[inquiry]

CLICK on NEXT to wallk through the first five tricks

You might have easily choosen different plays on some of the earlier tricks, the question is what should you do now? Plan the remaining defense.

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This post has been edited by inquiry: 2011-September-01, 09:16
Reason for edit: fixed so [sp]5 is played from dummy, not [sp]6

[Antrax]

Partner started with 3 hearts (I'm guessing with 4 he'd have returned the 3). He probably started with 2 spades, since dropping the T makes no sense if he had a choice about it.
Is there a reason not to continue hearts? It doesn't accomplish much but declarer can't really discard anything on anything yet. His next move will be another club (with a singleton he'd have played the king from dummy probably) which we will win with the ace, and now I guess the interesting point is do we cash ace of diamonds or not. I would, because I don't like not setting the contract when I can, but probably the fact partner didn't lead a diamond towards dummy's weak diamonds is significant, though I don't see what it means. His shape is probably not too extreme or he'd probably have done more than a simple raise, so he can't be something like 7-1 in the minors.
What am I missing?
And what's with dummy's phantom 5♠?

[BunnyGo]

Antrax, on 2011-September-01, 00:51, said:

Is there a reason not to continue hearts?

Yes.

Antrax, on 2011-September-01, 00:51, said:

What am I missing?

From 2011-September-01, 00:51:

Partner started with 3 hearts (I'm guessing with 4 he'd have returned the 3).

Think a little longer about why you know for certain that partner started with 3 and not 4 hearts.

Quote

He probably started with 2 spades, since dropping the T makes no sense if he had a choice about it.

Sometimes it makes signalling sense, since it's useless to him even with 3 spades. There's a better reason why he started with 2 spades.

Quote

And what's with dummy's phantom 5♠?

That's because of how Ben typed in the display. I'm sure he'll fix it when he wakes up (he meant to type the 6 and hit 5). Personally, I like to make these diagrams by inserting everything (via point and click) and then removing what I don't want to be there from the code line. Ben apparently does it by entering it all by hand (or at least parts of it by hand).

[vuroth]

A♣. If partner shows out I'll cash my A♦, otherwise I'll exit with a club.

I think the danger hands for declarer are 5251 where declarer does not have a natural diamond trick, but can be helped if we lead diamonds (or hearts letting him discard a diamond from dummy) and 5215 where clubs will run once the A♣ is gone.

[bd71]

A♣ and another. The only way declarer can make this is if we give him a ♦ trick he doesn't deserve by breaking the suit.

Partner must have a ♦ honor, probably K♦ or Q♦ for his 2♥ raise.

Declarer has 6 cards in the minors (assuming he didn't bid 2♠ with only 4 and that partner didn't raise my ♥ with only 2). If he started with 5♦ and 1♣, he gets to ruff my A♣ and drop two ♦ on dummy's 2 good ♣, but he's still left with 3♦ leading away from the K♦ or Q♦. I will cover the K♦ and duck the Q♦ when he does.

[MrAce]

We already took 2 tricks and need 2 more, holding 2 aces in our hand.

Danger is if declarer ruffing one of our aces, that would be ♣ of course, then we need 2♦ tricks. Counting always help in defense. Do we need to rush for our ♦ tricks in case declarer is ruffing ♣ A ? No

He has 5♠ and 2♥ and a ♣ so far we know(due to pd's raise) and when we cash ♣A and if he ruffs, that makes his hand

AQxxx
Tx
?????
J

Yes cashing ♣ A will give him 2 discards on clubs, but he will still have 3♦ and will have to play the suit towards our tenace himself. There is nothing we can do if he has both K and Q ♦.

However i doubt this is the deal. Because declarer should have played ♣ K on first round of this suit. Because even if his ♣ finesse worked this would not do him any good, but if K wins he is virtually cold regardless of who has ♦ A. Thats why i think in real hand he probably had AQxxx Tx Kxxx Jx unless he made a mistake in play .

[inquiry]

The club king on the jack would save one trick (for down one). After losing to the queen of clubs, with Jx, correct defense will set him two (cash club ace, exit a club). If you are happy with down one, you can just cash your aces. The visualization is what Mr Ace did, makes the key play right.

Partner could have helped us out by leading a diamond instead of returning a heart, obviously.

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