tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post7256987237333553838..comments2024-03-11T11:29:56.577-04:00Comments on The Gargoyle Chronicles: Board 38Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-54113279227606747172009-11-10T06:16:00.239-05:002009-11-10T06:16:00.239-05:00I should add that, with this dummy, there is no re...I should add that, with this dummy, there is no reason to discourage at trick one with Ax Kxx xxxx Qxxx if you play that encouraging promises the club queen. You can always win the club and lead spades yourself. I think whether a high club shows the club queen or tolerance for a spade shift should depend on what dummy's spades are and on which side we are more likely to want to lead spades from. I have been polling some players, but most of the responses I've received have been surprisingly unhelpful. ("East's card is attitude about the whole hand and everyone does the best he can," for example.)Phillip Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-79428998792785819362009-11-09T09:53:43.701-05:002009-11-09T09:53:43.701-05:00It's a matter of partnership agreement whether...It's a matter of partnership agreement whether an attitude signal pertains primarily to the suit led or primarily to whether you can tolerate the obvious shift. Some partnerships would play that a discouraging club would show something in spades--it could be the ace or the queen--and an encouraging club would deny anything in spades and say nothing about whether you held the club queen or not. Others would say, particularly looking at that dummy, that the only message carried by partner's club is whether West can underlead his king at trick two or not. I don't feel strongly either way. I only feel strongly that you need some agreement. I am curious if there is a consensus. I'll ask around.Phillip Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-69617505750406030652009-11-09T06:52:19.383-05:002009-11-09T06:52:19.383-05:00If East held the SA, wouldn't he discourage on...If East held the SA, wouldn't he discourage on the club lead?Jeffrey.Lehmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00774815132410821811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-26159758154043480532009-11-08T14:41:09.425-05:002009-11-08T14:41:09.425-05:00West isn't necessarily trying to establish spa...West isn't necessarily trying to establish spade tricks. Maybe he's trying to cash them. Couldn't East have Ax Kxx xxxx Qxxx? Then ace, king, and a spade ruff is the only winning defense.Phillip Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-35426821638430948002009-11-08T07:16:05.016-05:002009-11-08T07:16:05.016-05:00Had East doubled North's 3H call, after the Ja...Had East doubled North's 3H call, after the Jacks' auction that featured a balancing takeout double rather than a direct takeout double, would such call still be a responsive double? And if so, would "standard" meaning of Jack (at least "standard" as suggested in Mike Lawrence's books) be that such double denies four spades and promises at least four cards in each minor?<br /><br />If all above are "yes", then Jack West has the clues needed to avoid the spade switch. With declarer marked with at least three spades, not even a ruff/sluff at Trick 3 can give declarer a useful pitch ... but a spade lead into the AQ can, as the actual layout demonstrates, give away a trick.Jeffrey.Lehmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00774815132410821811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-495729124404883552009-11-07T19:53:58.430-05:002009-11-07T19:53:58.430-05:00Yes, I forgot that Jack N bid 3H immediately over ...Yes, I forgot that Jack N bid 3H immediately over the double, so Jack E was never forced to bid. In general, computers do not signal well (or, in GIB's case, very often) and do not interpret signals very well. I suppose that is because they make their card play decisions on the basis of a set of random deals, and do not factor in signaling issues in their deal selection process.<br /><br />I am still unconvinced, however, that Jack W has any basis for believing that Jack E has the C6. But I suppose it is barely possible that Jack E does not have the CQ, at least possible enough to discourage the underlead. It's very difficult for Jack W to envision the need for the underlead at trick 2. This deal is a very good trick 2 defense problem for W.CraigBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04020709678426937691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-62497087591952134922009-11-07T08:23:11.710-05:002009-11-07T08:23:11.710-05:00Concealing the six doesn't convince Jack that ...Concealing the six doesn't convince Jack that East has it. It just leaves open the possibility. Apparently Jack doesn't think the case for underleading the king is strong enough to risk it unless he's 100% that it will work. As for South's shape, why can't you just switch the black-suit lengths? East can be 4-3-4-2 and South can be 2-5-2-4. I don't think East would bid three spades with only four of them. He would just be happy his partner balanced and pushed them up a level.Phillip Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-49731134634268069592009-11-06T20:40:33.934-05:002009-11-06T20:40:33.934-05:00I am not sure why you think that concealing the 6 ...I am not sure why you think that concealing the 6 will convince Jack W that Jack E has it. Why would Jack E signal with the 5 holding 65 excelt with 56 doubleton? So E could have 65, Q542, Q532, Q52, Q53, or Q54.<br /><br />I agree with playing the Jack, but am not sure why Jack W was fooled by the play. Given that Jack E failed to bid S, SOuth is marked with at least 3 of those, to go with 5H. So if Jack E has 65 doubleton of clubs, South is 3=5=0=5 exactly, and East has neglected to bid with D- A sixth and enough values that South has no game try after 1H - 2H. This is impossible, so Jack E must have the CQ, and therefore S the C6.CraigBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04020709678426937691noreply@blogger.com