[nige1]

Deal simplified from match last night ....
Ignore the bidding
You're declarer in 4♠XX.
North leads ♣A and all follow. North switches to ♥J,
South follows, and you win ♥A.
Both opponents follow to ♠A

Edited to correct orientation

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This post has been edited by nige1: 2013-February-19, 08:15

[lowerline]

nige1, on 2013-February-18, 19:36, said:

Deal simplified from match last night ....
Ignore the bidding
You're declarer in 4♠XX.
North leads ♣A and all follow.
North switches to ♥J, South follows, and you win ♥A.
Both opponents follow to ♠A

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Small spade next.

Steven

[CamHenry]

lowerline, on 2013-February-19, 04:07, said:

Small spade next.

Steven

Why small? If spades are 5-0, we're down already but high spade-spade works just as well. If spades are 4-1, we're fine either way; if N (who doubled) has 3 spades and 3 hearts, he will win a small one and give his partner a heart ruff. I think high spade-spade avoids this risk. Is there a layout where it is inferior?

[PhilKing]

CamHenry, on 2013-February-19, 04:15, said:

Why small? If spades are 5-0, we're down already but high spade-spade works just as well. If spades are 4-1, we're fine either way; if N (who doubled) has 3 spades and 3 hearts, he will win a small one and give his partner a heart ruff. I think high spade-spade avoids this risk. Is there a layout where it is inferior?

LHO has, for example, QJT9 J QT9x AKxx. If you play on hearts, he ruffs the third round and you have five losers. If you play a third trump, he continues clubs and you are back to square one - you have to play on hearts and he ruffs the third round and you are still two down.

By ducking now, he can't force you.

[lowerline]

CamHenry, on 2013-February-19, 04:15, said:

Why small? If spades are 5-0, we're down already but high spade-spade works just as well. If spades are 4-1, we're fine either way; if N (who doubled) has 3 spades and 3 hearts, he will win a small one and give his partner a heart ruff. I think high spade-spade avoids this risk. Is there a layout where it is inferior?

Spades cannot be 5-0 because both followed to the first round... The bidding diagram is a bit confusing, but it looks as the doubler is behind declarer. If you continue with the ♠K now and spades turn out to be 4-1, you will lose 2 spades, 1/2 diamonds and 1 club. If you continue with a small spade, you keep trump control. The heart ruff is unlikely because that means that the partner of the doubler has 3 spades. But even then you will only lose 2 spades and a club. With one spade remaining in dummy you cannot be forced in clubs. Then you can continue playing trumps, enjoy all the hearts, discarding your diamond losers.

Steven

[ahydra]

The bidding diagram is sideways, but I agree with small spade next. We assume North (the doubler) has four. If we play a small spade next North is forced to win. When he returns a club dummy can ruff, then you cross to DA and cash the KS followed by another spade, leaving you one trump left to ruff the club return and enjoy the hearts. If a spade, you duck, ruff the club return, cash the SK and the hearts. If a red suit, you win in hand, cash the SK, exit a spade, etc. The club return is the key one because if we play SK and another then we get forced in clubs.

ahydra

[Fluffy]

'the guard' is this play/coup called in spannish (Centinela). Perhaps 'watcher' is a better translation

[CamHenry]

lowerline, on 2013-February-19, 04:36, said:

Spades cannot be 5-0 because both followed to the first round... The bidding diagram is a bit confusing, but it looks as the doubler is behind declarer. If you continue with the ♠K now and spades turn out to be 4-1, you will lose 2 spades, 1/2 diamonds and 1 club. If you continue with a small spade, you keep trump control. The heart ruff is unlikely because that means that the partner of the doubler has 3 spades. But even then you will only lose 2 spades and a club. With one spade remaining in dummy you cannot be forced in clubs. Then you can continue playing trumps, enjoy all the hearts, discarding your diamond losers.

Steven

The important thing I missed was "both opponents follow to the ♠A". I was addressing the question of what to play at trick 3, not trick 4 - so now I agree with the small spade.

[nige1]

Disoriented bidding diagram. Sorry. Now corrected.Well done all!