One Week of Daily Bridge Blogs .. A weak stopper

I thought I would write a week of blogs about bridge hands that I have commented on, played with students or otherwise.  These will be instructive (I hope).    Any comments, critique or new ideas from experts is welcome along with any questions from students.

This deal came up when I played with my students on Sunday.  You are not vulnerable versus vulnerable in fourth chair.

Your RHO opens 1H in third.   I hate doubling with only two spades.  Partners can jump to 4♠ expecting you to hold that suit and then you just have no sensible way out.  They are not going to take 4NT as a landing spot.    You have too much to overcall 1NT and so you double anyway.  Partner bids 2♣ and you show your hand with 2NT.  Partner bids 3NT and everybody passes.

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ K82 ♥ 87 ♦ 432 ♣ A10654
West ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		East ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
	South ♠ A9 ♥ Q52 ♦ AKJ10 ♣ KQ83

The opening lead is the H6 and East wins the HA and after some thought returns the ♥ 3.  You have two choices.  You can rise with the ♥ Q playing East for the ♥ A and ♥ K or you can duck playing West for Kxx.  What do you do?

You have 27 high card points.  East opened the bidding in third chair and figures to have most of the remaining 13 HCP.  Is West’s only high card the ♥ K?  It does seem like the odds favor playing East for the both top hearts.  But I have two pieces of evidence that support the idea that West has the ♥ K.  First West led low.  Yes she could have had the ♥ J or even the ♥ 10.  Second East won the ♥ A.  With both honors it is more traditional to win the ♥ K.  True if she was trying to false card she might win the ♥ A but she didn’t really think at trick one.  She just played.  As declarer I am entitled to take the opponents tempo into account.  So I ducked.  Here is the whole hand:

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ K82 ♥ 87 ♦ 432 ♣ A10654
West ♠ 10743 ♥ K96 ♦ 986 ♣ J72		East ♠ QJ65 ♥ AJ1043 ♦ Q75 ♣ 9
	South ♠ A9 ♥ Q52 ♦ AKJ10 ♣ KQ83

Besides my heart play there are some interesting points for the defense.  One, always take a little time when dummy comes down.  There should be no “automatic” plays.  First you should think about what is happening on the hand anyway and second you want to keep a consistent tempo.

Winning the ♥ A is a nice falsecard when you do have the ♥ AK.  East could be pretty sure that I had the Qxx.  I would NEVER bid notrump with Qx (of course I might and have but this is unlikely).

Would it help to have led back the ♥ J from her AJ10xx rather than a small one?  No the small one was better because I know her partner has an honor and if she leads back the jack it will help me to know its the king.