[GaryFisch]

This hand illustrates the principle that, if you are in a tight spot as a defender, make the play that gives declarer the best chance to go wrong.

The bidding proceeded

East South West North
Pass 1♦      Pass  3♦
3♥      4NT  Pass  5♦
Pass  Pass  Pass


This was what West saw after leading

West led heart 7

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East won the A and returned a heart to South's Q. South led ♦Q, covered by the K and taken with the A, East following. Declarer drew the last trump with dummy's 9, then led the ♣9 to the K and West's A. What should West do now?

Well, West is in a pickle, down to spades and clubs. Either one is likely to give away the game-going trick. West in fact led a spade, and when dummy's J held, the hand was over. The full deal:

Scoring: Total Points

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West should return a club after winning the A (anything but the Q). South surely has both spade honors for his 4NT bid, and has no reason not to play the J. That play loses only if East has the bare ♠Q or Qx and the ♣Q cannot be ruffed out. By contrast, on the lead of a low club, South might play to ruff out the ♣Q or drop the ♠Q. If he plays a spade from dummy instead, he loses immediately if East has the ♣Q. While it's still probably best to play West for the ♣Q, at least South has a chance to go wrong.

Also note that South can improve the play slightly by cashing the ♠A before playing on trumps.

A word about the bidding:

I was sitting South. I thought partner's bid was standard, since we hadn't agreed otherwise. Of course, he'd already done some overbidding . Still, 4NT was not a good bid, especially at Total Points. First, East clearly bid on distribution, so a 7-1 was not out of the question. Second, even if partner had a maximum with 2 Aces, and there was no early heart ruff, slam might well depend on a spade, diamond, or club finesse. The best bid is probably 5♦. 3NT is probably going down if East has either diamond honor.

Edited to say: By the way, declarer might also think of a black suit squeeze on West, but it's not happening. If he tries unblocking the spade honors, he has no entry left (after ruffing 2 clubs and a heart and cashing the high trump from hand) to the club J. If he keeps the entry, then his hand is squeezed before West.

[jdonn]

I think if west really covered the queen of diamonds, he has more basic lessons to worry about.

[FrancesHinden]

jdonn, on Apr 20 2008, 07:46 PM, said:

I think if west really covered the queen of diamonds, he has more basic lessons to worry about.

I was about to say that!

[GaryFisch]

FrancesHinden, on Apr 21 2008, 04:12 AM, said:

jdonn, on Apr 20 2008, 07:46 PM, said:

I think if west really covered the queen of diamonds, he has more basic lessons to worry about.

I was about to say that!

Please. Such small-minded, nitpicking, "gotcha" attitudes, congratulating yourselves and each other on your cleverness in jumping on the trivial, the banal, the minute. Makes me wonder why I bother.

Yes, technically, playing low was better, since I was more likely to have 5 diamonds than 3 given the bidding. But that's not a play most beginners would know about, and this IS a beginner and intermediate discussion. (For those wondering WTH this is about, if West plays low, declarer will probably play the A with 5 trumps, since the drop is more likely in that case than the finesse, so covering an honor with an honor is a mistake here).

People coming in here who think they are good players who never make mistakes, jumping on some little nitpicking point in the play, without deigning even to explain themselves, (because of course, it's SO OBVIOUS!) are discouraging the efforts of those who are genuinely trying to learn and improve their play.

If you're just going to take sarcastic, know-it-all potshots, why bother responding?

[jdonn]

GaryFisch, on Apr 23 2008, 03:28 PM, said:

FrancesHinden, on Apr 21 2008, 04:12 AM, said:

jdonn, on Apr 20 2008, 07:46 PM, said:

I think if west really covered the queen of diamonds, he has more basic lessons to worry about.

I was about to say that!

Please. Such small-minded, nitpicking, "gotcha" attitudes, congratulating yourselves and each other on your cleverness in jumping on the trivial, the banal, the minute. Makes me wonder why I bother.

Nice to meet you too sir.

Quote

Yes, technically, playing low was better, since I was more likely to have 5 diamonds than 3 given the bidding.

Technically?? You just mean "playing low was better". And not just for the reason you state, by the way.

Quote

But that's not a play most beginners would know about, and this IS a beginner and intermediate discussion.  (For those wondering WTH this is about, if West plays low, declarer will probably play the A with 5 trumps, since the drop is more likely in that case than the finesse, so covering an honor with an honor is a mistake here).

Lol what?? It's a basic play that you don't cover and honor with an honor unless there is something you are likely to promote for partner. It's a very basic lesson, the exact type of thing beginners should be learning and that advances them to become intermediate players. Unlike the play you wrote the long winded article about, which is far more difficult and advanced.

Quote

People coming in here who think they are good players who never make mistakes, jumping on some little nitpicking point in the play, without deigning even to explain themselves, (because of course, it's SO OBVIOUS!) are discouraging the efforts of those who are genuinely trying to learn and improve their play.

So now I'm being criticized for not rambling...

Quote

If you're just going to take sarcastic, know-it-all potshots, why bother responding?

It was a completely serious point, despite your total lack of understanding. But let me be more clear. It is a far more basic and important lesson when to cover an honor with an honor than it is when to make tricky underleads late in the hand to give declarer a guess and make him think you aren't endplayed. If west hasn't yet learned the first lesson, it's pointless to bring on the second one. Your entire first post was the epitome of teaching someone to run before they can walk, and your second one was closed minded and ignorant.

I'm starting to wonder why you bother myself.

[GaryFisch]

Hey, at least I got you to explain yourself.

Ok, my reply was rather harsh, but I'm just tired of seeing dismissive, one-line replies in a serious forum. People make mistakes. My 4NT bid on that hand was a mistake, and I owned up to it. The player in question could have just reflexively covered an honor with an honor. A lot of players do it. Yes, I agree, when to cover an honor with and honor and when not to can't be emphasized enough. I've been guilty of some reflexive honor covering myself, and I've been playing for a while.

In a way, though, it at least gave me a bit of a refresher on the subject, cause it made ME think about it, rather than providing the explanation right out, so in a Zen sort of way I guess it's all right.

Peace.

[jdonn]

GaryFisch, on Apr 23 2008, 03:58 PM, said:

Peace.

Hakuna matata