East can also reasonably place South with a heart honour as West might well prefer a lead from HQJxx to Dxxx? Not 100% of course, as East bid those moderate diamonds twice, but is it a fair inference?
Regards
bobbywolffSeptember 29th, 2021 at 6:25 pm
Hi Iain,
Yes, it is possible that West had the QJ of hearts and instead, of course, led partner’s opening diamond suit.
However, because of the opportunity of securing the setting trick #5, by playing partner, not the declarer, for the ace of clubs should be easily enough reason to switch to the suit that crafty Dame Fortune dealt the defensive side.
Just another reason, but I think clear enough to not offer a real choice in attempting to defeat the contract, sometimes a trick loser with doing the right thing, but here just IMO the right choice.
Matchpoint bridge is just too difficult to play anywhere near perfectly, but defeating contracts rather than allowing them to make should be the goal and here, unless partner has both the queen and the jack of hearts, as you suggested it will be likely wrong to do so.
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HI Bobby,
East can also reasonably place South with a heart honour as West might well prefer a lead from HQJxx to Dxxx? Not 100% of course, as East bid those moderate diamonds twice, but is it a fair inference?
Regards
Hi Iain,
Yes, it is possible that West had the QJ of hearts and instead, of course, led partner’s opening diamond suit.
However, because of the opportunity of securing the setting trick #5, by playing partner, not the declarer, for the ace of clubs should be easily enough reason to switch to the suit that crafty Dame Fortune dealt the defensive side.
Just another reason, but I think clear enough to not offer a real choice in attempting to defeat the contract, sometimes a trick loser with doing the right thing, but here just IMO the right choice.
Matchpoint bridge is just too difficult to play anywhere near perfectly, but defeating contracts rather than allowing them to make should be the goal and here, unless partner has both the queen and the jack of hearts, as you suggested it will be likely wrong to do so.