How to go down in 3NT

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rod
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Location: Boambee East, NSW
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How to go down in 3NT

Post by rod »

Here's another instructive computer deal. After a routine Stayman auction you, South, are declaring 3NT with the 2 led. Scoring is IMPS.

North
♠ K93
AJ93
865
♣ A64

South
♠ AQ62
K64
AQ
♣ 9532

East plays the K. You have eight tricks with very good chances for a ninth. What do you do?

I'll tell you in advance that this program plays the cards pretty well, yet your computer opponent at the other table went down.
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rod
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Posts: 190
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Location: Boambee East, NSW
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Re: How to go down in 3NT

Post by rod »

The problem with testing the club suit is that even if diamonds split 4-4 as expected, you will not enjoy discarding on the last two rounds of diamonds. You can comfortably lose the lead once but not twice. So let's leave clubs alone.

Spades will split 3-3 or not, and if not you will need three heart tricks. Finessing twice in hearts gives you a 75% chance of that, but can you do better? Yes, you can play the Ace and then the King and lead up to the J9. This may give up an overtrick but wins whenever hearts are 3-3 and whenever the Q or 10 is onside.

Indeed, the opposing cards were:

West
♠ 85
752
J972
♣ Q1087
East
♠ J1074
Q108
K1043
♣ KJ
HDZ7
Posts: 5
Joined: 18 Apr 2020, 07:49

Re: How to go down in 3NT

Post by HDZ7 »

God one Rod. With S J9 you have to first eliminate doubleton Q possibility in either oppornents, an if so you know that S are either 3-3 or 4-2. I would take this all the time, if I am in sound concentration state. Even if it is Jx I would do the same.
Happy to share my thoughts and reasoning and also participate in discussions in the spirit of learning and improving. Delighted to be proven wrong since a wrong approach/answer is one step closer to the right one.
Have Fun :)
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