MP's. West led ♥6 and East returned the suit, South discarding his losing club and cashing the ♠A to watch the King fall. Should West lead something else or should East return something else?
ATB in this defense MP's 200
#1
Posted 2013-November-01, 16:04
MP's. West led ♥6 and East returned the suit, South discarding his losing club and cashing the ♠A to watch the King fall. Should West lead something else or should East return something else?
wyman, on 2012-May-04, 09:48, said:
rbforster, on 2012-May-20, 21:04, said:
My YouTube Channel
#3
Posted 2013-November-01, 19:08
First the counting. Looking at 8 ♥s and seeing 3 ♥ in dummy with both partner and declarer following, that adds up to 13 cards. So, both partner AND declarer are out of trump. With the remaining winning ♥ cards in dummy, East should see that declarer has the option of a loser on loser play if a ♥ is returned immediately.
Now let's consider the thinking part. What can partner have for his double of 4 ♠? How are we going to beat 4 ♠?
First, let's consider partner's holding based on his bidding and his double. Partner has raised to 4 ♥ with 1 trump. That surely suggests that partner's raise is based on high card tricks rather than on fit. However, looking at dummy, you see both the minor suit Ks. So, the best partner can have in those suits are AQx(x...) holdings. Holding AQs in the minors, a stiff ♥, and some indeterminate ♠ looks like a pretty slender reed to be basing a double on or even to be a holding to positively raise to game on.
Therefore, it appears partner must hold some winning ♠ honor(s) as well to justify the bidding so far. With only one outside AQ in a minor and ♠ Ax(x...), a double depending on you winning the opening lead and giving partner a ♥ ruff to defeat the contract is extremely risky. So, the most sensible combination to play for is for partner to hold BOTH outside As and a ♠ trick.
To minimize the possibility of dummy providing a pitch for declarer, it would seem to lead the shorter of dummy's outside suits. So I believe ♦ J is the right return at trick 2.
A heart return at trick 2 would be OK if your heart holding was good enough to force declarer to ruff or lose the trick without partner ruffing. Then at worst you'd be trading one defensive trick for another.
#4
Posted 2013-November-01, 19:33
By the way I don't like the 3♥ opener or the raise on a stiff.
#5
Posted 2013-November-01, 21:28
the_clown, on 2013-November-01, 19:33, said:
By the way I don't like the 3♥ opener or the raise on a stiff.
Good point.
I hate the whole auction, in that case.
#6
Posted 2013-November-02, 00:08
But seriously, anyone who doubles on that auction is a bad gambler.
#7
Posted 2013-November-02, 07:37
not sure, if I would be awake enough, if I am on the table, but
East knowes all, how the hearts are distributed around the table,
so he knowes, that West and South both have Singletons.
Returning hearts is basically trying to for giving West the trump 8,
he sees also the 10/9 in trumps on the table.
If Partner has two honors, he will make his tricks anyway.
From this followes: East should switch.
With kind regards
Marlowe
Uwe Gebhardt (P_Marlowe)
#8
Posted 2013-November-02, 07:58
I would also hit 4S, all forms of scoring as I doubt they will re-double.
3H not my cup of tea, 4H better.
#11
Posted 2013-November-02, 10:08
#12
Posted 2013-November-03, 05:50
c_corgi, on 2013-November-02, 10:08, said:
I was wondering how declarer had made it. The OP didn't seem to say what happened at trick 3.
The CA would also have done.
#13
Posted 2013-November-03, 06:08
FrancesHinden, on 2013-November-03, 05:50, said:
The CA would also have done.
Doesn't ♣A set up the ♣K, which together with the 3rd heart can be used to pitch the 3rd and 4th diamonds?
I have no inside knowledge, I just thought the OP suggested declarer cashed the ♠A rather than having it done for him.
#14
Posted 2013-November-03, 07:22
edit: Well OK, if East doesn't return a heart, declarer might finesse if West is known for frisky doubles.... but even then, it doesnt seem to cost.
#15
Posted 2013-November-05, 17:48
wank, on 2013-November-02, 09:32, said:
And it's the only bid I agree with.
#16
Posted 2013-November-08, 07:04
I'm bidding 3♠ with the south hand: stating a silly rule like "I don't preempt over their preempt" caters only to living fear of your partner. 4♠ can easily be making on a hand where partner can't take action: K of spades KJx(x) of diamonds should do it and that's a 7 count. You could add several high card points and partner can't find a call over 3♥ P P
and certainly over 3♥ P 4♥. The person who has a place to play has to show it, expecting partner to balance back in on a weak no trump is unrealistic. Trying to stir "hand ownership" into an auction like this is too inflexible.
#17
Posted 2013-November-08, 16:44