BBO Discussion Forums: Bridge Master problem - BBO Discussion Forums

Jump to content

Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

Bridge Master problem Expert level, problem 3 can't make 3NT

#1 User is offline   ecvolz 

  • Pip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: 2013-October-17

Posted 2013-October-17, 08:29

Is anyone else having trouble with Expert(red)level problem 3? I’ve successfully completed all Bridge Master hands but this one of the 25 free problems. As shown in the initial hand laid out in the Show Solution section, it should be able to be done because, on paper, I can make 3NT with two heart tricks, 3 Diamond tricks (I can get 4 online)and 4 club tricks (I can get two online). However, when I try to repeat that with the on-screen problem, the QC moves from E to W depending on what I play, and cannot be taken. On one occasion I tried the QC did fall from W when I led the JC from S and took the Q with the K, but that only happened on one occasion, and then I still could not make 3NT because then I needed a Spade trick which doesn't happen due to too many hearts in opps hands.

If someone can prove me wrong, that is fine. I'm interested to know how it can be done.

I’d also like to question why it is that the cards can rearrange themselves in E and W while the hand solutions are being tested. That cannot happen in a real game, but I have found in this case that the cards do exactly that.

Can anyone explain? I am most perplexed.

ecvolz
0

#2 User is offline   Antrax 

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Advanced Members
  • Posts: 2,458
  • Joined: 2011-March-15
  • Gender:Male

Posted 2013-October-17, 08:40

I think you might be missing some of the beauty of Bridge Master. If you take the wrong line, you will always fail. The game stacks the deck against you this way. That ensures that unlike real play, you can't get away with your mistakes - you must recognize and fix them.
Not sure if you can post the hand here due to IP issues, but if you don't understand the solution (you know about the "show solution" button, right?) and contact Fred, he'll probably reply.
0

#3 User is offline   Lord Molyb 

  • Slightly less bad player
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Full Members
  • Posts: 964
  • Joined: 2012-October-16
  • Gender:Female
  • Interests:Bridge

Posted 2013-October-17, 10:44

the point of the problem is to take the correct line which is:
Spoiler

if you take a wrong line, it will conjure up a distribution which will set you.
Become yourself.
0

#4 User is offline   GreenMan 

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Full Members
  • Posts: 767
  • Joined: 2005-October-26

Posted 2013-October-17, 10:50

You have to follow the line in the Show Solution movie precisely to succeed. A couple of times I've given up trying to solve one of these, looked at the solution, then tried it again and still failed; I realized I was just mis-remembering the correct line and needed to review it again.
If you put an accurate skill level in your profile, you get a bonus 5% extra finesses working. --johnu
0

#5 User is offline   ecvolz 

  • Pip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: 2013-October-17

Posted 2013-October-18, 07:37

The point I was making is that I DID follow the Show Solution instructions as far as they went. They are not complete, and also do not explain how to avoid being defeated by the hearts at the end. I can get 8 tricks following the Show Solution instructions. However, in my case I can usually get 4 Diamond tricks because the Jack almost always falls and I can take the fourth trick with the 5D. You still have to try to get a spade trick (or on occasion two spade tricks (depending on the JD), but you also have no heart stoppers left because when you lose one of the clubs, the opponent immediately plays a heart, forcing me to use my last heart stopper. As I noted, I have tried every way I can figure to complete this hand, but cannot, even though I finished all of the other hands. I almost always lose the QC and the 10C, and almost always win the 5D. Even when I have to move to clubs because I cannot win the 5D, I still cannot take 4 clubs because they jump around to defeat any combination I try, including the partial method explained in the Show Solution, which I have tried a dozen times or more. If I win the C10 or Q, there is something else I can't take, leaving me with 8 tricks and the spade-heart gauntlet.

When I lose a club trick, the opp (W or E) always plays hearts. When I don't lose a club trick, it's because I've only taken two. But then the opp still can win with heart tricks once they have my stopper while I try to take spade tricks. You have to get rid of two spade losers no matter what UNLESS you can take all 9 tricks before you have to play the spades. This I CAN do on paper, but the hand configuration has to be as shown when you first look at the solution page.

OPP W: S 8,7; H J,10,9,8,6; D J,10,9,8; C 10,7; OPP E: S A,K,6,5; H 7,5,4,; D 7,6; C Q,6,5.

N-S always stay the same as shown on the board.

I would be most pleased to learn the total play sequence of the cards to achieve a win.

Emily Volz
0

#6 User is offline   diana_eva 

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Admin
  • Posts: 4,854
  • Joined: 2009-July-26
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:bucharest / romania

Posted 2013-October-18, 07:47

View Postecvolz, on 2013-October-18, 07:37, said:

The point I was making is that I DID follow the Show Solution instructions as far as they went. They are not complete, and also do not explain how to avoid being defeated by the hearts at the end. I can get 8 tricks following the Show Solution instructions. However, in my case I can usually get 4 Diamond tricks because the Jack almost always falls and I can take the fourth trick with the 5D. You still have to try to get a spade trick (or on occasion two spade tricks (depending on the JD), but you also have no heart stoppers left because when you lose one of the clubs, the opponent immediately plays a heart, forcing me to use my last heart stopper. As I noted, I have tried every way I can figure to complete this hand, but cannot, even though I finished all of the other hands. I almost always lose the QC and the 10C, and almost always win the 5D. Even when I have to move to clubs because I cannot win the 5D, I still cannot take 4 clubs because they jump around to defeat any combination I try, including the partial method explained in the Show Solution, which I have tried a dozen times or more. If I win the C10 or Q, there is something else I can't take, leaving me with 8 tricks and the spade-heart gauntlet.

When I lose a club trick, the opp (W or E) always plays hearts. When I don't lose a club trick, it's because I've only taken two. But then the opp still can win with heart tricks once they have my stopper while I try to take spade tricks. You have to get rid of two spade losers no matter what UNLESS you can take all 9 tricks before you have to play the spades. This I CAN do on paper, but the hand configuration has to be as shown when you first look at the solution page.

OPP W: S 8,7; H J,10,9,8,6; D J,10,9,8; C 10,7; OPP E: S A,K,6,5; H 7,5,4,; D 7,6; C Q,6,5.

N-S always stay the same as shown on the board.

I would be most pleased to learn the total play sequence of the cards to achieve a win.

Emily Volz


1. win the heart lead with the Ace
2. play diamonds. You will find they break 3-3 so cash all diamonds discarding a spade
3. play a low club to Ace
4. play the 8 of clubs and let it run, dont cover it with the K
5. east will win with the club 10, but that doesn't matter because now you have 9 winners




Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

1 User(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users