[Trumpace]

Adv+, please refrain from posting answers too early.

Scoring: Rubber

Contract 6♣. West leads the club 10.

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Contract is 6♣ and West's opening lead is the ♣10.
The play goes as follows

Trick 1: ♣10 ♣2 ♥4 ♣A (Won by S)
Trick 2: ♣K ♣5 ♣3 ♥5 (Won by S)
Trick 3: ♣Q ♣8 ♠8 ♥ 6 (Won by S)
Trick 4: ♣J ♣9 ♥3 ♦4 (Won by S)
Trick 5: ♦A ♦3 ♦2 ♦6 (Won by S)
Trick 5: ♦5 ♦K ♦J ♦7 (Won by W)
Trick 6: ♠2 ♠9 ♠3 ♠K (Won by S)

Declarer then played off his trumps and lost a heart in the end. Down 1.

What mistake(s) did the declarer make?

[Gerardo]

Must unblock the ♠s ASAP.

Then I think comes either red Ace, exiting in the same suit. If we hit LHO's King, he must give us an entry to dummy now. If not, we must duck RHO's return in the other red suit (only one which doesn't give away the contract), and hope [unless we play for LHO singleton K]

[Walddk]

Allow me, without revealing anything, to say that is a very difficult one and virtually impossible for beginners and intermediates to spot. Even many advanced players will not get it right.

Roland

[Trumpace]

Walddk, on Apr 14 2005, 01:36 PM, said:

Allow me, without revealing anything, to say that is a very difficult one and virtually impossible for beginners and intermediates to spot. Even many advanced players will not get it right.

Roland

On the table, I would agree that this is a difficult one to spot, but as a puzzle, away from the table I am not so sure, but you are a far better judge than me in these matters. Anyway, your reply serves as a hint which definitely makes it easier now, as people will start looking for a difficult line!

Apologies for posting this in the wrong forum.

[inquiry]

Routine textbook play, found in every book on play problem.. we have had similar problems here in the past. Of course, that doesn't mean it is not a good one to present again. You should look four a solution. :-)

[Walddk]

inquiry, on Apr 14 2005, 01:52 PM, said:

Routine textbook play, found in every book on play problem.. we have had similar problems here in the past. Of course, that doesn't mean it is not a good one to present again. You should look four a solution. :-)

Your spelling is terrible Ben, did you look four some help? :-)

Roland

[Walddk]

Trumpace, on Apr 14 2005, 01:47 PM, said:

Apologies for posting this in the wrong forum.

Don't get me wrong please. I think the problem is fine, also in this forum. It would be wasted on experts and better anyway. They wouldn't have a clue

Roland

[Echognome]

I have a guess, but don't want to give anything away, so I'll include it in hidden text.

Spoiler

If trumps are 3-1 with West, you can draw 2 rounds and endplay him after draw 2 rounds of spades (If he ruffs the first you are in trouble). If trumps are 2-2 you need West to win, so I think exiting in trumps is not warranted and now it's down to a red K guess. If West has the one you exit in or both (after drawing trumps and unblocking spades), then you are home.

[Trumpace]

Echognome, on Apr 14 2005, 03:24 PM, said:

I have a guess, but don't want to give anything away, so I'll include it in hidden text.

Trumps split 4-0, as East discards a ♥ on Trick 1.

[Echognome]

LOL. Wasn't paying attention to the first trick played. However, I don't think it changes anything in the play I described above.

[HeartA]

When East showed out at first ♣, it was (almost) a claim hand provided West had at least one ♠. Honestly, I could get wrong at the table if I didn't plan it carefully, as it happened quite often to me.

[sceptic]

A clubs then 2 more round of clubs then A K spades then end play west and job done (this took 2 mins to think of answer and 24 hours to live down the shame when you tell me it is wrong) hahahahaaha

[sceptic]

using 4 clubs for the end play

[sceptic]

I cant see any lead from west that does not give you an entry to your spades

[Walddk]

Absolutely right Wayne! West will serve as a stepping stone. It won't help her to play club 10, 9 and 8 to the first 3 tricks. South has the precious ♣4, and West's lowest club is the FIVE!

Switch the 4 and 5 and West can avoid the endplay by unblocking her clubs. The funny thing about this hand is that West will get an unexpected and undesirable trump trick. So to sum it up, declarer made the following mistakes:

1. She should stop drawing trumps after 3 rounds.

2. She should then unblock ♠AK.

3. Finally exit with a trump to West.

The defenders didn't make any mistakes. The contract was wash&go as soon as West had at least 3 clubs and 1 spade.

Roland

[Walddk]

Another interesting aspect is that even if declarer draws all trumps, she still has a very good chance of making the slam.

1. Draw all outstanding trumps.

2. Unblock ♠AK.

3. Cash a red ace. It doesn't matter which, if either defender has both kings. That defender will get endplayed next when the spot card in the same suit is led.

The worst scenario is when they have one king each. Then you are on a guess as to which red ace to cash. You must cash the one where West has the king.

Roland

[Echognome]

However, if the first round of spades is ruffed and a red suit returned and the Q is not covered, you have a story only the Peregrine could appreciate.

[shoeless]

interesting

[Chamaco]

Throw west in with the 4th low trump after unblocking spades.
Now no matter what west returns, declarer will be able to reach dummy.

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[Edit]: sorry I had skipped the replies (not to read other folks' suggestions).