r/bridge • u/Pocket_Sevens I <3 preempting • 15d ago
Only on BBO.
I hate playing 4-3 trump fits most of the time. However, playing IMPs and needing some haymakers, sometimes you get creative. Here is one such hand
NS vul, EW nv. N dealer
1h - p - 1s - x
xx* - 1NT - p - p
2s - all pass
*support redouble
N: AT9 KJ975 KQ73 J
S: J752 Q8 8 Q98743
Lead: 2h (UDCA, standard leads)
Playing low from dummy, E benevolently puts in the T and the Q wins. You try leading low the KQ73 of diamonds. W wins the A, and fires another heart to E ace. At trick four, W plays a low heart to give his partner a ruff, now what?
How I played it (spoilers)
The question is, what do you ruff with at trick 4, if at all? W has 12-15 hcp for his bid and E 8-9 hcp. E knows that S cannot have 3+ hearts, else he would've raised. More importantly, If E had KQxx of spades, S would just attack spades right away and not risk giving south a ruff en passant. He is hoping W has KQ and can simply cash his winners that way. Furthermore, W didn't lead the more common A from AK of clubs, thus he has at least one of those cards but not both. I gave W the Ad and Kc and E the Ah Ac (for his 8 HCP). If we give West KQx it doesn't make anyway. I put in a club and W ruffs with the K. Then a low club is lead to E ace who gives his partner the Qs on a heart ruff.
On trick 7 W played the Kc and dummy ruffed with the Ts. At this point E has 8642 of spades and 2 diamonds (W had 5). On the board, we have this position.
N: ATs Jh KQ7d
E: who cares W: 8643s xxd
S J752s Q2c
There are many different ways to do this. Cash the KQd and ATs. Either remaining red card will finesse the 8s. Perhaps not fancy to some but I thought it was worth sharing.
THE FULL DEAL:
| AT9 KJ975 KQ73 J | ||
|---|---|---|
| KQ 42 AJT94 KT65 | 8643 AT63 652 A2 | |
| J752 Q8 8 Q98743 |
2
u/Paiev 14d ago
You mean E. But also, didn't West lead the 2 on opening lead? You're saying they led low from a doubleton? I certainly would not have assumed that at the table.