My computer crashed during the DARE (also tv and phone dead, I guess there were storms nearby) so I missed hands 5,6,7 but there was plenty of interesting stuff in the boards that I did get to play.
I played board 2. The given auction, with Rho as dealer, was
1
1
2
4!S
All Pass
The opening lead was the
K> Now the bots lead K from AK and that would add to my problems, but we assume from the K lead that the A is on my right. At T2, Lho shifts to the
5. Hmm.
Dummy:
: T872
: 95
: 7
: AQJT92
Hand:
: AKJ96
: T96
: 9863
: 6
I have to assume that I can bring in
else there is no hope, so let's assume that. Now what to do about the
switch? It's a good switch. Obviously the opponents could start by taking three tricks in the red suits but they need a fourth trick and this switch makes me guess at the earliest possible time. If I play the Q and it holds, I might well make an overtrick. If I play the Q and it loses to the K, surely they will then cash their two
tricks.
What can we glean from the auction? Nothing conclusive I think. Lho presumably has more than the KQJ of
for his 2
call but he might have Kxx in
and nothing much in
, or he might have Kxx in
and nothing much in
.
Ah but wait. If Lho has three cards in
I don't care who has the K. Maybe I should play for that? It will also work if Rho has Kx in
.
Eventually I did play for the 3-3
split but it needs care and I was lazy about the details. . I landed on my feet anyway,
The after Dare session was very good with a lot of conversation. I believe that is the way to get the most out of these sample hands. It is not always clear just what line is best. Of course if the lie of the cards in known then it's usually easy enough, but the above is a case in point. As it happens, the
K is onside. But I don't think that is so clear.
And here is another defensive point. Suppose at T2 Lho shifts to a small
. Rho might hop up with the A and then play the Q. This is what he would do if he had opened 1
on AQJxx with the
A and the
K. He would very much like to convince me that that's the way they lie. I might well fall for it and try the ruffing finesse, down 1. Added: No I should be able to work it out.
Anyway, I liked the lively after-game discussion. There were several hands that offered options.
