[kgr]

Scoring: MP

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1♦-(p)-1♥-(3♥)
p-(p)-6♦
1♥=transfer ♠
3♥=preempt
6♦=opps seems to have the ♥ points, this makes my void gold.
LHO leads ♥K. What is the best line on this hand? (you play in a weak field. You don't expect that more then one other pair will be in slem).
Thanks,
Koen

[han]

I'd win and play a spade to the queen (not the jack because the king might be singleton). This better win.

Then I'd finnese diamonds through east without cashing the diamond king because I may need the king as later entry. The finesse is certainly the percentage play in trumps after the preempt.

The English word for slem is slam btw.

[mikeh]

Hannie, on Dec 18 2007, 07:30 PM, said:

I'd win and play a spade to the queen (not the jack because the king might be singleton). This better win.

Then I'd finesse diamonds through east without cashing the diamond king because I may need the king as later entry. The finesse is certainly the percentage play in trumps after the preempt.

The English word for slem is slam btw.

I think you misread the auction, Han. East preempted, on a J high suit (looks like he holds 7 or 8 of them) so I'd expect West to hold the ♦length, and thus the Queen.


This is going to need some luck. Entries rate to be scarce.


I think I am going to play the ♥Q after winning the A, on which I pitched a club.

If LHO shows in on the heart, I pitch a second club and:

Play a diamond to the J... I cannot afford to cater to the stiff Q in RHO, since I will be dummy locked if I play A and a diamond to the J.

Then back to my hand in trump.

If trump are 2-2, lead the spade J, presumably winning the A when LHO covers. I cash the spade Q and don't care if spades don't break, since I have enough trump to ruff them good, and enough entries via heart ruffs.

If trump are 3=1, I hook the spade J as before, and draw the last trump with dummy's K. Now I need good news in spades: 3-2 or stiff K onside or stiff 10 offside.

The truly interesting situation occurs if LHO shows out on the second heart.

If he ruffs, do we play him for Qxxx in trump, or for xxx, xx or x? Do we even think he is tricky enough to ruff from Qxx?

If he discards, I would definitely play all but a handful of the world's best players for Qxx.

Now I run the spade J. If it is covered, I win, return to hand with the trump A and play another spade up, and then ruff a spade and lead a trump to the J and ruff another spade, then lead my last trump to dummy, losing a club in the endgame and making when LHO held K10xx K Qxx (?)(?)xxx.

I'd be playing rho to be 1=8=1=3.

If LHO ruffs the heart Q... well, I'll get back to you... it depends on my evaluation of his trump holding and I'd want to be at the table.

[ArtK78]

kgr, on Dec 18 2007, 06:44 PM, said:

(you play in a weak field. You don't expect that more then one other pair will be in slem).

If I played in a strong field I would expect NONE of the other pairs to be in slam.

[kgr]

kgr, on Dec 19 2007, 01:44 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

---

1♦-(p)-1♥-(3♥)
p-(p)-6♦
1♥=transfer ♠
3♥=preempt
6♦=opps seems to have the ♥ points, this makes my void gold.
LHO leads ♥K. What is the best line on this hand? (you play in a weak field. You don't expect that more then one other pair will be in slem).
Thanks,
Koen

...Think with the beginner (I made this slam, but not sure I played it optimal or my thinking was ok. I hope to learn something from the experts).
- I took first trick with ♥A (that was easy).
- Because I did not have a lot of entries in my hand I continued with the ♠J. I thought ♠J is better then small to the Q. That leaves me with a later finesse for the ♠T. Not sure this is best?
- ♠J was not covered and RHO immediatly played ♠T under it. Clearly a singleton, considering the level of RHO.
- Because RHO probably had 5 cards in ♦/♣ I thought playing for ♦'s 2-2 was best. (..not sure this is right, I didn't think about that, but actually LHO has 7 cards in ♦/♣ so maybe more ♦'s then RHO?)
- I continued with ♦K and ♦A to my hand. (even if ♦'s are 3-1 this is maybe a good safety play, not that I thought about that at the table ).
- Now I finessed ♠K again followed by ♠A (discard ♣) and a ♠ ruff. Back to dummy with a ♥ruff and discard last ♣ on a ♠, making 6♦ (I would surprise me if you spot any play errors in this last sentence ).

[ArtK78]

I take it that diamonds were 2-2. Who had the ♦Q?

Or did LHO have Qxx of diamonds? Either way, making at least 12 tricks.

Nice.

[kgr]

ArtK78, on Dec 20 2007, 01:32 AM, said:

I take it that diamonds were 2-2. Who had the ♦Q?

♦'s were 3-1. LHO had Qxx