[skjaeran]

Scoring: IMP

2♦ - 2♥
2NT - 3♦

---

This hand just came up as I kibbed Josh and Han - they where defending this one.
♣2 lead to dummy.
You cash trump ace, the king dropping from west.
How do you play from here?

[mikeh]

looks like one should simply play on hearts at trick 3. I see no point in eliminating my clubs...rho can afford to lead trumps if he wants, and he will 'want' if he has the spade A.

Neither opp can play on spades, since I can always build a spade trick if they do, so can draw trump, abandoning the no-longer necessary heart plays.

So both opps will play a club after winning the 1st heart. I play a second heart and I think they have no answer so long as hearts are 3-2. Again, they can't play on spades. A ruff sluff: I pitch a spade from dummy and exit a spade.. they can't stop me ruffing a spade and I will, in the meantime, elope with my small trump.

A third heart: I ruff, cross to the trump Ace and run the hearts through RHO. When he ruffs in, the trump 9 is an entry to dummy's remaining hearts.

A trump from rho should he win either heart, makes life easier still.

[bb79]

mikeh, on Mar 3 2008, 02:38 PM, said:

A third heart: I ruff, cross to the trump Ace and run the hearts through RHO. When he ruffs in, the trump 9 is an entry to dummy's remaining hearts...

we've already played trump ace at the second trick? so we have no communication to dummy at this point.

How about percentage play to win 1 trick in this spade combination? finesse ♦J, ♦, play ♠ to K, if loses to A , cross to ♣A, play ♠ to J? loses only if RHO has ♠AQ (~75%). I think this is too simple probably there is a better line, however I can't see anything else against perfect defense

[skjaeran]

That works out Mike, but what if hearts are 4-1?
You can still win on another line....

[Fluffy]

If there is another line, and since this is a problem I'll guess you mean low spade from dummy?, if I wasn't ill today I might see all combinations after that, but not today, sorry if this was just nonsense.

[skjaeran]

Fluffy, on Mar 3 2008, 08:57 PM, said:

If there is another line, and since this is a problem I'll guess you mean low spade from dummy?, if I wasn't ill today I might see all combinations after that, but not today, sorry if this was just nonsense.

That's the correct line, since it almost guarantees the contract. You'll secure a ♠ ruff in dummy or set up a trick for the jack (if east has AQ).

[Apollo81]

nevermind you added "almost"

[skjaeran]

Apollo81, on Mar 3 2008, 09:14 PM, said:

nevermind you added "almost"

Yeah. It looks stupid if west holds ♠AQ and south ♥AK.

[han]

Phew, I'm glad you posted this hand and not my lead against 5S.

[skjaeran]

han, on Mar 3 2008, 10:09 PM, said:

Phew, I'm glad you posted this hand and not my lead against 5S.

LOL

[ArtK78]

It seems to me that a low spade from dummy will work most of the time. You will either be able to build a natural spade trick or ruff one in dummy against all lies of the cards where the opponents can't beat you. The only lie of the cards where a low spade off dummy (presumably playing the J if East follows low) fails and another line succeeds is AQ of spades with West and AK of hearts with East (preventing you from scoring a spade trick naturally and allowing the opps to pull trump to prevent a spade ruff in dummy). Even if this is the actual lie of the cards, if the ♥10 is doubleton with West the opps will establish the heart suit for you in the process of preventing you from ruffing a spade, and their will still be a club entry to dummy to cash the hearts.

The only other reasonable play is to pull trump and lead towards the ♠K in dummy and later towards the ♠J9 in hand in an attempt to score a spade trick naturally.

Relying on the heart suit for tricks is a pipedream.

[kenrexford]

What a nice falsecard situation.

LHO, with AQ of spades and KJ tight in diamonds tosses his diamond King under the Ace. Declarer plays a small spade from dummy, won by LHO's Queen. LHO leads a heart to partner, who returns a diamond, hooked into the Jack. Only way to set the contract, it seems.