On Apr 25, 4:47 am, Dave Flower <DavJFlo...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Match-points, N/S vul., dealer E
>
> I was actually declarer on this deal, but it seems an interesting
> defensive problem.
>
> K Q J
> 5 3
> K J 7 4
> 10 6 4 2
> A 9 7 5 3 2
> 9 7 5 3
> 8 6
> A
>
> E S W N
> p 1D 1H 2D
> 2S 3D p p
> 3H 4D all pass
>
> Opening lead S6; SJ, SA, S8
>
> (If you decide to cash CA, it continues C3, C5(attitude), C2)
>
> How do you defend ?
Do we have any standards for how defensive problems are supposed to be
posted? It took me a good long time to figure out what the heck was
going on here.
First of all, you neglected to tell us which compass direction we're
sitting (East). I'm sure this was just an oversight. But it took me
some time to figure out.
Second, you didn't tell us which of the posted hands we're holding,
although that became clear when you said "if you decide to cash CA".
Third, I can't tell from the diagram what compass position each of the
posted hands is. When dummy and a defender's hand are shown, it's not
immediately clear which is which, and which hand is over the other.
The way the hands appear, the center of the table could be "above" the
lower hand, meaning the hand with KQJ of spades is to the left of the
other hand; or it could be to the left of the lower hand, meaning the
hand with KQJ of spades is to the right of the lower hand.
My suggestion, besides making sure you tell us that we're East or
whatever, would be to label the two hands by their compass direction---
i.e. put the labels "North" and "East" above the two hands, which
should make it easier for us to figure out. It might be even better
if, in addition, you put a blob of asterisks or something somewhere
where the middle of the table would be, to make it even clearer what
the layout is; but it's probably not necessary.
From what I recall, when publishers publish defensive hands in books,
they usually print them the way you would view them while sitting at
the table---in this case, with your hand at the bottom and dummy at
the right, which is where the dummy actually would be at the table.
But I guess either way is fine, as long as it's clear.
OK, enough ranting about presentation.
I object to the 2S bid. I would have just sup****ted hearts at some
level, probably 4 at this vulnerability. I can understand the bid,
because with this auction it may be our hand and I may need to bid
constructively rather than preemptively, and it could play better in
spades. But this spade suit is too moth-eaten to make it worthwhile
to bid it, when you have this much heart sup****t.
As for the defensive problem: Declarer sounds like he has six
diamonds, and I'm not going to play partner for two singletons after
he has bid this tamely at this vulnerability. So after ca****ng the CA
and getting a low attitude signal, I'm guessing that he wants a heart
through.
-- Adam
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