Spingold bidding problem

My partner thinks he got this one wrong in a Spingold match:

AJTx
KJTx
Kxx
xx
 
1D (1S) X (P)
3D ( P) ?

Would people bid 3N instead of double?

Having doubled, what do you do now?

Result below.



He chose 3N and the opponents ran 5 clubs. At the other table, they bid 4D and got to 5D making. One expert suggested bidding 3S, which is great if it implies club doubt, but it doesn't sound that way to me.

My hand was:

x
Axx
AQJxxxx
QJ

On the lead of SK, 5D is cold (win, draw trumps, pitch a club on SJ).

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Old rgb hand follow-up

I promised some follow-up on the unusual progressive squeeze from the end of last week. Turns out there's another one in my archives that will be appearing sometime this month, so I'll save my general comments until after that.


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Another old rgb hand -- Solution

This problem appeared in yesterday's post; the solution is below the fold.
[UPDATE: formatting issues corrected. Also, further discussion coming later.]

Qxx
Kxx
AQ7xx
K8

-
Axxxx
2
AQJ7xxx

Play 7C after a heart lead, LHO originally opened 1S.

Answer below...



Give LHO 5 spades for the opening bid, 3 hearts for you to have a chance, and K 4th or 5th of diamonds (hopefully you can figure it out). Win the lead in *hand* and run 5 rounds of trumps:

    Q
    K          
    AQ7xx      
A   -          
QJ             
Kxxx    
-   -
    xxxx
    x
    xx

On the next trump, LHO is squeezed. A heart pitchgives up 3 tricks. A diamond pitch allows you to finesse and ruff, setting up the suit. So he must pitch the SA. Dummy pitches a diamond.

Now take the diamond finesse, cash the DA and SQ and LHO is trump squeezed:

    Q    
    K              
    7x             
-   -
QJ
Kx                 
-   -              
    xxx            
    -
    x

On the SQ, a heart pitch allows HK, hand good. A diamond pitch allows diamond ruff, dummy good.

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Another old rgb hand

More mining old rgb posts for material:

Qxx
Kxx
AQ7xx
K8

-
Axxxx
2
AQJ7xxx

Play 7C after a heart lead, LHO originally opened 1S.

Answer tomorrow.

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Two previously undiscussed situations

Practicing before nationals, we weren't sure what our agreements were after:

1.

(1S)-P-(P)-1N
( X)-?

Where X is just cards.

For simplicity, we decided just to play the same system we would after 1N-(X) showing cards, too. (In our case, P is to play, XX is 1 minor or both majors, 2m is that suit and a higher, and 2M is natural.)

Does anyone have a better idea?

2.

1S-(2N)-X-(4C)

Normally after we double their 2 suited bids, subsequent doubles are penalty by either player. But then does that mean we're in a forcing auction? Seems pretty awkward to treat it that way.

Really once they jump, I think takeout by opener and cards by responder is best.


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Favorite card combination follow-up

Yesterday I posted a card combination essentially similar to this one:

KQ8x

A7xx

It appears that there's nothing to do here except hope for a 3-2 split. But say you start with an honor from dummy, what is RHO supposed to play holding J9xx? From his perspective, you'll have the ten 2/3 3/4 of the time, and if he never falsecards with the 9, you'll be able to pick up all his stiff 9s (when you have the T).

In fact, RHO should drop the 9 1/3 of the time. When you hold the T, you can do no better expectation-wise than to fall for this falsecard and he'll gain a trick.

But, if LHO has the T, you will score an "impossible" trick.

Note that leading from your hand can't work: you must force RHO to play before LHO.

But, this layout also creates a great opportunity for a defensive Grosvenor Coup: you cash the K and see the 9 on your right and ten on your left. But when you play the Q next, RHO shows out!




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My favorite card combination

How do you play Q862 in dummy opposite AK73 in hand?

Imagine (perhaps a stayman auction) that your length and top honors are known.

A hint is below the fold...



Suppose you're playing:

Q862 in dummy, opposite

AKT3 in hand.

If you start with the Ace, 5, 2, 9, then what?

Against a decent RHO, the 9 is more likely to be a mandatory falsecard from J9xx (which is a priori 3 times as likely as stiff 9), so you should play the Q next.

Is there anything you can do about this?

More in a subsequent post...


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