Bridge Problem

[beth_leonard]

I don't know if anyone who reads my journal likes bridge, but here is my current bridge quiz -- is it possible to make 4S on this hand?
Bidding - opponents silent, partner opens: 1C - 1S - 3S - P

Dummy:
S: AKQ8
H: xxx
D: Kx
C: Jxxx

Me:
S: T9xx
H: AKx
D: xxxx
C: AQ

Opening lead, small diamond.

Ok declarer, what's your plan?


As it turns out, the Diamond Ace is to the right, club K on the left, and the spades break 4-1 to with 4 on the left with the jack. We went down 1 (making 2) but after the night was over I think I see how to have made 3 (with one very weak assumption that I can't test anymore because I don't remember *all* of the opponents cards.) I don't know if there's any way to make four, and it seems like I was correct to not bid it in this case.

--Beth
--Beth

Comments

Re: Not against best defense

[(Anonymous)]

Ok, so after the heart continuation, you might be able to make it. Win it, take the ace of clubs, then lead the Q of clubs. If they continue hearts, win it, then you have:

AKQ8
x
-
Jx



T9xx
x
xx
-

You're in your hand. Ruff a diamond low, then the AK of spades. Then lead the JC, pitching your last heart and praying that it holds. If the JC holds, hope that the person with the JS also had four clubs, and ruff the last club in hand, and you've got a high trump left in dummy.

If the person with the JS has 3 or fewer clubs, I think you must go down. I think.

This same line works if they attack trumps, or lead another diamond at this point. The key difference between attacking diamonds now versus earlier is that they haven't tapped you yet.

I think.


MRC

Re: Not against best defense

[beth_leonard]

So at the very end where it looks like this:

..Q8
x..
..
....

T...
...
xx
..

And I'm in my hand, I lead the T of trumps and if he plays the jack I play the Queen, and if not, the 8.  Followed by the other trump then losing the last trick, for making 4.

Wow,  This is why I need to look at these things in detail afterwords.  I never would have thought of losing the Club Queen on purpose and not trying a finess, but at least this line of play has the possibility of making 4.

For me, my worst play comes when I'm trying to manage a 4-4 trump split.  When the opponents break 4-1 it gets really ugly.  Even when I count up the losers and I think I'll make the contract, if some of my cards are not losers because it's a short suit, I don't know how to form a line of play that *uses* trumps to cover the short suit, but doesn't *use up* the trumps, making some other winner a loser to opponents trump.

That was my problem when I was playing this hand.  We were in 3.  I counted 4 losers but ended up losing 5 because I pulled trump instead of ruffing.
--Beth

--Beth