Q9x
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Qx
Jx
KTxx
QT
x
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You're about to win HQ, at which point you'll have 4 hearts, 1 club, and 2 diamonds won or established. The opponents have 2 tricks in the bank, plus CQ and SA when they want them. It appears LHO is 4=3=2=4. What now?
I decided to play LHO for SA and CQ and avoid guessing the SJ. I cashed 2 hearts pitching a spade and a diamond, then crossed to DQ leaving this position:
Q9
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Jx
KTxx
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If LHO pitches 2 spades, I can play SQ to establish that suit. LHO can kill it by ducking SA, but then he gets thrown in to allow the CJ to score. If he holds onto 3+ spades, I can instead duck a club (before or after playing SQ).
In practice, LHO pitched 2 spades, I played SQ, and RHO won SA, cashed the long diamond, and played a club to partner's Q for down 1.
Didn't you played LHO for Axxx/Jxx/Ax/AQxx or AJxx/Jxx/Ax/AQxx, in either case a possible 1NT overcall?
ReplyDeleteIf lefty did have SA, it would also work to cash hearts and lead a spade up without cashing the diamond. If he hops you unblock the Q for an endplay and if he ducks you cash the diamond to squeeze him. This line gains when righty has AJ tight in spades. It might lose when diamonds turn out to be 3-3 I suppose.
ReplyDeleteTHG: I figure 1N with those hands is about as likely than Pass with the 11 count with bad majors.
ReplyDeleteJW: Good point. It also gains when righty wins SA and errs by returning a club (sets up trick 9) or a diamond (squeeze endplay vs RHO). Of course, a sneaky righty (or a righty with AJ tight) might just duck and now you have no play.
I must be missing something with the cash hearts and lead a spade up line. When LHO ducks this and you cash the diamond at trick 10, aren't the defenders left with the top spade, top diamond and top club (and two tricks already in)?
ReplyDeleteYes, but LHO has only black cards and you don't plan to let RHO in to cash that diamond. Of course, as happened to me, your "plans" are irrelevant if RHO has SA.
ReplyDeleteAhh, I had put the Queen of Clubs in East's hand.
ReplyDelete