[inquiry]

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MATCHPOINTS

Opening lead club Queen by an honest citizen.

Simple hand yet 8 out of 11 souths won 11 (or fewer) tricks (NOT A HIGH QUALITY GAME). I think there is a theme that might have helped them, but maybe not, and even a second line when the wheels fall off if you miss the first one. I am certain forum members will always win 12 tricks on the actual layout, and might win all 13. Is there a theme here?

[mgoetze]

The theme is "IMPs is so much easier", thinking about the best MP line is making my head hurt.

[Zelandakh]

mgoetze, on 2015-February-21, 13:22, said:

The theme is "IMPs is so much easier", thinking about the best MP line is making my head hurt.

Is there a big difference between a 29hcp slam in a poor MP field and IMPs? It is still bridge and going plus occasionally has its advantages.

[BillPatch]

Zelandakh, on 2015-February-23, 07:14, said:

Is there a big difference between a 29hcp slam in a poor MP field and IMPs? It is still bridge and going plus occasionally has its advantages.

I agree for this problem. Still it is not an easy IMPs problem. My head still hurts. As to MPs being Bridge, I like this quote from Bridge World, "Interesting game, matchpoints. Sometimes it is almost like bridge."

[Vampyr]

If there is a theme, maybe it is something like, after cashing two top spades and seeing the queen drop doubleton, don't play another trump until you have tested hearts?

EDIT: but surely the J10 of diamonds are an illusion, so maybe this is the theme? On the other hand the hand seems to be cold whenever trumps are 3-2, so they must be 4-1 and I am not certain what to do now.

[kuhchung]

I was too embarrassed to reply that I found this hand too difficult, but I will suck it up and say so now.

I am tempted to finesse spades in both directions, but I guess we're told that they're weak so that's unnecessary

[nige1]

Inquiry writes "MATCHPOINTSOpening lead club Queen by an honest citizen.Simple hand yet 8 out of 11 souths won 11 (or fewer) tricks (NOT A HIGH QUALITY GAME). I think there is a theme that might have helped them, but maybe not, and even a second line when the wheels fall off if you miss the first one. I am certain forum members will always win 12 tricks on the actual layout, and might win all 13. Is there a theme here?"

Spoiler

I'm unsure but guess that you play ♣A, ♦AK, ♥AKQ . If you survive so far, then you're home on a cross-ruff with ♠879TAJK, -- even if a defender is able to over-ruff with ♠Q and return a trump. If the 3rd ♥ winner is ruffed on your right, then you over-ruff, ruff a ♣, and (over)-ruff another ♥. If another winner is ruffed then you still have fair chances,

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[mgoetze]

Vampyr, on 2015-February-23, 08:58, said:

EDIT: but surely the J10 of diamonds are an illusion, so maybe this is the theme? On the other hand the hand seems to be cold whenever trumps are 3-2, so they must be 4-1 and I am not certain what to do now.

Illusion? Oh dear, and here I was planning to fall back on a ruffing finesse in case of a bad diamond break.

[Vampyr]

mgoetze, on 2015-February-23, 19:34, said:

Illusion? Oh dear, and here I was planning to fall back on a ruffing finesse in case of a bad diamond break.

Wel, my first answer was kind of hopeless...if the trump queen comes down in two I think that you just play another trump and then diamonds from the top. If it doesn't come down I think you have to start by playing on hearts, as that will be the best way you can combine your chances and avoid a red-suit loser.

I think that ruffing diamonds twice will be better than taking a ruffing finesse, but of course after A,K, ruff (or earlier of course) the diamond layout will be known.

Nigel, I think you are being a bit optimistic... you do seem able to handle 4-1 trumps if the red suits behave, but you lose other chances.

[Vampyr]

Ah, so maybe the theme is don't rely on two suits (reds) to be friendly when you can rely on just one (trumps).

[Zelandakh]

Or maybe the theme is how to lose only one trick with a trump suit of 8 opposite J with Qx on your right. It seems to me we have 4 spades, 5 hearts and 3 minor suit tricks on most layouts plus the ability to recover sometimes when the 5 heart tricks are not there. But card play is not so much my thing so perhaps this is all just a mirage. No doubt Rainer wil reveal the 100% line in due course.

[PhilKing]

I must be being a bit thick, since I take the same line at IMPs or MPs.

Spoiler

Cash two hearts pitching a club and ruff a heart. Now run the ♠9. If that loses, we can ruff a club continuation in hand.

This caters for 4-1 spades either way and makes an overtrick as much as any other line. And if hearts are 5-1 we are often still OK.

[nige1]

Vampyr, on 2015-February-23, 22:03, said:

Nigel, I think you are being a bit optimistic... you do seem able to handle 4-1 trumps if the red suits behave, but you lose other chances.

https://www.youtube....h?v=NeyrDFEqhm8 If the red-suits behave, you are OK when trumps are 5-0 If RHO ruffs the 3rd ♥, you can over-ruff, ruff a ♣ and (over-ruff) the next heart. If a top ♦ is ruffed or a ♥ is ruffed offside, then you can often still recover, with the right views.

[Zelandakh]

nige1, on 2015-February-24, 04:36, said:

If RHO ruffs the 3rd ♥, you can over-ruff, ruff a ♣ and (over-ruff) the next heart. If a top ♦ is ruffed or a ♥ is ruffed offside, then you can often still recover, with the right views.

Have you looked at ruffing the second heart yet? You can avoid a lot of these complications that way...

[nige1]

rubbish deleted

[hrothgar]

Cash two top spades.

If both defenders follow, but the queen doesn't drop, you have an easy 12 tricks.
(Cash your top tricks and then cross ruff)

If both defenders follow and the queen drops, draw the last trump hoping for a red suit discard.
you should be able to set up a red suit for 13.

If you get a 4-1 break, play a third round of trump. If this gets ducked, test hearts and then hook a diamond