[pescetom]

A class room problem: you are in South playing 6 spades, diamond Queen lead.

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[The_Badger]

I won't post a solution but it's a case of recognising that finesses can be manipulated by throwing a card or cards that block a suit, and by doing so provides discards for losing cards.

That hasn't given it away, has it?

[kuhchung]

Cute hand, but don't post play problems double dummy unless it's... a double dummy problem

[bravejason]

I’m stumped, even with Badgers clue. The only line of play I could find was to win the diamond lead, play the heart queen, and then play North’s remaining heart honors until one of them wins. However, this doesn’t work because there aren’t enough entries to North unless East plays the king on the first round of hearts.

[kuhchung]

 bravejason, on 2018-September-20, 11:46, said:

I’m stumped, even with Badgers clue. The only line of play I could find was to win the diamond lead, play the heart queen, and then play North’s remaining heart honors until one of them wins. However, this doesn’t work because there aren’t enough entries to North unless East plays the king on the first round of hearts.

You've identified the problem! Can you figure out the solution? Clearly winning 1 diamond and playing hearts doesn't work due to entries, as you have correctly identified...

[johnu]

 kuhchung, on 2018-September-20, 11:16, said:

Cute hand, but don't post play problems double dummy unless it's... a double dummy problem

For some people, this is a single dummy problem. For others, it is a double dummy problem.

[kuhchung]

It's not even like there's a possible finesse to take where the card is offside... you just have to find the right line to overcome the entry problem. DD just distracts from this in my opinion.

Anyway that's neither here nor there.

[pescetom]

 kuhchung, on 2018-September-20, 14:52, said:

It's not even like there's a possible finesse to take where the card is offside... you just have to find the right line to overcome the entry problem. DD just distracts from this in my opinion.

I usually do post SD first then DD later, but in this case I thought DD did not help much anyway. An intermediate is likely to still have difficulty in eliminating the impossible to embrace the unlikely.

[pescetom]

Duplicate

[perfectbid]

play ♦A, ♦K and drop ♥A on ♦K. run ♥Q discarding a ♣ if East does not cover.

[ShirleyMqz]

I got this by remembering the lesson of the tenth chapter of a book by George Coffin. Now there's an obscure hint for you!

[thawp66]

It’s always a SD problem, since it doesn’t matter who has the !H K.

[Cyberyeti]

 perfectbid, on 2018-September-21, 00:50, said:

play ♦A, ♦K and drop ♥A on ♦K. run ♥Q discarding a ♣ if East does not cover.

Correct

In real play, I've only seen one hand where discarding an ace might have been necessary, unfortunately the opps didn't find the lead that would have necessitated it.

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Unusual auction consisting only of jump bids and the best hand I've ever held opposite a 2♣ opener, unfortunately they didn't lead a spade

[msjennifer]

An easy single dummy problem similar to GEORGE S COFFINS UNBLOCKING as described in one of his masterpieces "FROM A TO Z"

[pescetom]

 msjennifer, on 2018-September-21, 02:03, said:

An easy single dummy problem similar to GEORGE S COFFINS UNBLOCKING as described in one of his masterpieces "FROM A TO Z"

Out of interest, after a 1S opening would you force to game with North hand?

[kenberg]

Since it is described as a classroom problem, perhaps a classroom observation is appropriate. It can be very useful to count 12 tricks and then plan out how they will be taken. In this case. it's 7 spade tricks,. 2 heart tricks, 2 diamond tricks, 1 club trick..

What can go wrong? And what can be done? As soon as we see that the heart A is not needed to total 12, and then see that is an obstacle, we are apt to see the solution.

Not all hands can be thoroughly planned at T1, but some can. Not that I always take my own advice.

[The_Badger]

 perfectbid, on 2018-September-21, 00:50, said:

play ♦A, ♦K and drop ♥A on ♦K. run ♥Q discarding a ♣ if East does not cover.

Welcome to the forum and well done!

[Tramticket]

 pescetom, on 2018-September-21, 03:27, said:

Out of interest, after a 1S opening would you force to game with North hand?

A 4NT opening (asking for specific aces) is a bid that I never make at the table - but often seem to make in discussion forums.

[gordontd]

 Tramticket, on 2018-September-21, 09:22, said:

A 4NT opening (asking for specific aces) is a bid that I never make at the table - but often seem to make in discussion forums.

It wouldn't help you here, if you got the answer of two aces.

Just realised you might be talking about the original hand. It still wouldn't help, but in this case because you don't have enough tricks.

[gordontd]

 Cyberyeti, on 2018-September-21, 01:54, said:

Correct

In real play, I've only seen one hand where discarding an ace might have been necessary, unfortunately the opps didn't find the lead that would have necessitated it.

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Unusual auction consisting only of jump bids and the best hand I've ever held opposite a 2♣ opener, unfortunately they didn't lead a spade

Wouldn't be such a great contract if the reason for not leading a spade was not having one.