From: martel@spider.cs.ucdavis.edu (Chip Martel)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: My fault ?
Date: 28 Sep 92 20:47:06 GMT
Reply-To: martel@spider.cs.ucdavis.edu (Chip Martel)

In article <4543@tivoli.UUCP>, taylor@logan.tivoli.com (Eric Taylor) writes:
|> In article <gmL+p.asai@etl.go.jp>, asai@etl.go.jp (Kiyoshi Asai) writes:
|> |> 
|> |>   When I was playing in Prince Takamatsu's Cup (one of the biggest
|> |> national tournament in Japan, DKO), I (North) had this hand of the
|> |> last boad of the 3rd round.
|> |>       S AJ109x                E       S       W       N
|> |>       H Axx                   1H      pass    2H      2S
|> |>       D Qxx                   3H      3S      pass    pass
|> |>       C xx                    4H      pass    pass    pass
|> |>   My partner's opening lead was King of spade, and the dummy was:
|> |>       S xxxx
|> |>       H J10x
|> |>       D Kx
|> |>       C Kxxx
|> |>   I overtook the SK by SA, and led the Cx. I expected my partner
|> |> to have CA and to hold up once. My hope was, of cource, to ruff the
|> |> 3rd round clubs. However, my partner went up with CA at once and
|> |> led back the club. May be he had 5-card clubs, so I had no option
|> |> but to return the Jack of spade, and Declarer's SQ winning....
|> |> 
|> |>   I was shocked and said nothing. My partner blamed me bitterly
|> |> before the play was over. I admitted my play was not good, but
|> |> I didn't think my play was meaningless.
|> |> 
|> |> 1. Was my overtaking SK by SA a silly play ?
|> |> 2. Was my partner's 3S a good move ?
|> |> 
|> |>   my partner had		declarer had
|> |>  S Kx				S Qx
|> |>  H xx				H KQ.xxx
|> |>  D xxxx				D AJxx
|> |>  C Axxxx			C QJ
|> |> 
|> |> -- Kiyoshi ASAI
|> |> 	Electrotechnical Laboratory, Japan
|> 
|> I admit I would have expected more from your hand with your 2 spade bid
|> and I do not blame your partner for raising.
|> 

The 2S bid by East is automatic (it is in fact a semi-balancing
bid in this situation). Many experts would consider it right even
without the diamond queen.

The raise to 3S is wrong. It will violate the law of total tricks
unless partner is 7-2 or 6-1 in the majors, and will usually lead
to a minus score (note that the opponents could have gotton 3S down
3 on the acual hand, and if partner was 5-2-3-3 it could be worse)

East's best defense depends in part on your partnership understandings
in carding. Since East should be able to assume that West knows his
exact spade holding (after declarer follows), and since East can
overtake the spade king if he wants to continue spades, it is best
to play that East's cards are suit preference. Thus it would be best
to play the 9 suggesting a club shift, but not demanding one. Note,
that under this assumption, playing the spade nine denies a club singleton,
while overtaking with the ace and playing a club promises one (note
that partner cannot assume you would cash the heart ace before leading
a singleton club, West could have the diamond ace after all).

East's defense of overtaking is definately a mistake (though not
because partner might have Kx!). As argued before, this should show
a stiff club It would also be costly if declarer had something like
x, K9xxxx, AJx, AJT by removing his guess for the club queen.

|> In any case, I would get a hold of a more understanding partner.

On this point I can wholeheartedly agree.

Chip Martel
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge