What is your plan?
You have to have a plan, and not having one can have unseen consequences. But ending up before an International Appeals Committee is not what one would expect.
You hold Ax, KJxxx, xxx, Axx and choose to open 1 Heart. The bidding proceeds Pass, Pass, 2 Diamonds, pass from you, 3NT, P,P,P.
Partner leads a low Heart. Dummy tracks with KQ, xx, KQJxxx, xxx. What is your plan? Are you going to play the J or K of Hearts at trick one?
A normal plan is to play the king of hearts, 3rd hand high. A better plan might be to play the Jack at trick one, finding out if partner had the Queen or not. After all, you have 2 aces to decide what to do next. If you play the K, and this loses to the Ace, you still won't know if Partner has the Queen. If the Jack loses to the Ace, then when you get in again you will continue Hearts. You play the J, and this loses to the Queen.
At trick 2, Declarer plays a Spade to dummys KQ. What is your plan? Why is he playing a Spade and not these Diamonds? He must have the Ace of Diamonds, and with 2 hearts and a spade that will be 9 tricks. What is your plan? You must win at once, the only hope must be to make 4 Club tricks.
You quickly lead the Ace of Clubs, and partner hesitates for about 7 seconds before playing the 2 of Clubs. You are playing Standard Count and Standard Attitude. What is your plan?
Do you continue Clubs, or do you play something else?
You choose to continue Clubs, there appears to be no other hope of beating this contract. Whatever partners hesitation was, it is his problem not yours. You follow the plan, and partner has KJT2 of clubs and the contract goes 1 light.
The Director is called. He only asks one question, why did you continue clubs? You tell him about your plan at trick one, and how you now knew that this was the only chance to defeat the contract. He allows the score to stand.
The opponents appeal, and you both end up before the International Appeals Committee. Partner apologises for his hesitation, he was not expecting to see the Ace of Clubs so quickly. You are asked, again, why you continued Clubs, and once again you repeat your plan from trick one. The appeal is disallowed, the contract goes one light, and NZ beat France, one of the favourites to make the semi final, 11-9.
It is good to have a plan.
France makes the semi final anyway, and drink alcoholic toasts to my partner and myself, as we all relax in the warm waters of Miami Beach.
Thank goodnes we had a plan.
Latest Posts on this Thread
- 15 Jul 2016 at 04:37PM
Hi Stan
Cool hand!
What did declarer have in hearts?
It may have been a very nice play if at trick one declarer with AQT (or even AQx), knowing that are wide open in clubs, won your jack with the AH istead of the Q. He could probably placed you with the KH from the bidding, or maybe just the suit length if he stared with AQTxx in hearts, and should forsee what is about to happen.
If you don't have the HK then you're sure to have the AK of clubs (likly AKQ or AKJ given your partner passed 1H and would surely have bid 2H holding Kxx in hearts and a top three club honour). If your clubs are that good you will always check them before committing back to the heart suit, and his only hope then would be that the clubs are blocked (which is possible).
I'm assuming that declarer had the JS so the second heart trick was not needed to get to 9 tircks (2S, 1H, 6D), but I think he's likely to get that second heart trick anyway.
If he has AQT in hearts the Ace is then a free card at trick one. When you get back in you may lead a low heart (to partners Qxx) and hey presto. It he started with AQx in hearts it requires a bit more gumption, particularly on the second round of the suit, but it still probably right.
Regards
Scott
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