Good play by South but could East wreck things by taking the S7 with the K holding KJx? Also EW missed a cheap save here which, if South decided to lead the C10 (NOT recommended), might even make. The discrepancy in high cards brings to mind certain fixed hand e.g. the Duke of Cumberland hand from whist days where the duke got stung for a fortune against (effectively) 7C holding AKQJ AKQJ AK KJ9.
On LWTA, would you try a spade holding AJ10x, despite the risk of Dummy holding (say) Qxx and declarer the King. I presume that with a fifth spade, that lead would make sense despite the risks.
jim2June 17th, 2024 at 11:47 am
East looks to need three leads through North’s black suit holdings to make 5H and has two entries to the West hand, so it would appear that an opening lead of either black suit would suffice.
Also, when North does get in, there are a few mis-choices of exit cards could still let the contract slip through.
Iain ClimieJune 17th, 2024 at 1:36 pm
Hi Jim2,
Thanks for that – good points. I remember some years ago watching one keen but not strong partner going into an agonised think at about trick 6 as to which of the 8 remaining cards to lead and the hand was visible enough to me (not to him) that I realised anything except one suit would be fine and he had 2 cards in it. Just shuffle the 8, I thought, and pick one at random – then it is only a 1 in 4 chance you’ll get it wrong. After much thought, out came the wrong suit (and the worse card form it as well).
Not quite on a par with TOCM but you get the picture! To the ghost of Myrtle Bennet reading this column – I sympathise
Regards,
Iain
bobbywolffJune 17th, 2024 at 2:23 pm
Hi to a couple of Iain’s and only one from the two of Jim’s.
Although Iain sometimes suggests capital handling for a variety of subjects, if we carefully fulfilled his desires, our groups several bad boys (including me, the geezer) would have exited
years ago, no doubt saving Sally some labor, but wholeheartedly reducing our wonderful. but sometimes chilling experiences, while negotiating each other.
Let’s let the bridge table take the blame for every one of our differences, allowing both all of us to accept, every one of my mistakes, as if they were vital and please pay the necessary homage, since to not do it, while more than just justifiable, will look better on my get-in good list, to wherever I will then choose to go. (fat chance!).
will then go, assuming it is left to me.
David SnookJune 18th, 2024 at 7:00 am
Yet another terrific hand, Bobby…
So as far as I can see, I believe this might be a winning line for South…
First off, I trump whatever high heart East plays on the first trick, and then I think I need to play up to my spade ace next. Once in dummy, I play my spade queen, which East takes with the ace and at that point I think East might lead the diamond queen, hoping to put West on lead to play a club thru the dummy.
I need to take the club with the ace and then go to work on spades. I play a diamond to my hand and then play the spade queen, throwing one of dummy’s clubs on it, lead another small diamond back to my hand, and play a fourth spade and trump West’s jack.
I can then lead a diamond back to my hand and play my fifth spade, tossing dummy’s last club on it.
I think I’m all good now to make eleven tricks!
And i loved the Italian proverb from last Friday, about a mourning crcodile.
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Hi Bobby,
Good play by South but could East wreck things by taking the S7 with the K holding KJx? Also EW missed a cheap save here which, if South decided to lead the C10 (NOT recommended), might even make. The discrepancy in high cards brings to mind certain fixed hand e.g. the Duke of Cumberland hand from whist days where the duke got stung for a fortune against (effectively) 7C holding AKQJ AKQJ AK KJ9.
On LWTA, would you try a spade holding AJ10x, despite the risk of Dummy holding (say) Qxx and declarer the King. I presume that with a fifth spade, that lead would make sense despite the risks.
East looks to need three leads through North’s black suit holdings to make 5H and has two entries to the West hand, so it would appear that an opening lead of either black suit would suffice.
Also, when North does get in, there are a few mis-choices of exit cards could still let the contract slip through.
Hi Jim2,
Thanks for that – good points. I remember some years ago watching one keen but not strong partner going into an agonised think at about trick 6 as to which of the 8 remaining cards to lead and the hand was visible enough to me (not to him) that I realised anything except one suit would be fine and he had 2 cards in it. Just shuffle the 8, I thought, and pick one at random – then it is only a 1 in 4 chance you’ll get it wrong. After much thought, out came the wrong suit (and the worse card form it as well).
Not quite on a par with TOCM but you get the picture! To the ghost of Myrtle Bennet reading this column – I sympathise
Regards,
Iain
Hi to a couple of Iain’s and only one from the two of Jim’s.
Although Iain sometimes suggests capital handling for a variety of subjects, if we carefully fulfilled his desires, our groups several bad boys (including me, the geezer) would have exited
years ago, no doubt saving Sally some labor, but wholeheartedly reducing our wonderful. but sometimes chilling experiences, while negotiating each other.
Let’s let the bridge table take the blame for every one of our differences, allowing both all of us to accept, every one of my mistakes, as if they were vital and please pay the necessary homage, since to not do it, while more than just justifiable, will look better on my get-in good list, to wherever I will then choose to go. (fat chance!).
will then go, assuming it is left to me.
Yet another terrific hand, Bobby…
So as far as I can see, I believe this might be a winning line for South…
First off, I trump whatever high heart East plays on the first trick, and then I think I need to play up to my spade ace next. Once in dummy, I play my spade queen, which East takes with the ace and at that point I think East might lead the diamond queen, hoping to put West on lead to play a club thru the dummy.
I need to take the club with the ace and then go to work on spades. I play a diamond to my hand and then play the spade queen, throwing one of dummy’s clubs on it, lead another small diamond back to my hand, and play a fourth spade and trump West’s jack.
I can then lead a diamond back to my hand and play my fifth spade, tossing dummy’s last club on it.
I think I’m all good now to make eleven tricks!
And i loved the Italian proverb from last Friday, about a mourning crcodile.
Wonderful saying…