good with hearts, 3/4c = to play 3S = good with clubs. This is an unusual vs unusual situation.

As for the play problem. Lets assume that rho is 55 in spades and diamonds. In that case I can pick up three trumps with west by playing three rounds of spades and discarding a diamond if LHO ruffs in front of dummy. This may still leave you with an awkward guess if lho ruffs with the J. So the best line is probably to cash two spades, play top club ruff a club, and then play the spade K from hand discarding a diamond if lho ruffs high in front of dummy.

So we can make on a layout like this:

---

It is important not to try to cash both top clubs, as ruffing clubs without lho being able to overruff is how you get entries, and this often feels unnatural to less experienced players. LHO is in a bind when he ruffs the third spade, I discard my diamond. Suppose he returns the club Q, I go up with a top club and rho is forced to ruff. I overruff with the Q. Then I cash the heart ace and play a diamond, and ruff it in dummy and a good club takes care of the spade, lho gets only his two heart tricks.

SUppose instead that he returns a diamond, then I can ruff in dummy, and play the club K. If RHO ruffs I can over ruff and play diamond to ruff, and then another top club discarding a spade again holds lho to two heart tricks.

I totally agree with your unu vs unu, however you did forget one call - Pass, weakish suit and minimum hand.
Furthermore, do you really think a novice will play unusual vs unusual?