[Phil]

---

Here's a hand from our compact KO semi-final.

Based on the intrinsic value of your suited connector, you sit for the redouble.

LHO leads the ♠8.

PTP.

[Statto]

I don't mind a ♠ ruff too much, particularly if by the hand with the long trumps, but I'm worried about the ♦A being knocked out. So, poker-faced, I'd let it run round to the ♠J, then play a ♥ towards KQJ. I intend to play 3 rounds of trumps then ♠; on the 3rd round I'll discard a ♦ from hand - hell, somebody might not even notice it isn't a trump

[gnasher]

I'll assume hearts are 6-1. Win in hand, heart to dummy, top spade. LHO ruffs and they play diamonds. I win the second diamond and play another spade. LHO ruffs that, reaching:

---

LHO has A109 of trumps left. If he plays another diamond I can ruff in hand, throwing dummy's club loser, and lose only four trumps and a diamond.

Instead, he will probably cash ♥A and play a diamond. I'll have to ruff that, cash my remaining trumps, and play spades, hoping he is out of diamonds and has ♣K.


A variation is that RHO wins the first diamond and plays a club through. If that happens, I think I'll need to find RHO with the jack.

I wondered if there was any benefit to running ♥7 at trick two. That looks as though it ought to help (if it works), but I can't see how it does.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2012-February-20, 18:32

[Statto]

Yeah, I'm overlooking that X shows a genuine ♥ suit

[whereagles]

I sort of abstain because I'd bid 2S. The redouble seems like a good way to contract a heart disease.

[gnasher]

whereagles, on 2012-February-21, 09:18, said:

I sort of abstain because I'd bid 2S. The redouble seems like a good way to contract a heart disease.

Do you often abstain as declarer because you don't like your partner's bidding?

[Phil]

I followed Andy's lines - won the spade, heart up and high spade. Unfortunately RHO ruffed (!) and played a diamond. I won, and played on spades. LHO ruffed (now equal with dummy) and played a diamond over to RHO, who was now in an odd endplay. He played a quick club, so the T fetched the King. Another high spade, ruffed by LHO, played a club to my hand (diamonds were 7-2)and the heart up, so 8 tricks were there.

I'm not sure I would have redoubled with partner's hand either, and I certainly would not have doubled with ♥AT9xx.

[gnasher]

Phil, on 2012-February-21, 09:40, said:

I followed Andy's lines - won the spade, heart up and high spade. Unfortunately RHO ruffed (!) and played a diamond. I won, and played on spades. LHO ruffed (now equal with dummy) and played a diamond over to RHO, who was now in an odd endplay. He played a quick club, so the T fetched the King. Another high spade, ruffed by LHO, played a club to my hand (diamonds were 7-2)and the heart up, so 8 tricks were there.

That's basically the same position as I expected to be in - the fact that RHO took one of the ruffs doesn't affect the ending.

If your LHO was winning the first diamond trick, you should have let him have it. Then you'd be still be OK with ♣KJ on the left.

Edit: Did LHO really have xx A109xx Qx Kxxx for his double? And did RHO really pass over 2♣ with x xx KJ10xxxx Jxx? (I've guessed at the diamond honours.) That is fabulously bad bridge.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2012-February-21, 10:47

[whereagles]

gnasher, on 2012-February-21, 09:21, said:

Do you often abstain as declarer because you don't like your partner's bidding?

All the time, pal!