Fine card-reading! Of course, having decided East’s hand is 4=6=1=2, the decision to take the double finesse looks close; the singleton diamond might be an honor, a 50-50 shot that might call for cashing a high diamond and then returning to hand to take the hook. Rosenberg, on the other hand, can discount East having the DQ, which would give him a 10-count and make a 1H overcall more attractive.
Contrariwise, Xiao can factor in the possibility of East’s shape being 4=6=0=3. All of which makes this a very well-played hand.
Bob Lipton
bobbywolffAugust 17th, 2023 at 1:18 pm
Hi Bob,
Your analysis is directly on point in scope, but just one factor overlooked.
Declarer needs to lead the Jack of diamonds from hand, not a small one, just in case East had a singleton small one much better than, (to which you alluded, but perhaps for 100% proper analysis, a bridge educated reason for two reasons, East, because of his 1 heart choic, not possessing it and also West likely needing the queen for it and with East holding the singleton 10 becomes just corollary information, but would be a critical catch, as long as the jack is led immediately with East’s singleton turning out to be one of the 2 small ones..
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Fine card-reading! Of course, having decided East’s hand is 4=6=1=2, the decision to take the double finesse looks close; the singleton diamond might be an honor, a 50-50 shot that might call for cashing a high diamond and then returning to hand to take the hook. Rosenberg, on the other hand, can discount East having the DQ, which would give him a 10-count and make a 1H overcall more attractive.
Contrariwise, Xiao can factor in the possibility of East’s shape being 4=6=0=3. All of which makes this a very well-played hand.
Bob Lipton
Hi Bob,
Your analysis is directly on point in scope, but just one factor overlooked.
Declarer needs to lead the Jack of diamonds from hand, not a small one, just in case East had a singleton small one much better than, (to which you alluded, but perhaps for 100% proper analysis, a bridge educated reason for two reasons, East, because of his 1 heart choic, not possessing it and also West likely needing the queen for it and with East holding the singleton 10 becomes just corollary information, but would be a critical catch, as long as the jack is led immediately with East’s singleton turning out to be one of the 2 small ones..