If East conservatively passes, South opens a weak 2S, North enquires with 2N and South bids 3N to show a solid suit which North smugly passes counting 9 easy tricks and ignoring South’s claim that he’s hogged the hand again – true but justified. If NS reach 4S after an initial pass by East, though, West has a fairly easy club lead.
Regards,
Iain
A V Ramana RaoJanuary 10th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Hi Dear Mr Wolff
Quite instructive and perhaps same ruse applies even if west leads eight of hearts . Declarer survives even a spade lead but not a club lead
Regards
jim2January 10th, 2022 at 1:32 pm
I would add that, if West overtakes the QH with the KH, declarer must take the AH (duh!), return to hand (perhaps drawing trump), and lead towards the 10H.
bobbywolffJanuary 10th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
Hi Iain, AVRR, & Jim2,
Between you three and, of course, the column itself, a relatively new but eager newbie could begin to learn the critical knowledge, which allows all of us to first respect and then advance with the necessities of learning our challenging game and its many nuances.
And, as a side light, whether it would matter or not, for declarer to insert the diamond nine from dummy at trick one, would signify a “thinking player” who has already learned important knowledge and likely may become in time or sooner, a difficult opponent.
Also and in addition, even if it doesn’t relate to the play in the slightest, such as having the king doubleton diamond in hand, it may cause worthy defensive opponents to be thrown “off the trail” by inserting the nine, just to attempt to get them off track with their reasoning.
The above may be thought by others to be unnecessary and even “slightly unethical”, but to do so, is very much a part of the game, causing the “best” declarers around, to not, if you’ll excuse the expression, “miss a trick or better described, a ploy”.
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Hi Bobby,
If East conservatively passes, South opens a weak 2S, North enquires with 2N and South bids 3N to show a solid suit which North smugly passes counting 9 easy tricks and ignoring South’s claim that he’s hogged the hand again – true but justified. If NS reach 4S after an initial pass by East, though, West has a fairly easy club lead.
Regards,
Iain
Hi Dear Mr Wolff
Quite instructive and perhaps same ruse applies even if west leads eight of hearts . Declarer survives even a spade lead but not a club lead
Regards
I would add that, if West overtakes the QH with the KH, declarer must take the AH (duh!), return to hand (perhaps drawing trump), and lead towards the 10H.
Hi Iain, AVRR, & Jim2,
Between you three and, of course, the column itself, a relatively new but eager newbie could begin to learn the critical knowledge, which allows all of us to first respect and then advance with the necessities of learning our challenging game and its many nuances.
And, as a side light, whether it would matter or not, for declarer to insert the diamond nine from dummy at trick one, would signify a “thinking player” who has already learned important knowledge and likely may become in time or sooner, a difficult opponent.
Also and in addition, even if it doesn’t relate to the play in the slightest, such as having the king doubleton diamond in hand, it may cause worthy defensive opponents to be thrown “off the trail” by inserting the nine, just to attempt to get them off track with their reasoning.
The above may be thought by others to be unnecessary and even “slightly unethical”, but to do so, is very much a part of the game, causing the “best” declarers around, to not, if you’ll excuse the expression, “miss a trick or better described, a ploy”.