[MrAce]

---

North playing 4♠.
Cross IMPs.
Lead ♣T

3♣ was alerted strong, 5+ ♣ and 15+ hcp (expect him to hold both ♦A and ♥K)

T-1 = ♣T,J,Q,A
T-2-3-4 = AKQ ♠, west follows all 3, East discards a ♦ on 3rd.

[gszes]

do not agree with 3 rounds of trumps pull just 2 rounds and lead a low heart toward the Q. We need 3 entries to lead toward diamonds twice and the heart Q once (in case hearts do not break 33 -- they wont, trust me) so take advantage of being in hand after winning the 2nd trump trick.

[MrAce]

gszes, on 2016-September-06, 16:09, said:

do not agree with 3 rounds of trumps pull just 2 rounds and lead a low heart toward the Q. We need 3 entries to lead toward diamonds twice and the heart Q once (in case hearts do not break 33 -- they wont, trust me) so take advantage of being in hand after winning the 2nd trump trick.

Fair point. But if you played the way you say (small hearts after 2nd round of spade) you probably would go down.

And think a little more, try solving problem as given to you.

[alok c]

delete.

[The_Badger]

hi MrAce,

10♣ lead and trumps eliminated suggest that West is 3-2-2-6, 3-1-3-6 or 3-3-1-6 shape. Might have overcalled slightly light non-vulnerable with a six carder as lead directional.

Have to get rid of West's primary entry first ♦A first: after that it is plain sailing. Also, small possibly that East has lead from ♣10 9 and the ♣8 becomes an important card with ♥A as an entry.

[MrAce]

The_Badger, on 2016-September-07, 04:23, said:

hi MrAce,

10♣ lead and trumps eliminated suggest that West is 3-2-2-6, 3-1-3-6 or 3-3-1-6 shape. Might have overcalled slightly light non-vulnerable with a six carder as lead directional.

Have to get rid of West's primary entry first ♦A first: after that it is plain sailing. Also, small possibly that East has lead from ♣10 9 and the ♣8 becomes an important card with ♥A as an entry.

You are getting close. Assume you played ♦ and won in North an honor. Now what?

[Tramticket]

MrAce, on 2016-September-07, 05:23, said:

You are getting close. Assume you played ♦ and won in North an honor. Now what?

Low heart to the ace - if it doesn't drop the king singleton West will now be left with two unsupported red suit honours, so just play a low red suit card.

But I wouldn't have played the earlier tricks that way.

[ahydra]

Tramticket, on 2016-September-07, 05:35, said:

Low heart to the ace - if it doesn't drop the king singleton West will now be left with two unsupported red suit honours, so just play a low red suit card.

If West is 3(23)5, do we need to play one suit rather than the other I wonder? For example, with 3325 if you play a small diamond, West wins, exits in clubs and you're stuck leading away from HQ. Likewise you're stuck if he's 3235 and you lead a heart. I think perhaps we did need to be more careful about not drawing 3 rounds of trumps Still, the bidding and lead point to a 6-card suit being more likely, and opps' count signals may help us guess.

ahydra

[MrAce]

ahydra, on 2016-September-07, 05:52, said:

If West is 3(23)5, do we need to play one suit rather than the other I wonder? For example, with 3325 if you play a small diamond, West wins, exits in clubs and you're stuck leading away from HQ. Likewise you're stuck if he's 3235 and you lead a heart. I think perhaps we did need to be more careful about not drawing 3 rounds of trumps Still, the bidding and lead point to a 6-card suit being more likely, and opps' count signals may help us guess.

ahydra

Yeah, W can not have only 5♣ to get in a live auction at 3 level. He can not even have a 6322 hand IMO. He should be at least 6331 or 7321 or 6421 of some kind.

[NickRW]

MrAce, on 2016-September-07, 08:23, said:

Yeah, W can not have only 5♣ to get in a live auction at 3 level. He can not even have a 6322 hand IMO. He should be at least 6331 or 7321 or 6421 of some kind.

Well, West can't be 6421 as there were 3 spades in that hand. Assuming 6331 shape for the moment and that we lead low from table to our diamonds and that West let us win this (i.e. not a singleton ♦A), then we could lead from hand to the ♥A. (expecting it to drop the singleton K), then we lead to our diamonds again. Or perhaps, West did bid 3♣ on a 6322 (i.e. the ♥K didn't drop), in which case both red honours are now bare and can be forced out with the lead of low cards from either hand.

[MrAce]

NickRW, on 2016-September-15, 09:11, said:

Well, West can't be 6421 as there were 3 spades in that hand. Assuming 6331 shape for the moment and that we lead low from table to our diamonds and that West let us win this (i.e. not a singleton ♦A), then we could lead from hand to the ♥A. (expecting it to drop the singleton K), then we lead to our diamonds again. Or perhaps, West did bid 3♣ on a 6322 (i.e. the ♥K didn't drop), in which case both red honours are now bare and can be forced out with the lead of low cards from either hand.

Yes Nick. That is how I played. Played ♦ to K and won, which means W does not have stiff ♦ so he can at best have 2♥. now I played small ♥ from N and ducked, stiff K won and I made.