You mentioned the possibility that West might duck (correctly) with SKx here. Apart form Zia, the Blue Team, the Aces, Meckstroth & Rodwell, Terence Reese, Chemla, Andy Robson and a few others, how many would have the nerve to duck smoothly – we can all adhere to “2nd hand low” when it is easy of course.
Care to hazard a guess at a %age of club and tournament players? I suspect I can be discounted though, at least nowadays.
Regards,
Iain
David SnookApril 29th, 2024 at 5:03 pm
Aha!
I think I’ve got this one!
As declarer, I’ve got seven sure tricks and spades look to be the only chance I have for two more.
So after taking West’s heart queen, I think I should immediately lead a spade towards dummy and see what happens.
As it is, it looks like East is trapped! If East takes the first spade with the king, I can take the next card played, then lead back up to dummy and get my badly needed two tricks.
If East lets my first spade stand in dummy, I simply lead back towards my hand and play accordingly.
The trick, so to speak, is to make sure I try and take that first spade trick in dummy. I have two spades in hand I can use to play up to dummy and I have to make sure I play them accordingly.
bobbywolffApril 29th, 2024 at 9:55 pm
Hi Iain,
While you got the right names and partnerships, although discussing Italians should only include Belladonna, Garozzo and possibly Forquet, and rightfully a few others, such as Versache (sp) and, a few others, universally located, none of the above or others would be likely to duck the Kx, unless the defender had a significant time to think it out, which only demonstrates the advantage of a fast declarer, while playing against any or everybody.
Possibly a young Pole named Kalita, at least only a couple of years ago,
would, (could) make that list now, but I have sadly now, lost touch.
Gabriel Chagas of Brazil would be my most likely candidate to succeed, with Bob Hamman next.
bobbywolffApril 29th, 2024 at 10:04 pm
Hi David,
While you are probably not quite ready for the regular big time competition, your “WANT TO”
is neatly in place to succeed, should you decide to go “all in”, to our glorious game.
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Hi Bobby,
You mentioned the possibility that West might duck (correctly) with SKx here. Apart form Zia, the Blue Team, the Aces, Meckstroth & Rodwell, Terence Reese, Chemla, Andy Robson and a few others, how many would have the nerve to duck smoothly – we can all adhere to “2nd hand low” when it is easy of course.
Care to hazard a guess at a %age of club and tournament players? I suspect I can be discounted though, at least nowadays.
Regards,
Iain
Aha!
I think I’ve got this one!
As declarer, I’ve got seven sure tricks and spades look to be the only chance I have for two more.
So after taking West’s heart queen, I think I should immediately lead a spade towards dummy and see what happens.
As it is, it looks like East is trapped! If East takes the first spade with the king, I can take the next card played, then lead back up to dummy and get my badly needed two tricks.
If East lets my first spade stand in dummy, I simply lead back towards my hand and play accordingly.
The trick, so to speak, is to make sure I try and take that first spade trick in dummy. I have two spades in hand I can use to play up to dummy and I have to make sure I play them accordingly.
Hi Iain,
While you got the right names and partnerships, although discussing Italians should only include Belladonna, Garozzo and possibly Forquet, and rightfully a few others, such as Versache (sp) and, a few others, universally located, none of the above or others would be likely to duck the Kx, unless the defender had a significant time to think it out, which only demonstrates the advantage of a fast declarer, while playing against any or everybody.
Possibly a young Pole named Kalita, at least only a couple of years ago,
would, (could) make that list now, but I have sadly now, lost touch.
Gabriel Chagas of Brazil would be my most likely candidate to succeed, with Bob Hamman next.
Hi David,
While you are probably not quite ready for the regular big time competition, your “WANT TO”
is neatly in place to succeed, should you decide to go “all in”, to our glorious game.