[Simplicity]

Scoring: MP

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Contract is 4♥ by South. Play or defend?

In reality we played this one in 2♥, and i spent a few minutes gazing into space trying to decide if we could legitimately make 170.

[ArtK78]

It seems like a club lead is best for the defense. After that, I don't think there are 10 tricks.

Club lead. ♠A, ruff a spade. Cross to the ♥A, ruff a spade. Cross to the ♦A, ruff a spade, exit a trump. If East wins this, declarer gets 10 tricks.

However, if West wins the second round of hearts he can return a high diamond. Eventually West will get in with his last trump to cash diamonds.

Perhaps declarer can make 10 tricks if instead of crossing in trumps to ruff out spades right away he ducks a heart. He can still eventually ruff out the 3 spades in dummy. But the timing will be different.

[Simplicity]

ArtK78, on Aug 24 2010, 10:55 AM, said:

Club lead.  ♠A, ruff a spade.  Cross to the ♥A, ruff a spade.  Cross to the ♦A, ruff a spade, exit a trump.  The defense can now get a club ruff to score their remaining trump separately, but they get no more tricks.  Try as they may, they cannot score a natural diamond trick.

Is there anything wrong with this analysis?

I think so...

LHO wins the trump and plays the ♦Q, declarer is forced to cover, RHO ruffs and gives his partner a club ruff so he can cash the ♦T.

[ArtK78]

Simplicity, on Aug 24 2010, 11:03 AM, said:

ArtK78, on Aug 24 2010, 10:55 AM, said:

Club lead.  ♠A, ruff a spade.  Cross to the ♥A, ruff a spade.  Cross to the ♦A, ruff a spade, exit a trump.  The defense can now get a club ruff to score their remaining trump separately, but they get no more tricks.  Try as they may, they cannot score a natural diamond trick.

Is there anything wrong with this analysis?

I think so...

LHO wins the trump and plays the ♦Q, declarer is forced to cover, RHO ruffs and gives his partner a club ruff so he can cash the ♦T.

Sorry - my post was a work in process. I was editing it when you made your post.

Check it out now and see if it is right.

[Simplicity]

ArtK78, on Aug 24 2010, 11:07 AM, said:

Sorry - my post was a work in process. I was editing it when you made your post.

Check it out now and see if it is right.

Sorry my apologies.

Sadly i don't quite agree with your new post either

[ArtK78]

I went over the various permutations. All of them seem to arrive at 9 tricks.

Perhaps there is a way to get to 10 tricks, but I can't find it. Sorry.

[Simplicity]

Assuming a club lead, i believe declarer can take 10 tricks on the line:

Win ♣, ♠A, ♠ruff, ♥A, ♠ruff and exit a heart.

I thought the end position was quite neat as the defence can't arrange to collect their ruff and draw dummy's outstanding trump to cash a spade:

North to play a heart

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[hanp]

Pretty!