How to play this hand?

[a***@yahoo.co.uk]

I held this hand:

MPs

AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986

I open a Tartan 2H (either weak 5-5 in H+another, Acol 2H or 19-20 balanced). The auction proceeds:

N S
2H 2S*
2NT 3D
3H 3NT
?

*Relay
3D is a transfer. After 3NT do you pass or convert to 4H?

In the event I passed. This is the full NS deal:

AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986

D5 led

J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

Plan the play.

[Lorne]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
MPs
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
N S
2H 2S*
2NT 3D
3H 3NT
?
*Relay
3D is a transfer. After 3NT do you pass or convert to 4H?
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
D5 led
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7
Plan the play.

I usually bid 4H and think the field will be in hearts as the hand
opposite will often have a shortage somewhere and we often need trumps
to stop that suit running for the oppo.

However as I am in 3N I must try and make the same number of tricks as
those in 4H and it looks like a good decision to pass 3N.

Looks like the lead has given me a trick unless RHO has QJ of diamonds
so I run the lead to hand, play a H to the A and lead the club 9 to the 10.

Plan is to finesse H next making 11,12 or 13 tricks unless hearts are
4-1. I can't pick up Qxxx of H on my left so no point in 1st round
heart finesse.

[Charles Brenner]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
MPs
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
N S
2H 2S*
2NT 3D
3H 3NT
?
*Relay
3D is a transfer. After 3NT do you pass or convert to 4H?
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
D5 led
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7
Plan the play.

There's a fair chance we don't gain from playing the d9 even if it holds. So I'd win dA, run the hJ and can safely try for all 13 tricks if it holds. If the heart finesse loses I've retained the chance to duck the next diamond before finessing in clubs.

If RHO shows out on the first round of hearts there are still 9-11 safe tricks by taking hA then playing clubs.

[a***@yahoo.co.uk]

At the table I decided to play on hearts immediately, so won the opening lead with the ace and ran the HJ which held. After cashing the HAK the 4-1 break was revealed. I then took the club finess which failed. A diamond back was ducked and the third diamond won in hand. I crossed to dummy, knocked out the HQ and then had the rest. +430m was a joint bottom, but yes, if I play low at trick 1 I get an extra trick. Lorne's line looks superior, I can see now I can leave the hearts initially and start on clubs first.

The full deal:

AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
9853 QT76
Q982 3
842 QJ753
K4 532
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

[Charles Brenner]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
At the table I decided to play on hearts immediately, so won the opening lead with the ace and ran the HJ which held. After cashing the HAK the 4-1 break was revealed. I then took the club finess which failed. A diamond back was ducked and the third diamond won in hand. I crossed to dummy, knocked out the HQ and then had the rest. +430m was a joint bottom, but yes, if I play low at trick 1 I get an extra trick. Lorne's line looks superior, I can see now I can leave the hearts initially and start on clubs first.
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
9853 QT76
Q982 3
842 QJ753
K4 532
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

Lorne's line is clear if South is declarer. "Looks like the lead has given me a trick Looks like the lead has given me a trick unless RHO has QJ of diamonds so I run the lead to hand", does sound like playing the hand from South.

Playing in hearts you can't help but make 450 so I'd say it was the Tartan Two, not your play, that did you in.

[a***@yahoo.co.uk]

Post by Charles Brenner

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
At the table I decided to play on hearts immediately, so won the opening lead with the ace and ran the HJ which held. After cashing the HAK the 4-1 break was revealed. I then took the club finess which failed. A diamond back was ducked and the third diamond won in hand. I crossed to dummy, knocked out the HQ and then had the rest. +430m was a joint bottom, but yes, if I play low at trick 1 I get an extra trick. Lorne's line looks superior, I can see now I can leave the hearts initially and start on clubs first.
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
9853 QT76
Q982 3
842 QJ753
K4 532
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

Lorne's line is clear if South is declarer. "Looks like the lead has given me a trick Looks like the lead has given me a trick unless RHO has QJ of diamonds so I run the lead to hand", does sound like playing the hand from South.
Playing in hearts you can't help but make 450 so I'd say it was the Tartan Two, not your play, that did you in.

Not the Tartan Two, more my judgement not to correct 3NT to 4H with the North hand. All but one of the other pairs in 3NT made 11 or 12 tricks.

[Charles Brenner]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk

Post by Charles Brenner

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
At the table I decided to play on hearts immediately, so won the opening lead with the ace and ran the HJ which held. After cashing the HAK the 4-1 break was revealed. I then took the club finess which failed. A diamond back was ducked and the third diamond won in hand. I crossed to dummy, knocked out the HQ and then had the rest. +430m was a joint bottom, but yes, if I play low at trick 1 I get an extra trick. Lorne's line looks superior, I can see now I can leave the hearts initially and start on clubs first.
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
9853 QT76
Q982 3
842 QJ753
K4 532
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

Lorne's line is clear if South is declarer. "Looks like the lead has given me a trick Looks like the lead has given me a trick unless RHO has QJ of diamonds so I run the lead to hand", does sound like playing the hand from South.
Playing in hearts you can't help but make 450 so I'd say it was the Tartan Two, not your play, that did you in.

Not the Tartan Two, more my judgement not to correct 3NT to 4H with the North hand. All but one of the other pairs in 3NT made 11 or 12 tricks.

I think 3NT is the best contract. My play analysis was wrong even *without* taking into account how declarers in 4H will fare. My reason for taking the first trick with dummy's Ace was so that if my H finesse lost I'd be in a position to duck a diamond, necessary to make an uptrick in case RHO has both the club King and exactly 3 diamonds. That's a questionable trade even at IMPs and certainly bad odds at MPs. Worse, it guarantees losing to the declarers in 4H who will *never* lose a diamond trick.

Therefore, since I won't be ducking a diamond at trick three there's no reason to prepare for it by playing dummy's diamond Ace at trick 1. Might as well put in the 9 as a chance for an extra trick.

[rhm]

Post by Charles Brenner

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk

Post by Charles Brenner

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
At the table I decided to play on hearts immediately, so won the opening lead with the ace and ran the HJ which held. After cashing the HAK the 4-1 break was revealed. I then took the club finess which failed. A diamond back was ducked and the third diamond won in hand. I crossed to dummy, knocked out the HQ and then had the rest. +430m was a joint bottom, but yes, if I play low at trick 1 I get an extra trick. Lorne's line looks superior, I can see now I can leave the hearts initially and start on clubs first.
AK2
AK6
KT6
Q986
9853 QT76
Q982 3
842 QJ753
K4 532
J4
JT754
A9
AJT7

Lorne's line is clear if South is declarer. "Looks like the lead has given me a trick Looks like the lead has given me a trick unless RHO has QJ of diamonds so I run the lead to hand", does sound like playing the hand from South.
Playing in hearts you can't help but make 450 so I'd say it was the Tartan Two, not your play, that did you in.

Not the Tartan Two, more my judgement not to correct 3NT to 4H with the North hand. All but one of the other pairs in 3NT made 11 or 12 tricks.

I think 3NT is the best contract. My play analysis was wrong even *without* taking into account how declarers in 4H will fare. My reason for taking the first trick with dummy's Ace was so that if my H finesse lost I'd be in a position to duck a diamond, necessary to make an uptrick in case RHO has both the club King and exactly 3 diamonds. That's a questionable trade even at IMPs and certainly bad odds at MPs. Worse, it guarantees losing to the declarers in 4H who will *never* lose a diamond trick.
Therefore, since I won't be ducking a diamond at trick three there's no reason to prepare for it by playing dummy's diamond Ace at trick 1. Might as well put in the 9 as a chance for an extra trick.

This looks right to me.
3NT is a great contract at matchpoints and it would never occur to me to correct to hearts at pairs.
If the diamond 5 is fourth best, it must be almost 50% that the D9 will hold.
In this case LHO has just one higher card than the 5 and chances are as good that it is the 7 or 8 than the queen or jack.
If the 9 holds you are almost guaranteed to make as many tricks as declarers in a heart contract will.
If the diamond 9 does not hold your chances are still good (60%) that you will have at most one loser in hearts and clubs by taking both finesses.
You can not afford to duck any diamonds at matchpoints as your aim is not to guarantee your contract but to make as many tricks as declarers will in a heart contract.
If you make less tricks than declarers will make in hearts you might as well go down.