[FelicityR]

Matchpoint Pairs. Average Club Field. Most playing Acol 4M, weak NT. Love all.

This hand generated a fair amount of discussion after the game. My partner and I in need of a few top scores perhaps overbid this hand - please feel free to agree with/criticise the bidding - However, but we both felt the small slam was a fair bet. (Thankfully he was declarer ) How would you bid and play this hand? And, as always, thank you for replies in advance.

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West led the ♥Q against the 6♣ contract

[Cyberyeti]

I think because of the 1♥ opener I want to be in 6♣ as Q or Qx of clubs are quite likely for W given that (depending on opening style) E only has 2 or 3 of the 11 points remaining after W's ♥QJ and if W had ♠KQJ or was missing ♣Q you might have led a spade or a trump.

The diamond finesse isn't likely to work so your odds are down at the start basically to finding ♣Q.

I think the right line is win the heart in the south hand, A♠, club to A (assuming Q doesn't drop, you have to change tack slightly if it does), spade ruff, K♣ and if the Q drops you're sorted, if it doesn't, you need a minor miracle, heart to K, spade ruff, heart ruff, Q♦ (you would need W to have opened with KQJ, QJxxxx, 10, Qxx or similar).

If ♣Q drops from E you play W for a stiff K♦ btw.

[nige1]

FelicityR 'Matchpoint Pairs. Average Club Field. Most playing Acol 4M, weak NT. Love all.This hand generated a fair amount of discussion after the game. My partner and I in need of a few top scores perhaps overbid this hand - please feel free to agree with/criticise the bidding - However, but we both felt the small slam was a fair bet. (Thankfully he was declarer ) How would you bid and play this hand? And, as always, thank you for replies in advance. West led the ♥Q against the 6♣ contract'
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6♣ seems against the odds. 3N seems a better MP bet.
Assuming that LHO has less than 7 ♥s, a possible line in 6♣ ...
♥A, ♣A, if both follow low then run ♦Q (probably, losing to ♦K), win return with ♥K, cash ♣K (dropping ♣Q, you hope), ♥K, ruff a ♥, etc.. If ♣A drops ♣Q, then it's tempting to take a 2nd round finesse against ♣T (paying off to false-card by a cunning defender with ♣QT doubleton).

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[HardVector]

I wouldn't have overcalled 1s as north. That would have slowed things down and make stopping in 3n much easier. 3n is where you want to be. Once you get past 3n, however, you might as well bid 6.

[steve2005]

nige1, on 2019-July-21, 07:49, said:

6♣ seems against the odds. 3N seems a better MP bet. ]

Isn't no club losers a 52% proposition with almost always a sure diamond loser.
This should make 6C a reasonable play at MP.

[Cyberyeti]

steve2005, on 2019-July-21, 16:35, said:

Isn't no club losers a 52% proposition with almost always a sure diamond loser.
This should make 6C a reasonable play at MP.

It's more complicated than that.

Qxx onside can be problematic as you want to ruff a heart(stiff Q offside if you finesse first time).Stiff Q and 6 hearts can be a little awkward also.

But Q is about 3 to 1 to be onside from the missing points, and also W has more hearts so likely less clubs.

[steve2005]

Cyberyeti, on 2019-July-21, 16:54, said:

as you want to ruff a heart.

hadn't realized the ruff was gonna complicate trump situation. right
so if you restrict to any 2-2 or 3-1 singleton Q what are odds? I came up with same 52 which seems faulty calc
40% 2-2 + 1/4 singleton Q 3-1 49% =12%

[msjennifer]

Sir ,we do not overcall 1S with such a poor suit.We want partner to make his natural lead if LHO becomes a declarer.(How am I to know partner has a GF hand.LHO might as well have 10/11 HCP and may play in NT.) .

[microcap]

While I think you were quite fortunate to catch dummy with zero spade waste, it's a pretty good slam.

Personally, I am taking the heart in hand and leading a low club without cashing a top honor. If West has Q♣ singleton, I will cash the A♥, cross to the A♠, ruff the heart high, then finesse the 10. If West falsecards from the Q10, I will make a mental note never to play against him/her again