Hi Dear Mr Wolff
This hand is very instructive from defense perspective. When in with club A, the temptation for east to return a trump to stop club ruff would be overwhelming but east should realise that if south’s clubs are not headed by K, he is going down anyway and if he has K, he doesn’t need the ruff if a trump is returned. He would draw trumps and concede a club. Once east infers this , return of a diamond is automatic forcing south and once east returns a diamond after winning club A, perhaps it should not be difficult to workout not to overruff club forcing south to lose control unless he held heart A in which case there would be no defense.
Regards
Iain ClimieMarch 8th, 2024 at 10:29 am
HI Bobby,
A curious hand from last night. Partner opens 1H and you hold A xx Ax AKQJ10xxx. What is a sensible way to approach it? At the table the player bashed out RKCB and heard of one key card (hearts inferentially agreed) so tried to stop in 6C. His partner bid 6H which he corrected to 7C. This isn’t the world’s worst contract opposite K109x AQJxx Qxx x but the H finesse is wrong (RHO holding HKx) and I was mean enough to lead a heart so a losing finesse and a heart back means declarer can’t unravel the spade winner for a D discard and went 2 off.
Clearly 4N immediately is unwise (what if partner had the HK but not the HA?) and it is easy to be clever after the event. I suspect that 2C (if playing 2/1) then 4C would make more sense here. What if you’re not playing 2/1 though? The same might be sensible I suppose.
The vagaries of moderate (but very friendly) club bridge!
Regards,
Iain
MirceaMarch 8th, 2024 at 9:23 pm
Bobby,
This is a very beautiful hand showing how great the game is. Thanks for sharing it with us
bobbywolffMarch 8th, 2024 at 10:36 pm
Hi AVRR, Iain, & Mircea,
Please excuse my late arrival but, then I’d rather be BW a little bit late, then the late BW.
Even when zealously applauding our superior competition, no one (to my knowledge) has even hinted that the bidding portion is close to always, near perfect. Far from it, likely making such, needing competent logic, plus knack, while only trying to avoid bad luck. a more accurate description. Sometimes, all the qualities above, need to be foreshadowed by a touch of chicanery, in order to achieve the maximum ending.
Amen to the above, and hello to accuracy, causing me to shout out a warm THANK YOU to Mircea, who really knows how to charm, not that a not so rookie, bridge lover, and, of course, AVRR & Iain are not.
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Hi Dear Mr Wolff
This hand is very instructive from defense perspective. When in with club A, the temptation for east to return a trump to stop club ruff would be overwhelming but east should realise that if south’s clubs are not headed by K, he is going down anyway and if he has K, he doesn’t need the ruff if a trump is returned. He would draw trumps and concede a club. Once east infers this , return of a diamond is automatic forcing south and once east returns a diamond after winning club A, perhaps it should not be difficult to workout not to overruff club forcing south to lose control unless he held heart A in which case there would be no defense.
Regards
HI Bobby,
A curious hand from last night. Partner opens 1H and you hold A xx Ax AKQJ10xxx. What is a sensible way to approach it? At the table the player bashed out RKCB and heard of one key card (hearts inferentially agreed) so tried to stop in 6C. His partner bid 6H which he corrected to 7C. This isn’t the world’s worst contract opposite K109x AQJxx Qxx x but the H finesse is wrong (RHO holding HKx) and I was mean enough to lead a heart so a losing finesse and a heart back means declarer can’t unravel the spade winner for a D discard and went 2 off.
Clearly 4N immediately is unwise (what if partner had the HK but not the HA?) and it is easy to be clever after the event. I suspect that 2C (if playing 2/1) then 4C would make more sense here. What if you’re not playing 2/1 though? The same might be sensible I suppose.
The vagaries of moderate (but very friendly) club bridge!
Regards,
Iain
Bobby,
This is a very beautiful hand showing how great the game is. Thanks for sharing it with us
Hi AVRR, Iain, & Mircea,
Please excuse my late arrival but, then I’d rather be BW a little bit late, then the late BW.
Even when zealously applauding our superior competition, no one (to my knowledge) has even hinted that the bidding portion is close to always, near perfect. Far from it, likely making such, needing competent logic, plus knack, while only trying to avoid bad luck. a more accurate description. Sometimes, all the qualities above, need to be foreshadowed by a touch of chicanery, in order to achieve the maximum ending.
Amen to the above, and hello to accuracy, causing me to shout out a warm THANK YOU to Mircea, who really knows how to charm, not that a not so rookie, bridge lover, and, of course, AVRR & Iain are not.