[Phil]

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1. ♣10, 3, 7, K
2. ♦4, A, 3, 6
3. - ?

Some things you should know:

1. We play UDCA. The ♣T shows 0 or 2.
2. If you interpret partner's ♣7 as discouraging, then he is promising either the ♥K or ♥A (obvious shift).
3. We play standard Smith Echo by responder

[Fluffy]

you have 2 typos in the spots, ♣2 cannot be played from dummy, and we are still at trick 2 awaiting partner to play.

as long as I know partner would had unblocked, so I would lead ♥Q next

[Phil]

fixed

[mikeh]

Partner can't have the heart A....opener would then have bid 2N on an Aceless 12 count.

Partner shouldn't have the club Q, unless he has a very unlucky Q987.

Partner should hold one but not both of the heart K or the club Queen

Partner might well have a stiff diamond, and be unable to smith.

It would be very unlucky for him to hold Q987 in clubs AND be unable to smith. So I will pay to that combination. I will assume that partner has twice told us that he doesn't like clubs.

Moreover, when he holds Q987 in clubs and a stiff diamond, maybe he has 5 hearts, such that a heart switch doesn't cost anything

So it seems to me that the heart switch loses immediately only to something like Qx AKx Jxxxx Kxx, where the heart J becomes the 9th trick, whether we lead low or the Q.


I have ignored partner holding 987xx in clubs....I don't think the 7 is the right card there, and partner can make up for this by discouraging in hearts with Kxx(x) and encouraging only with K10x(x).

If we are switching to hearts, and I am, I think the Queen is the best card. I hope partner has the 10

[han]

Presumably it was opener who alerted 2D.

[gnasher]

mikeh, on 2010-December-30, 17:19, said:

Partner can't have the heart A....opener would then have bid 2N on an Aceless 12 count.

Having opened QJx K10xx Jxxx KQ, is he supposed to bid 3♦ now?

Quote

Partner shouldn't have the club Q, unless he has a very unlucky Q987.

With Q987 I think he should play the queen at trick 1 to clear up the position. Likewise with Q97. He might have Q87 though.

If partner does have ♣Q87 and a singleton diamond, that gives declarer Qx AK J10xxx Kxxx, so the heart switch is safe.

[gnasher]

Phil, on 2010-December-30, 14:23, said:

2. If you interpret partner's ♣7 as discouraging, then he is promising either the ♥K or ♥A (obvious shift).

So partner would encourage with either ♣Q or ♠Q (assuming he has just one high card)? That seems rather hard to cope with.

[Phil]

gnasher, on 2010-December-30, 18:38, said:

So partner would encourage with either ♣Q or ♠Q (assuming he has just one high card)? That seems rather hard to cope with.

There is no message about the spade suit, even if partner encourages. However, you can frequently work out the right defense based on partner's trick 1 signal, coupled with a Smith echo (or lack thereof).

I also think that with a lot of club holdings, partner can afford the Q to clarify the suit.

[jschafer]

I would try the ♥9 to make it clear to partner Ace that I don't want this suit. With KT he won't cover if dummy ducks so he is guaranteed an entry with KT♥ or A♥. When he gets on lead it will be clear what suit to switch to.

However, if I have an agressive partner I am cashing the ♣Ace on the assumption that he would have bid his 4 or 5 card major over 2♦ holding ♥A or K♥. Hopefully declarer will then be something like 3-4-4-2 or 4-4-3-2 and in that case we don't even need partner to have a useful ♥ or ♣ honour. Declarer might be more inclined to bid ♦s than 2NT after the Double if his major holdings weren't decent and it also wins if partner has been forgetful or unable to show his ♣Queen.

[mikeh]

gnasher, on 2010-December-30, 18:33, said:

Having opened QJx K10xx Jxxx KQ, is he supposed to bid 3♦ now?


With Q987 I think he should play the queen at trick 1 to clear up the position. Likewise with Q97. He might have Q87 though.

If partner does have ♣Q87 and a singleton diamond, that gives declarer Qx AK J10xxx Kxxx, so the heart switch is safe.

I went back and looked at the diagram again...I missed the + sign next to 'limit'...I didn't realize N created a force...I take back my reasoning on the point count.....partner could now have the heart A. I knew I needed new glasses

[kgr]

Fluffy, on 2010-December-30, 15:32, said:

you have 2 typos in the spots, ♣2 cannot be played from dummy, and we are still at trick 2 awaiting partner to play.

as long as I know partner would had unblocked, so I would lead ♥Q next

another typo: no ♦2 in Dummy (or am I seeing this wrong?)

[Phil]

kgr, on 2010-December-31, 11:32, said:

another typo: no ♦2 in Dummy (or am I seeing this wrong?)

You aren't, but this type of comment doesn't contribute much to the thread.

[Phil]

A heart shift was called for. I had considered the Q, but declarer just holds off with any Ace holding. If declarer has ♥A-T, declarer just holds off and finesses partner making 2♥ + 5♦ + 1{cl] + either a spade or a club defending on how we defend.

A heart also works if partner has KTx(x). Unfortunately, partner held Kxxx, and it took a heart lead to beat this.

One of those nights...