[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

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Here was an interesting hand from the weekend congress in Ireland. At my table, partner opened an Ekren 2♥ in 2nd and I bid 3NT. I got a favourable club lead and was later able to make the contract on poor defense when East shifted to the ♦J.

At a friend's table, it was his RHO that made an Ekren 2♥ opening and he eventually ended up in 3NT. He received a spade lead to his Q which won and he later made the contract by leading a low club from hand an unexpectedly winning the 8.

The question was, can the contract be made on best defense (not sure if this is a low diamond or spade lead). You have the menace of setting up two spade tricks or three heart tricks, the diamond finesse or various throw ins. I don't have deep finesse available as we won't have our internet connection up until Friday, but I don't like solving double dummy problems that way anyway. Anyone want to have a go?

[Walddk]

No, the contract can't be made on best defence, but it's a defence I predict that no one will find at the table. West must lead his singleton heart, or ♠A and switch to a heart!

Say he leads a heart. Declarer must duck, and East switches to a spade to West's ace. Now we abandon that suit as well and return the ♦9! One way or another the defence will now come to 5 tricks.

If you find that defence, I would rather not play against you. By the way, I won't have to, will I? You are surely on your way to Estoril to take part in the Bermuda Bowl starting next week, are you not?

Roland

[Trpltrbl]

Can't be made with prefect defense.
Question is just how many people will find it.
Leading ♠ Ace is pretty much out, leading that small ♥ might actually be found, you know opps "deny" ♥ fit, so pd must have some.
But I think in real life most will lead some ♣.

GBB