Can I give a more concrete example about the advice to guard the suit on your right? Imagine the opponents are in 3N (after 1N 2C 2H 3N, say), you take the first 4 diamond tricks and partner exits passively with a club to declarer’s solid winners. You started with SJ10xx and HKQ10x but the clubs are run with dummy holding SAKQx and Hxx. You can also work out that partner has very little left in terms of high cards but declarer has the HA.
As the last club winner hits the table from declarer, dummy comes down to SAKQx and throws a heart from xx. You have to guard spades. If declarer has the HAJ you are helpless, but pard might have heart Jx(x) left when he is still guarding hearts (he has to keep them, by the same logic). You KNOW that spade discard is fatal so hang on to the length (guarding the suit on your right) and cross your fingers. In some circumstances, partner might have managed to break up entries with a H switch, but not here.
An interesting decisioons form last week. I held KQ10xx Qx AQ10xxx None and decided to open 1S (playing 4 card majors). Any case for 1D?
Regards,
Iain
bobby wolffApril 23rd, 2023 at 7:36 pm
Hi Iain,
I’m somewhat puzzled by your question, but perhaps it will be tactical to throw the jack of hearts away (unless it will immediately aid your LHO) in order to remind partner to keep his prospective length in hearts.
I would definitely open 1 diamond, not 1 spade, in order to eventually play in diamonds, should he possibly have two of each. (that is, unless you see exactly three in either defensive hand) and of course, without looking, just clairvoyant.
Iain ClimieApril 23rd, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Hi Bobby,
I wasn’t prepared to lose the spade suit and rapidly found myself in 4S when partner had A8xx xxx None Q10xxxx. Mind you, if I open 1D the auction will probably go 1D 1S 4C 4S. The trumps were annoyingly 4-0 but I made enough trips cross-ruffing although I had a bit of help in the end position. A trump lead at T1 doesn’t help much as I can get the diamonds going.
Regards,
Iain
bobby wolffApril 23rd, 2023 at 8:44 pm
Hi Iain,
Just comparing the talk such as, partner had two pair, both in spades.
Addressing your concern, it helps to be playing with a partner who will tend to know the overall distribution very early in the play, usually before the third or latest, fourth trick, is quitted.
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Hi Bobby,
Can I give a more concrete example about the advice to guard the suit on your right? Imagine the opponents are in 3N (after 1N 2C 2H 3N, say), you take the first 4 diamond tricks and partner exits passively with a club to declarer’s solid winners. You started with SJ10xx and HKQ10x but the clubs are run with dummy holding SAKQx and Hxx. You can also work out that partner has very little left in terms of high cards but declarer has the HA.
As the last club winner hits the table from declarer, dummy comes down to SAKQx and throws a heart from xx. You have to guard spades. If declarer has the HAJ you are helpless, but pard might have heart Jx(x) left when he is still guarding hearts (he has to keep them, by the same logic). You KNOW that spade discard is fatal so hang on to the length (guarding the suit on your right) and cross your fingers. In some circumstances, partner might have managed to break up entries with a H switch, but not here.
An interesting decisioons form last week. I held KQ10xx Qx AQ10xxx None and decided to open 1S (playing 4 card majors). Any case for 1D?
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
I’m somewhat puzzled by your question, but perhaps it will be tactical to throw the jack of hearts away (unless it will immediately aid your LHO) in order to remind partner to keep his prospective length in hearts.
I would definitely open 1 diamond, not 1 spade, in order to eventually play in diamonds, should he possibly have two of each. (that is, unless you see exactly three in either defensive hand) and of course, without looking, just clairvoyant.
Hi Bobby,
I wasn’t prepared to lose the spade suit and rapidly found myself in 4S when partner had A8xx xxx None Q10xxxx. Mind you, if I open 1D the auction will probably go 1D 1S 4C 4S. The trumps were annoyingly 4-0 but I made enough trips cross-ruffing although I had a bit of help in the end position. A trump lead at T1 doesn’t help much as I can get the diamonds going.
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
Just comparing the talk such as, partner had two pair, both in spades.
Addressing your concern, it helps to be playing with a partner who will tend to know the overall distribution very early in the play, usually before the third or latest, fourth trick, is quitted.