No, I didn't play in the Bermuda Bowl. This came up while using BBO's Vugraph table feature, which allows you to select hands from previously played tournaments.
You hold QJx, Qx, AKQxxxx, x. RHO opens 1S, you overcall 2D, 4S by LHO, 4NT (blackwood) by partner and you end up in 6D.
LHO leads a spade and you see
The contract is a good one and you are lucky that partner took a rosy view.
How will you play?
This hand has elements of a Morton's fork.
Suppose you ruff the first spade and immediately play a low heart towards the Queen. RHO, who likely has the Heart Ace, now has to decide whether to go up with the A and play a trump (to avoid a spade ruff), or to let your Q win.
If he lets your Q win, then you can ruff a spade, CA, C ruff in hand, spade ruff, club ruff and draw trumps. This only loses if RHO has 5+ clubs, and even then you can choose to ruff the third club high in hand and survive if trumps are 2-1.
If he goes up with the HA and plays a trump, you can win in hand, cash the HQ, play a trump to dummy, ruff a heart back to hand, draw any remaining trumps (if any), and then CA to dummy to cash the HK and low heart to take care of your spade losers. This just requires a 4-2 heart break.
You hold QJx, Qx, AKQxxxx, x. RHO opens 1S, you overcall 2D, 4S by LHO, 4NT (blackwood) by partner and you end up in 6D.
LHO leads a spade and you see
| IMPS N/S | North ♠ - ♥ K98xx ♦ JTx ♣ AJxxx | |
| South ♠ QJx ♥ Qx ♦ AKQxxxx ♣ x |
| W | N | E | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1S | 2D | ||
| 4S | 4NT | P | 5S |
| P | 6D | P | P |
| P |
The contract is a good one and you are lucky that partner took a rosy view.
How will you play?
This hand has elements of a Morton's fork.
Suppose you ruff the first spade and immediately play a low heart towards the Queen. RHO, who likely has the Heart Ace, now has to decide whether to go up with the A and play a trump (to avoid a spade ruff), or to let your Q win.
If he lets your Q win, then you can ruff a spade, CA, C ruff in hand, spade ruff, club ruff and draw trumps. This only loses if RHO has 5+ clubs, and even then you can choose to ruff the third club high in hand and survive if trumps are 2-1.
If he goes up with the HA and plays a trump, you can win in hand, cash the HQ, play a trump to dummy, ruff a heart back to hand, draw any remaining trumps (if any), and then CA to dummy to cash the HK and low heart to take care of your spade losers. This just requires a 4-2 heart break.
No comments:
Post a Comment