Saturday, 22 September 2012

Slam play problem

You manage the bid the backs off the cards and reach 6 on the following pair of hands, West overcalled 2 and East raised to three over partner's 2 (GF), opposition were then silent. West then led the king of clubs and East followed with the nine:
South Dealer
Both Vuln.
MPs
6 by S
North
A 6
K Q 10 7 6
Q 7 2
7 6 5
South
K J 5 3 2
A 4
K J 8 5 4 3
Plan the play.

2 comments:

  1. At the table, on the hand above West had T9 of diamonds and East A6. Hearts were 1=5 and spades 4-2. The only winning line was therefore to attack spades hoping they were 3-3, or that you East couldn't profitably overruff the seven.
    The alternate line, was the attack trumps, upon discovering the 2-2 break, one heart ruff and then one spade ruff taken. Making if hearts were no worse than 4-2 or if spades were 3-3 (after trumps discovered to be 2-2).

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  2. I think that the optimal line is definitely the second one suggested - begin by playing J diamonds. If it holds we need to take a decision: probably switch to spades. If it does not we next play another diamond (to the Q) and then the play depends on how diamonds behave.

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