[jjsb]

I want to begin something and if i have the impression and good feedback i may be continue . I’ll try to present 1 or 2 times a deal here suitable for novice to intermediate players . i have no pretention at all doing that of course . it’s just an idea i have in mind and so … it would be nice if you wait maybe 2 days before sending an answer , that way everyone can search it and take time , of course u can send me an email here in the forum or in jjsb@bridgebase.com suggesting your play and i’ll answer it . all are coming from an excellent and very instructive practising book (that helps me a lot sincerely) called « pas à pas » it’s french book and written by , in my opinion excellent frecnh  bridge mentor Robert Berthe and Norbert Lebely .

So here is the first play , a defensive one enjoy
A42
AJ7
QJ1093
AQ

*****KJ1086
*           *Q103
*           *A42
*           *J7
*****
the auction goes (West dealer) :

P 1D 1S 1NT
P 3NT all pass

partner lead 7 of S declarer play 2 in dummy . what do u do now ? why ?

regards
syl (jjsb)

[hallway]

VERY  good idea Syl   -  this Novice says Thank You and please make it a regular Beginners/Intermediate section feature.

I haven't got an answer   :'(    but   I am thinking about it     .   I am expecting the answers to be enlightening.

It is the learning to THINK that is the struggle  

With enlightenment will come enjoyment and then Bridge will become FUN      ............        yes ?

M

[inquiry]

Quote

I haven't got an answer   :'(    but   I am thinking about it     .   I am expecting the answers to be enlightening.

Hang in there with it Maureen. The point of this hand is very illustrative, and figuring it out on your own will improve your bridge as it is a principle that you can use a lot a the bridge table. Try to stay away from reading the post of others until you figure it out...  

[keylime]

This is a thought provoking hand...what is the defensive system being used?

[Jstroke]

I think this is a great idea.  And I think I know what my answer is.

Maybe we should ask the programers if they  can set some flags on this thread so that our answers queue up for whatever timeframe is best then all post at once.

[inquiry]

Dwayne,

I didn't post this hand, but I am very sure I know the answer.    As for JStokes comment about answering it, let's all swamp JJSB with our answers, and he can post at sometime the solution and the names of the clever beginners and intermediates who solved it correctly.   And any beginner who gets it right and for the right reason should be quickly promoted to intermediate level.  8)

I think Syl will tell us what the defensive lead agreement is, but lacking other guidence from him, assume normal Standard american leads.... if your defense changes dramatically based upon you lead convention, explain why in your answer, giving both defenses... that might be illustrative (my defense, however, remains pretty the same rather MUD, Top of nothing or 3/5 or 4th best).

PS... to JJSB... Don't mention that I sent my answer yesterday, and for God's sake if I am wrong, REALLY don't mention it...  :-/

[jjsb]

thank u to those who told me there interest about that problem i'll post in the day the solution and i'll try to make the solution as clear as possible . what is important is really what make u take the decision rather than the decision itself . and yes i'm sorry i didnt precise things about leading . basically in the deal i'll give the lead is 3/5 . 9 and 10 Rusinow (means that J deny a higher card) . i'll also shift from decmare play to defensive play . ok so i wait for your last answer and i'll post that within a few hours.

regards
syl

[jjsb]

IF U WANT TO SEARCH A LITTLE MORE PLS DON'T READ











One very important things in Bridge is to wait at first when the lead is done. It’s true for declarer but  the defense must also take that time to imagine and have an idea about what is or what can happen… Notice how experts players do (when declarer) , even the card to play on dummy is obvious . He will always have a thougth before playing it … then play 4 or 5 cards and have another break to sum up all the information and then a last break if necessary if there’s a difficult end play. On defense u can use that time declarer MUST take to think about possibilities  . U’ll say « declarer play his first card so fast i have to play immediately not giving information » well … there’s an obligation of a few seconds before playing the first cards so u can always take that time even if declares don’t that doesn't mean u give any information to everyone , it's just normal things to do , don’t be afraid of that , even u have an easy card to play (a singleton). during that time , as declarer , u can do things like count dummy points , the number of possible points for declarers (he opens 1nt for exemple so u know how many points he has ) and ur points . Then u have an idea of what ur partner may have. here , u have 11, dummy 18 , declarer must have around 7 so that left partner with around 4 HCP … also, and here it helps , what u can do quite easily is count the number of tricks declarer has already. The lead (i made a mistake not beeing more precise on it ). is obviously coming from 2 small cards (considering that if partner lead a colour you bid, he shows count (with 752 or Q72 he would have lead 2)  but i should have precise that). I should have precise also it’s IMP. so with that lead u know that declarer got 2 Spades tricks 1Heart and 1C as a MINIMUM and he’s sure (because of the count of HCP u have done already for declarer hand) of having at least one of the 2 Kings in Club or Heart ( and even he doesn’t , the finesse in C will just work)  so that is a minimum of 5 tricks . so what u can be sure now with all that thougth is that if declarer got the K of Diamond noone can prevent declarer for doing at least 9 tricks . So u must considere as a necessity that ur partner got that Key card to make declarer go down … so now imagine what can happen if u take immediately with the King and play another Spade… well ur partner will be in hand with that « so hoping » King of D but then unfortunately cant play Spade … you can also before ur partner take that Diamond with the ace yes , and play S but then unfortunatly later on the play your partner will be in hand with that K if Diamond with no possibility to give u the hand to play your winning Spade. So with all that said u are now able to find the play … u Must duck that first Spade tricks . nothing declarer can do now,. ur partner will be in hand with the King of Diamond , plays Spade he still have and u can do 2 Diamond and 3 Spade

Here is the complete deal  


       A42
       AJ7
       QJ1093
       AQ

73                KJ1086
6542              Q103
K65                    A42
10983        J7

      Q95  
      K98
      87
      K6542



PS : if u find that defense declarer will try to play with his C but that will not work...
PS 2 the return : i hope i’m as clear as possible … english is not my native language so it’s not always that easy… pls feel free to tell me any comments .

[cherdano]

I think this hand deserves a small follow-up problem. Declarer is not a beginner anymore, and from the lead and the bidding he can conclude that you have the king of spades. So he might duck.

What do you do now?

(Recall: 3NT by South, you are sitting East, dummy has
A42
AJ7
QJT93
AQ
you have
. KJT86
. QT3 
. A42
. J7
First trick: Spade 7-2-T-5.)

[inquiry]

Thanks for posting the problem, cherdano. I think you missed the pont of the original problem, where DECLEARER Ducked the opening lead in dummy, just as you did in your RESTATEMENT of the problem. The original problem is WHAT card to play from EAST to trick one (the ten you give in the problem is wrong).

Butwhy I am respondinng is not to point this out, be rather as an example to show what people can do with the new guided mode button that are above the enter your post text box. Below, I copied the hand you entered as you entered it, and then again using the LEFTDUMMY button that allows you to enter two hands as shown above. I think the guided mode button are worth considering when entering problems and interesting hands as the layout is better...

A42
AJ7
QJT93
AQ
you have
. KJT86
. QT3
. A42
. J7
First trick: Spade 7-2-T-5.)

(same hand entered with LEFTDUMMY button)

Contract 3NT by South

T1. ♠7-2-T-5

---

[Gerben47]

Nothing wrong with the 10, inquiry.

Cherdano's problem IS a different one. The point of the hand is not to play the king to kill off declarer's second stopper while partner still has a spade to lead. The 10 is a good card for that: You play the 10 and declarer wins the Q. Partner comes in with DK (or a club) and leads his second spade to the ace. Now your DA is the entry to your spades.

Now Cherdano's question is. What do you when declarer lets you win the 10?

[cherdano]

inquiry, on Jan 31 2004, 02:52 PM, said:

Thanks for posting the problem, cherdano. I think you missed the pont of the original problem, where DECLEARER Ducked the opening lead in dummy, just as you did in your RESTATEMENT of the problem. The original problem is WHAT card to play from EAST to trick one (the ten you give in the problem is wrong).

Ben, sorry I didn't make myself very clear. Declarer ducks in dummy, yes, but he can duck in hand, too. So what do you play to trick two? (I don't see the difference between playing the 10 or 8 or 6 at trick one, if declarer then plays the 5. But maybe I am missing s.th. very obvious??? )
(And no I don't claim it's a difficult problem )

Yes I will try to learn the advanced layouting features here some time...

Arend

[inquiry]

♠I thought from reading the text, that cherdano thought declarer won the first trick in dummy originally. To beat the contract, there is no difference between ♠JT86 at trick one. So playing the T or J or 8 or 6 are ok, of course.

Ben

[cnszsun]

right, declarer can duck you first spade trick(no matter it's T or J or 8 or 6), but that doesn't help him either. You must play a small diamond by yourself and asking your partner to return the second spade. Now, your diamond entry can be reserved and setup spade suit at the same time.

[inquiry]

cnszsun, on Feb 1 2004, 12:17 AM, said:

right, declarer can duck you first spade trick(no matter it's T or J or 8 or 6), but that doesn't help him either. You must play a small diamond by yourself and asking your partner to return the second spade. Now, your diamond entry can be reserved and setup spade suit at the same time.

Technically, if South ducks the first ♠ trick, you can return any card except a ♠ or the ♦A, a low ♦ works, as does any ♣ or any ♣ or ♥.

These returns retain the same concept as with the original duck the first ♠ trick, which is keep ♠ communication with your partner (if you continue a ♠ yourself, you waste your good play at trick one, and if you lead ♦ACE you take your own entry away. So the return follows the original problem goal.

Ben