[Fluffy]

Here is the hand.

http://www.bridgegod.com/playprob.php?probid=215 (modified to make defence stronger)


If you don't wanna miss the play problem like my last one, where a reasonable lead spoiled it, you may want to read this tip for the bidding:

Spoiler

The problem hapens only if you end up in 4♠

I don't really know if the line that I though was actually best, because I was kibitzing so maybe I was biased, please feel free to comment on it, you can see the diagram on the next spoiler tag:

Spoiler

---

Defence starts with 2 rounds of clubs ♣K + low to the ace

[Cyberyeti]

Should prob specify teams.

Spoiler

if you pitch a diamond on the second club, it becomes trivial if as happened to me, the defence plays a third club.

[Antrax]

I didn't notice the forum and made using the straightforward line. Were spades supposed to break 5-1 or something?

[rhm]

Does this belong in the "expert" forum?
No expert should miss this at the table

Rainer Herrmann

[WGF_Flame]

nice hand. so what is the best line here ?


my line is ruff, A♦,Q♠,diamond to the K

[Cyberyeti]

WGF_Flame, on 2014-March-06, 11:34, said:

nice hand. so what is the best line here ?

Spoiler

you need to keep control, so you lead a small diamond while there is still a small trump on the table to take care of another club, you can afford to lose a club, Q♦ and a trump whether by length or ruff, what you did is fine (and added after I originally posted)

[johnu]

Spoiler

Ruff the club, ♦A, spade to queen, and then finesse diamonds if RHO follows. If you lose to doubleton queen, you need 4-2 trumps. If LHO ruffs, you still need 4-2 trumps, but also make if LHO started with 5 trumps.

[nige1]

Spoiler

Thank you for an interesting and instructive problem, Fluffy. An inferior line succeeded on Fluffy's website; but now I prefer the line:
Ruff the second ♣. Cross to ♠Q. Run ♦J. The main danger is that LHO, holding four trumps and ♦Qxx, wins and leads a second round of ♦, giving RHO a ruff with a doubleton trump; but otherwise prospects are good.

[rhm]

Cyberyeti, on 2014-March-06, 11:41, said:

Spoiler

you need to keep control, so you lead a small diamond while there is still a small trump on the table to take care of another club, you can afford to lose a club, Q♦ and a trump whether by length or ruff, what you did is fine (and added after I originally posted)

What if spades break 5-1?

Rainer Herrmann

[Fluffy]

There are several ways to make this hand, but the one I had in mind is called Triunfo Centinela ("sentinel triumph" or guard) in spannish, keeping a triumph in dummy for control. Does it have a name in english?

[rhm]

nige1, on 2014-March-06, 17:22, said:

Spoiler

Thank you for an interesting and instructive problem, Fluffy. An inferior line succeeded on Fluffy's website; but now I prefer the line:
Ruff the second ♣. Cross to ♠Q. Run ♦J. The main danger is that LHO, holding four trumps and ♦Qxxx, wins and leads a second round of ♦, giving RHO a ruff with a doubleton trump; but otherwise prospects are good.

I doubt that.
Where I play few would pass 1NT not vulnerable, holding 11 cards in clubs and hearts, presumably the club ace and a void in diamonds.

Rainer Herrmann

[FrancesHinden]

Cyberyeti, on 2014-March-06, 11:41, said:

Spoiler

you need to keep control, so you lead a small diamond while there is still a small trump on the table to take care of another club, you can afford to lose a club, Q♦ and a trump whether by length or ruff, what you did is fine (and added after I originally posted)

That makes on the layout but is not the best line.

[Cyberyeti]

FrancesHinden, on 2014-March-07, 05:26, said:

That makes on the layout but is not the best line.

I wasn't really explicit enough about how I did it, but yes the diamond should be ducked/finessed from dummy

[dake50]

I'm in 6D failing as DQ is offside.

[johnu]

nige1, on 2014-March-06, 17:22, said:

Spoiler

Thank you for an interesting and instructive problem, Fluffy. An inferior line succeeded on Fluffy's website; but now I prefer the line:
Ruff the second ♣. Cross to ♠Q. Run ♦J. The main danger is that LHO, holding four trumps and ♦Qxx, wins and leads a second round of ♦, giving RHO a ruff with a doubleton trump; but otherwise prospects are good.

Cash a high diamond first (maybe you'll drop a singleton queen), then finesse in diamonds. If RHO ruffs the 2nd diamond, it was a loser anyways.

[nige1]

johnu, on 2014-March-07, 16:12, said:

Cash a high diamond first (maybe you'll drop a singleton queen), then finesse in diamonds. If RHO ruffs the 2nd diamond, it was a loser anyways.

A small singleton with LHO is three times more likely than the Q. But that's a quibble. Johnu's line seems safer, since it caters for the case where RHO has two ♠ and one ♦

[Cyberyeti]

What do people feel is the best line at matchpoints ? You'd feel a bit silly if all the palookas made 12 with the defence holding mirrored 3325s and the Q♦ offside and you only made 11.

[Fluffy]

The field could be in 3NT or 5♦ so making is better. And also finesse is almost equal to drop, so you are not giving away really anything for safety.

[uday]

what's wrong w/pitching a Diamond on the second club ? Superficially, looks like that will then make if spades are 3-3, or spades are no worse than 4-2 with either hearts breaking, the diamonds coming home, the H JT dropping, or the hand with long hearts being squeezed in diamonds/hearts

[rhm]

uday, on 2014-March-08, 11:55, said:

what's wrong w/pitching a Diamond on the second club ? Superficially, looks like that will then make if spades are 3-3, or spades are no worse than 4-2 with either hearts breaking, the diamonds coming home, the H JT dropping, or the hand with long hearts being squeezed in diamonds/hearts

What is wrong with this line is that there is one, which offers all these chances plus some additional ones.
If you see a good move check whether there is better one.

Rainer Herrmann