[Phil]

---

Opening lead is the ♥A. RHO plays the 5 (standard).

Play on.

[rhm]

I suggest:

T1: ♥ ruff
T2,3: ♠KQ

If trumps break:

T4: ♦A
T5: ♥ ruff
T6: ♦K
T7: ♦ ruff
T8: ♠A, club discard from hand.
T9-12: ♣A followed by 3 high diamonds.

If trumps are 4-1:

draw trumps and hope the diamonds are good for 6 tricks.
This plan requires diamonds to break and if trumps are 4-1 the diamond queen to be with East, about a 55% chance of success.

Rainer Herrmann

[Fluffy]

I would play ruff ♠KQ, if they break ♦A + ♦ finese.

[rhm]

Fluffy, on 2013-February-26, 05:06, said:

I would play ruff ♠KQ, if they break ♦A + ♦ finese.

Down goes the contract when the finesse looses for no good reason.

Rainer Herrmann

[Phil]

rhm, on 2013-February-26, 02:42, said:

I suggest:

T1: ♥ ruff
T2,3: ♠KQ

If trumps break:

T4: ♦A
T5: ♥ ruff
T6: ♦K
T7: ♦ ruff
T8: ♠A, club discard from hand.
T9-12: ♣A followed by 3 high diamonds.

If trumps are 4-1:

draw trumps and hope the diamonds are good for 6 tricks.
This plan requires diamonds to break and if trumps are 4-1 the diamond queen to be with East, about a 55% chance of success.

Rainer Herrmann

This is the best line by far.

I did not give this my normal standard of care and hooked diamonds.

Note the importance of ruffing a 2nd heart in hand. This negates the need to finesse diamonds, since you need a 12th trick. Also note trying trump early, since you still have options on 4-1 spades.