[lamford]

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IMPs

Partner leads the nine of hearts (you lead high from a doubleton) and dummy wins with the king and plays a trump. 2C could have been a three-card suit. Do you duck or rise?

[WellSpyder]

I expect declarer to play a card from his hand before dummy leads to T2. Should I assume this was ♥10 rather than ♥5?

[steve2005]

WellSpyder, on 2017-December-06, 09:55, said:

I expect declarer to play a card from his hand before dummy leads to T2. Should I assume this was ♥10 rather than ♥5?

If declare play 5 they aren't too bright.
But even winning ♥ in dummy seems strange unless they have 3 ♥ they have blocked the suit. I guess they really needed to lead spades from dummy.

[ggwhiz]

I fall victim to a line from a Kokish write up.

South ducked smoothly, often the 2nd best play.

[gszes]

I see 4 tricks trump A dia A clu A in any order and a heart ruff last. Deciding to do anything else seems like master minding. Is it possible partner led from a doubleton (if declarer drops the T) yes but its HUGELY unlikely. Playing the 2 minor suit aces first gives partner 2 chances to encourage a continuation if they do not want a heart ruff.

[JanisW]

Partner has 1 trick at most

he either has

• ♦King which probably does not cash
• Q♣ which probably does run away anyway but best chance would be A and another ♣
• ♥-ruff, which has to be taken immediately
• Q♠ which would be killed, by rising with the A

Opener is either 7-2-1-3 or 6-3-1-3. in the former case I need to duck and hope declarer does take the losing finesse in the latter case I need to rise and play a ♥
I'll rise and play a ♥

[Cyberyeti]

JanisW, on 2017-December-06, 16:02, said:

Partner has 1 trick at most

he either has

• ♦King which probably does not cash
• Q♣ which probably does run away anyway but best chance would be A and another ♣
• ♥-ruff, which has to be taken immediately
• Q♠ which would be killed, by rising with the A

Opener is either 7-2-1-3 or 6-3-1-3. in the former case I need to duck and hope declarer does take the losing finesse in the latter case I need to rise and play a ♥
I'll rise and play a ♥

♠Jx is also a potential trick if you duck, how does he get back to dummy ?

Is KQxxxx, Ax, Kx, KQJ plausible ?

[Winstonm]

Declarer has jumped to game missing 3 aces and the 10 of trumps after partner has made a weak bid. What gives? I think I would expect more like KQJxxx, A105, void KQJx or KQJxxx, A105, K, KQx. I hope it is the latter as I rise and play for the heart ruff.

[JanisW]

Cyberyeti, on 2017-December-06, 16:25, said:

♠Jx is also a potential trick if you duck, how does he get back to dummy ?

Is KQxxxx, Ax, Kx, KQJ plausible ?

yes it is. And it fits the bidding quite well. If the ♠ were any stronger, he might have bid 3/4♠ instead of 2♣

• KJxxxxx,Ax,x,KQJ would've probably not bid 2♣
• KQJxxx,Axx,x,KQJ might have bid 3/4♠ with that semi-selfsustaining spade suit

I think the 2♣ bid does hint at a potential ♠ honour with partner, doesn't it?
So I change my mind and duck the ♠ from dummy

I wouldn't blame S for either line of play.

[LBengtsson]

i ask why declarer took trick in dummy with ♥K when he have ♥A? if he have KQJxxx in ♠ then why? i think more so declarer has KJxxxx or KQxxxx in ♠. i duck

grouse? Swedish 'orre' big bird. makes nice soupe

[nekthen]

I dont get 2♠ bid. Surely 2♥ is correct? Or does a red suit bid imply less than 2♠?

So West has ♠KHxxxx(x), ♥AT(5), ♦KJ(x), ♣KQ(x)
I think West has 6♠ otherwise he bids 3/4♠
I also think West has 3♥ otherwise i do not see the point of 2♣ bid

So I am playing A♠ and a♥. Doubtless it does not work!

[GrahamJson]

I’m not particularly optimistic about getting this contract off. If partner led a singleton then declarer is almost certainly 6304 as he wouldn’t have jumped to game without six spades and hence should have four clubs for his 2C bid. He would surely have rebid spades with a good six card suit rather than 2C on three cards. So, if you go up with your ace and get your heart ruff your club ace will be your third and final trick.

Best chance looks like playing small smoothly hoping partner has Qx. Then, on a good day, declarer, holding KJ10xxx A10x void KQJx will finesse, partner takes his queen, puts you in with the club ace and you give him a heart ruff for the setting trick. As I said, I’m not optimistic.

[Winstonm]

come to think of it - maybe 7204 is the likely shape. KJxxxxx, Ax, void, KQJx. If so, declarer is pretty much forced to win in dummy in order to try spades - an odd sort of restricted choice on declarer.

[lamford]

Winstonm, on 2017-December-08, 13:31, said:

come to think of it - maybe 7204 is the likely shape. KJxxxxx, Ax, void, KQJx. If so, declarer is pretty much forced to win in dummy in order to try spades - an odd sort of restricted choice on declarer.

Declarer has KJxxxx AT none KQ8xx and if you duck he cannot make it. I rose and played a second heart but declarer had little difficulty winning and laying down the king of spades before conceding two clubs