[pclayton]

Scoring: IMP

---

This occurred near the end of our IMP league match (yes, we won) and my pard had this problem.

RHO opened 1♦, 3♦ by LHO, 5♦ on right.

You track the ♥ 3 which looks like a great start as it fetches the K and Ace.

Declarer took about 3 minutes to play at T1, so you shouldn't be caught off guard when the ♣4 is placed on the table.....

Rise or duck?

[Apollo81]

The only reason for the hesitation I can think of is that declarer started with something like AQxx Ax AKQxx xx and was deciding between playing a spade finesse or a club now, and ultimately decided that you might hop with your actual hand playing him for KQxx Axx AKQxx x. I think that if he had this hand that he wouldn't take so long to play a club.

I guess this means I would duck.

[skjaeran]

Jlall, on Mar 29 2007, 08:47 PM, said:

I would always fast duck at the table, so that's my choice. Hope it works. I did no analysis at all.

So would I if the play went fast.

When declarer tanked for 3 minutes, I'd spend the time preparing for the most reasonable continuations. I'd still duck this, thinking like Apollo.

[Halo]

I'll take the ace, cash the heart and play a spade.

[jdonn]

Apollo81, on Mar 29 2007, 02:46 PM, said:

The only reason for the hesitation I can think of is that declarer started with something like AQxx Ax AKQxx xx and was deciding between playing a spade finesse or a club now, and ultimately decided that you might hop with your actual hand playing him for KQxx Axx AKQxx x. I think that if he had this hand that he wouldn't take so long to play a club.

I guess this means I would duck.

He might take a long time on the second hand too, since he might also try considering sneaking a spade through either player. I will go up ace since I think declarer is likely to have a singleton somewhere for his bid, which would obviously be clubs.

[sathyab]

skaeran, on Mar 29 2007, 03:01 PM, said:

Jlall, on Mar 29 2007, 08:47 PM, said:

I would always fast duck at the table, so that's my choice. Hope it works. I did no analysis at all.

So would I if the play went fast.

When declarer tanked for 3 minutes, I'd spend the time preparing for the most reasonable continuations. I'd still duck this, thinking like Apollo.

Unfortunatley there're a lot of players, even good ones who take a very long time before making plays which a lot of others would have taken little or no time at all to make. So I'm not sure how helpful the tempo is unless you know what kind of a player is or his reputation.

You can make case for going up with the Ace if you thought declarer had a stiff club and then continue hearts hoping to force dummy so he can't establish clubs. I don't think there's much chance of finding pd with the spade Ace, assuming 5d is a reasonable bid.

But that seems little more than a guess, so I'd play low, hopefully in tempo.

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Mar 29 2007, 05:04 PM, said:

jdonn, on Mar 29 2007, 04:43 PM, said:

I will go up ace since I think declarer is likely to have a singleton somewhere for his bid, which would obviously be clubs.

Not clear at all that if you know declarer has a singleton club you should pop ace.

What happened to no analysis

[pclayton]

I've given this to a few good players, and no one pops Ace, but it's right:

---

At the table, my pard ducked and declarer proceeded to play with mirrors:

3. JS floated
4. club ruff
5. AS (heart pitch)
6. heart ruff
7. club ruff with ace
8. heart ruff
9. club ruff with king
10. heart ruff.

Perhaps you can get home after A♣, Q♥, ♥, but it looks difficult to me.

Ducking caters to a more mundane: AQx, Axx, AKxxx, xx...

[jdonn]

jdonn, on Mar 29 2007, 04:43 PM, said:

I will go up ace.

pclayton, on Mar 29 2007, 06:36 PM, said:

I've given this to a few good players, and no one pops Ace, but it's right:

Gee thanks

[pclayton]

jdonn, on Mar 29 2007, 06:09 PM, said:

jdonn, on Mar 29 2007, 04:43 PM, said:

I will go up ace.

pclayton, on Mar 29 2007, 06:36 PM, said:

I've given this to a few good players, and no one pops Ace, but it's right:

Gee thanks

Mr. Donn, your paper was returned incomplete

[Halo]

Well, I played to not assume four diamonds in South's hand. Still think simple attempt to cash out is correct. Not a hand for generalisations about ducking lead to KJxx..

Amazed that no 'good' players would consider this.

[pclayton]

Halo, on Mar 31 2007, 01:09 PM, said:

Well, I played to not assume four diamonds in South's hand. Still think simple attempt to cash out is correct. Not a hand for generalisations about ducking lead to KJxx..

Amazed that no 'good' players would consider this.

Because many of the players I gave this to assumed declarer had 5 diamonds, and thus, has no problems on this hand, except for clubs.