[MrAce]

---

MP

This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a club. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.

How do you plan the play? (trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)

[nige1]

MrAce, on 2017-February-19, 17:16, said:

MP. This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a clun. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.
How do you plan the play? (trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)

---

You have 2 X ♥s, 1 X ♦s, and 2 X ♣s = 5 top winners in the plain suits.
tricks. You need 8 more. Perhaps

• 5 X ♠s, 2 X ♣ ruffs, and a long ♣.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X red ruffs, and a long ♥.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X ♥ ruffs, and the ♦ finesse.

Hence my guess is:

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff or over-ruff a ♣ . If ♣s are 4-3, then cross to ♠Q (RHO shows out), Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Ruff a ♥, Draw trumps, Cash ♣ winners, Cross to ♦A, and Cash ♥ winners.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥AK, discarding a ♣ and a ♦. If ♥QT appear, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J9.
• If ♥QT don't appear then Ruff (or Ruff-finesse) a second ♥. If ♥J is good, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J.
• If ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it, Finesse ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♦A.

This line fails when RHO can over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s but caters well for other possibilities.

[MrAce]

nige1, on 2017-February-19, 20:29, said:

You have 2 X ♥s, 1 X ♦s, and 2 X ♣s = 5 top winners in the plain suits.
tricks. You need 8 more. Perhaps

• 5 X ♠s, 2 X ♣ ruffs, and a long ♣.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X red ruffs, and a long ♥.
• 4 X ♠s, 3 X ♥ ruffs, and the ♦ finesse.

Hence my guess is:

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff or over-ruff a ♣ . If ♣s are 4-3, then cross to ♠Q (RHO shows out), Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Ruff a ♥, Draw trumps, Cash ♣ winners, Cross to ♦A, and Cash ♥ winners.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥AK, discarding a ♣ and a ♦. If ♥QT appear, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J9.
• If ♥QT don't appear then Ruff (or Ruff-finesse) a second ♥. If ♥J is good, then cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♥J.
• If ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it, Finesse ♦Q, Draw trumps, and Cash ♦A.

This line fails when RHO can over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s but caters well for other possibilities.

Think a bit more. You have much better line if you think your 3 rounds of ♣ and 3 rounds of ♥ will survive, as you relied on in your line.

[alok c]

1)♠J
2&3)♥ AK-discarding 1♦ & 1 ♣
4)♥ ruff
5&6)♣ AK -discarding 2♥
7) ♣ ruff
8)♦A
9)♦ ruff
10)♣ ruff
11)♦ ruff
12&13)♣ &♦ ruffs.

[alok c]

delete

[alok c]

delete

[Cyberyeti]

Best I can see will make if clubs are 4-3 or hearts are Qxx or the diamond finesse is on, except where W has only 2 hearts and can overruff the third and the clubs fail to break.

[nige1]

MrAce, on 2017-February-19, 23:58, said:

Think a bit more. You have much better line if you think your 3 rounds of ♣ and 3 rounds of ♥ will survive, as you relied on in your line.

IMO, It's a close decision because my line takes the kiddies off the streets.

For example, when ♣s are 4-3, then I'm home

• If trumps split 2-2.
• if trumps are 3-1, then defenders need to follow to only 2 rounds of ♥s.

If ♣s are 5-2 but RHO can't over-ruff the 3rd round of ♣s, then perhaps it's better to cross-ruff -- but, IMO, it's still close.

[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2017-February-20, 05:01, said:

IMO, It's a close decision because I try to take the kiddies off the streets. e.g. If ♣s are 4-3, then I'm home

• If trumps split 2-2.
• Failing that defenders need to follow to only 2 rounds of ♥s.

This is true, but I'd quite like to make when hearts are Qxx/xxxxx and clubs don't break and the diamond finesse fails.

How about:

A♠
A♥ditching diamond
♥ruff
♣ ruff high
♥ ruff (if Q hasn't dropped doubleton)
♣ ruff high

if clubs have split or Q♥ has come down, this is over, if the doubleton heart is on my right there is no issue with a ruff or if E has ♠98, if nothing has worked yet I can fall back on my choice of the diamond finesse or hearts 4-4 depending on the discards, I have to choose because I have to discard something on the third round of trumps, and don't have the entry to cash the top heart first then take the diamond finesse.

[Fluffy]

You should try to hide the trump position, knowing west has 3 clearly suggests to play for cross ruff.

[nige1]

OK, suppose that LHO has ♠ x x x ♥ Q x x ♦ x x x x x ♣ x x.

My line still works:

Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣ (discovering the 5-2 break). Cash ♥AK (♥Q drops). Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A. Ruff a ♦ high. Draw trumps with ♠KJ and Cash ♥J.

What if LHO discards a ♥ on the 3rd ♣?; For instance, if ♥Q appears under ♥A you still have a near certainty by delaying the cashing of ♥K
Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A, Ruff a ♦ high. Finish by cashing ♠KJ (drawing trumps) and ♥KJ

[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2017-February-20, 11:25, said:

OK, suppose that LHO has ♠ x x x ♥ Q x x ♦ x x x x x ♣ x x.
My line still works:

Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣ (discovering the 5-2 break)
Cash ♥AK (♥Q drops). Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A. Ruff a ♦ high.
Draw trumps with ♠KJ and Cash ♥J.

What if LHO discards a ♥ on the 3rd ♣? If ♥Q appears early, then you delay cashing dummy's ♥ top(s). For instance, if ♥Q appears under ♥A you still have a near certainty by delaying the cashing of ♥K. Ruff a ♥ high. Cross to ♦A, Ruff a ♦ high. Finish with ♠KJ (drawing trumps) and ♥KJ.

This basic line still works if LHO has a singleton or doubleton ♥Q.
For instance ♠ x x x ♥ Q ♦ x x x x x x x ♣ x x

Don't you have a potential problem where a heart is discarded from xxx on the clubs, where K♦ is onside (effectively the first hand replacing HQ with x and Dx with K).

[ahydra]

High crossruff lines look appealing. There are several variations:

a) S10, DA, HA, HK, H ruff low, CA, CK, C ruff, D ruff low, C ruff, D ruff low, high crossruff
b) As above but ruffing two hearts rather than two diamonds
c) SA, HA, HK, DA, H ruff low, CA, CK, club ruff low, D ruff low, high crossruff
d) As above but ruffing a second diamond rather than a heart

Ignoring cases where you can overruff:

a) needs hearts 5-3 or 4-4, diamonds 4-3, clubs 5-2 or 4-3
b) 4-4 ; 5-2 or 4-3 ; 5-2 or 4-3
c) 5-3 or 4-4 ; 4-3 or 5-2 ; 4-3
d) 6-2, 5-3, or 4-4; 4-3 ; 4-3

which naively gives a) 46%, b) 29%, c) 46%, d) 37%

Perhaps not so appealing after all then . Let's take an equally naive look at Cyberyeti's line of playing for either rounded suit to behave (5-3 hearts with Qxx or clubs 4-3): a whopping 70%!

It's almost certainly possible to combine chances, but I can't seem to figure out the best way to maintain entries to the long clubs should we manage to set them up. (Too late in the evening!)

ahydra

[nige1]

Cyberyeti, on 2017-February-20, 14:24, said:

Don't you have a potential problem where a heart is discarded from xxx on the clubs, where K♦ is onside (effectively the first hand replacing HQ with x and Dx with K).

Cyberyeti asks how we cope when a defender discards a ♥ on the 3rd round of ♣s.
There is a similar problem when ♥Q appears early. Here is the complete line, incorporating the slight improvements:

• Win ♠A (both defenders follow). Ruff a ♥, Cash ♣AK discarding 2 ♦s, Ruff a ♣.
• If ♣s are 4-3, then ruff a second ♥. if that stands up, then claim: Ruff a ♣ with ♠K, Cash ♠QT, drawing trumps, Cash ♣ winners. Cross to ♦A. and Cash ♥AK.
• If ♣ are 5-2, then Cash ♥A discarding a ♦.
• If ♥Q drops under ♥A, then prospects are good: Ruff a ♥ high, Cross to ♦A, Ruff ♦Q high. Claim: Cash ♠KJ, drawing trumps. Cash ♥KJ.
• When ♣s are 5-2 and a ♥ is discarded, then you can test ♥ after cashing only one ♥ honour. i.e. After ♥A. Ruff a ♥ high. if both defenders follow, then continue ♦A. Ruff ♦Q. As before you can now claim: Cash ♠KJ. Cash ♥KJ
• If no ♥ has been discarded and ♥Q doesn't drop under ♥A then cash ♥K discarding a ♣. Ruff a ♥ high.
• After ruffing ♥s, if ♥J isn't good, then Ruff it high, Finesse ♦Q, Cash ♠KJ. Cash ♦A.

The important point, however, is that when ♣s are 4-3, prospects are excellent, and you can claim early.

[MrAce]

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq"

http://www.d16acbl.o...20170217mna.htm

[Phil]

MrAce, on 2017-February-23, 21:37, said:

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq"

http://www.d16acbl.o...20170217mna.htm

Wow 3 sections.

[nige1]

MrAce, on 2017-February-19, 17:16, said:

MP.

This hand came when Csaba (Gwnn) and I played at a club. Opponents are flight A players. I was N and Csaba got to play this hand.

Lead:♠ 2 and other opponent follows with 8.

How do you plan the play?
(trumps are 3-1 if you cash them, W has 3 of them)

---

MrAce, on 2017-February-23, 21:37, said:

Here is the list (scroll down in link, it is hand #2) They wrote my name wrong, they wrote "Timu Erkoq"
http://www.d16acbl.o...20170217mna.htm

If you swap the minor-suit deuces, then my line works, trivially.
If you swap the red fives, then Aloc C's line works.

As the cards lie, our suggested lines would fail and no player seems to have made 13 tricks.

At double-dummy, however, Gib succeeds with his variant of Mr Ace's recommended cross-ruff:

Win ♠A, Cash ♥AK discarding ♦s. Cash ♦A. Ruff a ♦ low. Cash ♣AK discarding ♥s. Ruff a ♣ low. Ruff a ♦ low. Claim on a high cross-ruff.

Thank you, Mr Ace, for an interesting real-life problem.

[ahydra]

So the winning line is my line (d). I think at the table it would be hard to find this - even if opps are kind enough to give you count in hearts, it would look like 4-4 rather than 6-2; and when the CQ drops on the second top club, you'd be nervous to ruff low for fear of being overruffed by the ♠9.

Still, if you ruff a diamond first in order to postpone the decision on which red suit to ruff second, you may feel that diamonds are 4-3; and if you believe the heart count / CQ then you can come to the realization that East is 1642 or 2632, and the latter won't get you anywhere (clubs can't be set up, you can't afford to ruff a club high) so you must play for the former.

After making my post above I reflected on various lines and figured that ( c ) would be the one I would take at the table, which fails here when the third round of hearts gets overruffed. Ah well.

ahydra