I raised your 1NT to 3NT at least in part because I was by no means sure what any other route meant. The bots play that 1NT -2
is Minor Suit Stayman, in which case it would go:
1NT - 2
(asking for a four card minor)
3
- 3
(a stiff)
3NT - Pass
where the 3NT shows a hand with good values in the majors, making it a good hand for 3NT and a lousy hand for 6
.
Well, as I play MSS the 3
shows a stiff, I am not sure of the bots.
Old joke: If two people can't communicate they should shut up.
The hand has interesting features. In the abstract, a small diamond to the A and back toward the Q is the percentage play for developing the suit with only one loser. Te reasoning as follows:
Line A: small
to the A, small back toward the Q.
Line B: Lay down the
Qand let it ride if not covered.
If the diamonds are 2-2, we lose one trick with either line.
If there is a stiff j or T on declarer's right, line B succeeds, line A fails.
If there is a stiff J or t on the left, line A succeeds and line B fails.
So far A and B are in a tie. But:
If there is a stiff K on either side, line A succeeds and line B fails.
If there is a stiff 6 on the left, line A succeeds and line B fails.
If there is a stiff 6 on the right, both lines fail.
So line A is looking good. BUT ( I thought about this later)
The auction was 1NT-3NT, the opening lead was the
3, we are looking at the
2. Assuming Lho has four clubs, he does not have, or almost surely does not have, a stiff diamond. If he has four clubs and one diamond, he would either have a five car major, which he would surely lead, or he would have two four card majors and I would expect him to lead one of those.
Now, if Lho cannot have a stiff
then we have to worry only about Rho having a stiff
. If he has a stiff K, line A works, if he has a stiff J or T line B works, so line B it is.
It's a very nice hand. In the abstract, the small
is right. But if we believe that the lead of the
3 precludes Lho from having a stiff
, then the Q is right.