[the hog]

QJT
Jx
Q98xxx
Kx

AKx
AKxx
Kx
Qxxx

No opposition bidding. 3N by South, MPs. Lead is the J of C. You play the K from dummy and this holds, rho playing the 2 - UDCA.

I went 1 off. The correct line occured to me immediately on claiming, (doesn't it always?) No doubt Ulrich would have made this hand. Can you make it?

[Free]

At first sight, it seems like ♦ must be good. If the Ace is with our RHO, I think it's quite impossible to make it unless the ♣ suit blocks (and that's what we're going for in that case), so assume LHO has it. Play ♦9 and let it run if not covered. I'll block the suit, but that's not the biggest problem. I guess I'll play for a drop when the 9 is covered.

[subjective]

♦to K, ♦, (... cant make vs best defense if clubs not 6-1 (unless ♦ very friendly (A doubleton E or JT W or guessed in the E (vs AJ/AT)) since eventually will lose say 2♣2♦, 1♥ (when ♥ are played early enough from non-Q side)).

Say ♣6-1, then ♦,♦, say♠ to ♠A, ♠Q, ♦ throwing ♠K...

eg east has xxxxx,QTxx,AJx,x or xxxx QTxx ATxx x, note that with ♣ 6-1 the ♥Q can be on the other side as well.

[Flame]

I had some thoughts about ducking a club at trick 2, this could be nice but 6-1 clubs are too likely so it doesnt worth it.
I think you just have to play simple , diamond to the K.
Unlike Free i dont fear RHO hand, if i have to choose i want to give him the hand reather then LHO, so wathere the K holds or later, i will finnese to the 9 of diamonds.
other lines i thought of but i think not good enough are 1. playing 3 rounds of spade, this could work on some but might lose when LHO has the A of diamond and he comes back with a heart , and i am left with no entry to dummy.
2. playing small diamond from hand, this will work better against A sgl with LHO but A sgl is less likly then a Jxx or 10xx or J10x with 5 clubs, which this line will lose to.

[Trpltrbl]

I play 9 of ♦ and let it run.

Mike

[Ulrich]

Ah Hog, Hog. So near and yet sooooooooooo far. Is there any hope for you if you only recognise the correct play as the cards are returned to the board?

The above poster has made some assumptions and I will echo these.
Nice line, perhaps "subjective" you are free for the Lichtenstein Open Teams championships?

C are 6-1
No QJ of Ds
HQ off side

May I perhaps suggest a slight improvement to his line.

Win the K of C and play a D to the Q. I assume this holds, now play another D. Say rho wins this with the J of D. His best return is a S. Win the K, not the A. Cross to the SQ and play a third D discarding the A. Isn't it nice to be flamboyant? This is why you won the second S with the K.

Now spread your cards with a flourish and suggest that rho exit with the Q of Hearts. This is mildly flamboyant and as good as anything else.

I will not accept your offer of a beer - this is too crude for noble palates. However a bottle of La Tache from the Domaine Romanee Conti, preferably 1949, will not go astray.

Sincerely,

Ulrich of Lichtenstein PSPEM

(President of the Society for the Preservation of European Monarchies.)

[the hog]

To those who run 9D at trick 2, this goes to the T and a S is returned. If you win and hand and play the DQ, all follow and rho plays the A, the J does not fall. Another S is played.
Can't be made now.

[inquiry]

You need to steal a ♦, then set up a third ♥. I am going to play EAST for the ♦Ace, and lead a low ♦. East must not pop up with the ACE, because if he does I may be home. If East has only 1 or 2 ♣s. So the ♦K wins.

Since, I like earlier poster, view the ♣2 with some curiosity (why the two since I have the ♣Q. Real possibility is ♣ singleton on right.

This suggest two lines, both predicated on who has the ♥Q. One line, cash all three ♠, ending in hand, and leading low diamond. Hope is EAST can win 2♦ and maybe the 13th ♠ (or maybe 12th and 13th), but then will be forced to lead a ♥. If he leads low ♥, float to jack. If he leads ♥Q, win Ace, then cross to jack to the good ♦. Ok, this works on hands like east 98432 Qxxx AJx x, and similar (xxxx Qxxxx ATx x; xxx Qxxx AJTx x).

The other line is to play WEST for the ♥Q. After the ♦K wins, simply lead low towards the ♥J while transportation exist back to your hand in ♠. If west has the ♥Q, you will score 3♥, 3♠, 1♦, and you can play for a blockage in ♦, where West has only one, or has JT doubleton or Jx and fails to unblock on the first round. Then, maybe able to execute a nice little delayed ♣ duck to west hand after cashing some winners. He can win two ♣, but has to lead a ♣ back to your queen. West had would have to be something like: xx Qxx JT AJT9xx, or xxx Qxx x AJT9xx. As you can see, west hand is ripe for the endplay.

How to decide which line. Gee, I don't know. I think it is better to play EAST for ♥Q so I guess that is the way I would go.

Ben

[the hog]

Hi Ben,

I won the C, played a D to the K and a D up, ducking and losing to the J. Now a S came back. I decided to play for the J of H on side - twas not to be. I managed to endplay lho in C to go 1 off for a foul matchpoint score. I think at most tables it was played the other way up - at least that is what I am saying.

Three rounds of S followed by a D would work, but you are in trouble if rho has 5S and the Q of H is offside as well.

The best line I think is the one suggested by "subjective" and by "Ulrich". Not a bad post for subjective's first post!! These two guys can play!

As soon as I put the cards in the slot I knew I blew it. As Ulrich said, so near and yet so far. Sigh!!!!

[whereagles]

If West had showed the jack on the second diamond, there'd be a case for going up with the queen.. if the jack holds, he might shift to a heart and kill the spade unblocking plot.

[inquiry]

The_Hog, on May 25 2004, 02:19 AM, said:

Hi Ben,

Three rounds of S followed by a D would work

As a footnote, the jettison play is "obvious" but had been given not once, but twice before I posted. I assume the beer for that line was taken. So my challenge was to find an alterative line which had not been offered....

Remember, the challenge was Can you make it? I take it from your answer, I found a line that works too...

Send my beer please..... Foster's will do

[the hog]

Send my beer please..... Foster's will do

Will do, but we do have some better boutique beers available :-)
Ron

[hrothgar]

inquiry, on May 25 2004, 06:28 PM, said:

Send my beer please..... Foster's will do

UUGGHHH!!!!

Fosters is piss. From what I understand, the aussies export it all, for fear one of them might drink it by mistake.

[Flame]

As you played, D to the K then ducked and lost to the J, a spade back, take hand with the A, play a spade to dummy, and another diamond, drop the last spade on this, i think you cant go down now.

[Flame]

opps said before , no beer for me