From: maceache@fox.nstn.ns.ca (Tim Maceachern)
Subject: Re: A Defensive Problem
Organization: NSTN Network Operations Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 18:07:47 GMT

>> In article <1992Dec29.160100.1@aud2.aud.auc.dk> i13mufel@aud2.aud.auc.dk writes:
>>>In article <1992Dec29.152155.18908@ramon.bgu.ac.il>, avir@chen.bgu.ac.il (Avi Roy Shapira) writes:
>>>> Anyhow, playing with a good partner, 2/1 with g[a]dgets I picked up in
>>>> 4th seat, W v R, the following collection of tickets:
>>>>    JT72, K983, A74, K6
>>>> 
>>>> After 3 passes, do you open?  
>> 
>> Yes.  No choice at matchpoints.  What form of scoring is okbridge?
>> 
>>>> I guess it is close but the possesion of both majors made me open
>>>> 1D (weird huh?)  RHO overcalls 1NT Pard X's LHO XX's.  and there it
>>>> stands.
>> 
>> Just out of curiosity, how many netters play 1NT in this sequence as
>> natural?  I play it as Unusual, which I believe is the expert
>> treatment in my neck of the woods.  Is it true, as it appears here,
>> that the Standard Earth expert treatment of a fifth seat 1NT overcall
>> is natural?  Even red vs. white??
>>  
>>>>              98,
>>>>              QT,
>>>>              QJT3
>>>>              A9752
>>>>                        JT72
>>>>                        K983
>>>>                        A73
>>>>                        K6
>>>> 
>>>> Parter leads the SK, and follows with SQ, SA and small spade to the J.
>>>> dummy discards two small clubs. Declarer follows three times and discards
>>>> a diamond on the J of spades.
>>>> 
>>>> How do you continue?
>>>> 
>>>> Aviel Roy-Shapira, M.D.         Ben-Gurion University Medical School
>>>
>>>kC!
>> 
>> I admit the CK is an attractive play, if only for its sense of high
>> drama and the potential for building a worldwide reputation for
>> brilliance.  :-)
>> 
>> Nonetheless, my vote is for a low heart.
>> 
>> If declarer (who, BTW, is either 3-4-4-2 or 3-3-4-3) has the CQ and HJ
>> to go along with his marked HA and DK, you are done for.  So you may
>> as well play partner for one or the other.  For the CK to work, pard
>> must hold not only the CQ but the CT as well.  Otherwise, declarer
>> will get home with two clubs, three diamonds, and two hearts on the

I'm still in favour of the heart King, rather than a low one.  The play
of the King will serve to wake partner up to the necessity of telling
me what to play when I'm in with the Club King on the next trick.  I
can imagine partner being much less forthcoming if I lead a low heart.

If partner has j72 in hearts, I want to see the 7 on the heart lead.
The king is such an unusual lead that I believe partner will have to
signal.  However, if I lead a low heart, I'm not sure that partner
will signal.  Of course, if partner's cards are not suitable for
signalling, I may lead a diamond later by mistake... that's life.

*******************************************************************
*         Tim MacEachern         * Tim_MacEachern@hawk.nstn.ns.ca *
*     Software Kinetics Ltd.     *  or maceache@hawk.nstn.ns.ca   *
* Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada *                                *
*           Opinions expressed are the author's only              *
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