Should West work out the position earlier? South has 18 or 19 points for the 2N rebid and surely won’t be playing an early spade if holding HKQx as, if it loses, he’ll be getting a heart back pdq with potentially grim consequences as West could have 5 hearts here. The small spade form hand should also arouse some suspicion. Exactly what holding has South got to play like this? Surely not SKJx here. Partner is marker with 3 or 4 points and we’ve seen the HJ so he holds either the HQ or a few bits like the CJ and SJ I would think. This might be a tricky decision at pairs but, at IMPs or rubber bridge, should West be leaping in at T2, crossing his / her fingers and hoping for the layout that exists?
Regards,
Iain
Iain ClimieOctober 28th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
A few further points here. South could easily have 5C to the AKJ to go with the DA and that early spade really feels like an attempt to steal trick nine. West also has to play the HA (or 10 at a pinch) as a 2nd heart will block the suit unless East somehow finds the H9 on the 2nd round. Finally, TOCM (what else) says that South has Kx KQ xx AKJ10xxx and has taken a flier hoping (reasonably enough) that the clubs run but jumping in with the SA and cashing the HA means that South has HKQx 6 clubs and not the DA – Far fetched perhaps but we know what the Voldermort of card placement is like.
Iain
bobbywolffOctober 29th, 2024 at 8:49 pm
Hi iain,
It seems that you have turned your attention, as is normal, to. at trick two, determining
what is likely going on in declarer’s mind when a low spade is chosen. Yes, and if so, it becomes almost a certainty that hopping with the ace becomes the right play since, declarer can easily have 5 club tricks and almost no doubt also holds the diamond ace as necessary for his 2NT jump. In addition, sure South may have the guarded heart queen instead of the king of clubs, but if holding only the AJ of clubs, is still set up for a make with only one spade trick needed. That fact alone should cause West to rise and then play for partner to have the heart holding he has.
At least to me, that simple story wins the day, but if and when the above column answer
takes over the thinking, it will also enable EW to win the day.
Finally, it is good bridge for you to think of the seven card club suit declarer may have hidden
but I have enough trouble just playing bridge, not always using a wild imagination.
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Hi Bobby,
Should West work out the position earlier? South has 18 or 19 points for the 2N rebid and surely won’t be playing an early spade if holding HKQx as, if it loses, he’ll be getting a heart back pdq with potentially grim consequences as West could have 5 hearts here. The small spade form hand should also arouse some suspicion. Exactly what holding has South got to play like this? Surely not SKJx here. Partner is marker with 3 or 4 points and we’ve seen the HJ so he holds either the HQ or a few bits like the CJ and SJ I would think. This might be a tricky decision at pairs but, at IMPs or rubber bridge, should West be leaping in at T2, crossing his / her fingers and hoping for the layout that exists?
Regards,
Iain
A few further points here. South could easily have 5C to the AKJ to go with the DA and that early spade really feels like an attempt to steal trick nine. West also has to play the HA (or 10 at a pinch) as a 2nd heart will block the suit unless East somehow finds the H9 on the 2nd round. Finally, TOCM (what else) says that South has Kx KQ xx AKJ10xxx and has taken a flier hoping (reasonably enough) that the clubs run but jumping in with the SA and cashing the HA means that South has HKQx 6 clubs and not the DA – Far fetched perhaps but we know what the Voldermort of card placement is like.
Iain
Hi iain,
It seems that you have turned your attention, as is normal, to. at trick two, determining
what is likely going on in declarer’s mind when a low spade is chosen. Yes, and if so, it becomes almost a certainty that hopping with the ace becomes the right play since, declarer can easily have 5 club tricks and almost no doubt also holds the diamond ace as necessary for his 2NT jump. In addition, sure South may have the guarded heart queen instead of the king of clubs, but if holding only the AJ of clubs, is still set up for a make with only one spade trick needed. That fact alone should cause West to rise and then play for partner to have the heart holding he has.
At least to me, that simple story wins the day, but if and when the above column answer
takes over the thinking, it will also enable EW to win the day.
Finally, it is good bridge for you to think of the seven card club suit declarer may have hidden
but I have enough trouble just playing bridge, not always using a wild imagination.