Neither Argenta and I, nor Lovey and Eric, had any particularly good sessions today, but we still had a good time and experienced (with some disapparation - er, disappointment) the new Harry Potter movie. Argenta and I also experienced the excitement of an appealed director ruling. How would you vote on our appeals thingy? South bids 1S in the third seat, and west overcalls 1NT. North comes in with a double, and it passes back to west, who bids 2D. North now breaks tempo (about 30 seconds) and passes, putting South in the passout seat with:
S AJ963
H QT83
D J
C QJ8
For those of you who don't know, after a break in tempo South is not supposed to bid if pass is a viable option. What would you bid? Do you have a second choice bid? North's double was penalty oriented and showed values, let's say about 8-11. I still don't know the final ruling, and I'm trying not to bias you by not telling you who is who.
For the more play inclined, here's a play puzzle for you. Hint: I blew it big time. You're in 3S, holding as South (hands rotated)
S AKQJ93
H K
D K32
C J97
and partner has
S T65
H 4
D JT54
C KT852
Forgetting that they should be in 4H making, they lead a heart with east taking the ace and leading a trump (trumps are not 4-0). How do you plan the play? For reference, east opened the bidding and west raised to 2H over your 1S interference. If you're me, you win this spade in your hand, then play a club towards dummy so that you still have hearts guarded and an entry left over. The ace comes down before you play the king and west promptly leads back a club. Does this change your plan?
At this point, I played high and got roughed. Then they lead a diamond and I stupidly flew with my king, which means I must go down two, because I must lose the Q of C before getting any pitches, giving them a chance to take two diamonds (+ 2 clubs, 1 heart and a rough). But I think it's always right to duck that club. Either clubs are 3-2 with the finesse on, or 3-2 with the finesse off, or 4-1 with the finesse on. If it's any 3-2, you either win or gain control (by guessing the diamond ace onside), drawing trump ending on the board and run clubs pitching diamonds. If the clubs are 4-1, you'll play small, and if even if he roughs, you play the jack under the rough, gain control by guessing diamonds, draw as much trump as necessary ending in hand and finesse clubs with your 9, overtaking with the 10 and playing the king to drop the queen. You will lose 1 diamond, 1 heart, and one or two clubs (one only if it's onside 3-2), no matter what. And you know 4H is making, either result should be great.
You can easily make 3 if trumps are 2-2 and the queen of clubs can be picked up (as is here) but if they win the queen and lead their last trump, they can cut you off from dummy. Of course, on the lie of the cards that still wouldn't matter since the A and Q of diamonds were on - making it far superior to my pathetic line.
Tomorrow we're playing in a two-session Swiss. Can't wait to have IMP disease be a good thing.
1 comment:
I would bid 2H 100% of the time. But of course with my partners I think that this pass is forcing, so pass is not a logical alternative. But even if I'm playing with a random, partner's failure to double 2D means that he doesn't have a diamond stack, so we have a fit somewhere, probably hearts.
My second choice is to forget that my double is penalty and make a takeout double. This seems more reasonable to me than either pass or 2NT.
Regarding the play problem, you should lead the J out of hand. If this draws an instant ace, he definitely has the queen; if it draws a slow ace, he definitely doesn't have the queen; if it draws a low of any tempo, then he could have any holding. In the actual position a fast ace likely guarantees the Q also, but it's not as clear (he may just be playing you for a small stiff.)
Note that because the 9 is in your hand, if you lead the J, you could easily be taking a Chinese finesse here, so even if he has the queen and not the ace he may hesitate for a moment.
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