[mishovnbg]

No vul, dealer S, IMP

K8
543
K1075
AJ43

A1092
KQ6
J32
KQ5

1NT -(2SP)-2NT(leb)-p
3CL(leb)-p -3NT(show stop, no 4 HE)
all pass

Lead: Q SP

How do you play it and why?

Note: Corrected R->K, thanks to Free :
Misho

[Free]

I suspect R = King? So play the SK and small S to the 9. Then you start working on the Diamonds.

This hand seems like one I've played last week... :

[rtewari]

Quote

I suspect R = King? So play the SK and small S to the 9. Then you start working on the Diamonds.

This hand seems like one I've played last week... :

That will be down 1 if West has 6 spades and both red aces and East has 3 or more diamonds with queen. West will clear spades and you have only eight tricks.

I think it is good odds to play West for diamond ace. My line would be win in dummy with spade king and cross to hand with a club and lead a diamond to king. If it holds now you concede a spade as defence cannot get more than 2 diamonds, 1 spade and 1 heart.

[inquiry]

I agree with Rajeshwar. who seems to be always right on these play problems. To give a spade now seems to likey to run into down one when overcaller holds six spades and the two red aces.

If East has the heart ace, you will make no matter how you play, so figure overcaller has that card. The remaining key cards are the diamond ACE and QUEEN. If overcaller has the diamond ACE, leading up to the king wins. But what if EAST has that card. He will use the ace to behead the king, and if he finds a heart through you (and he maybe out of spades), you are sunk.

I see two alternative lines. One is to cash four rounds of clubs, and hope that WEST discard weakens his hand in some material (or non-material) way. If such winners are not needed for transportation, you will be surprised how often taking your side suit winners causes discard problems for your opponents. West discard a diamond from doubleton honor? That only helps. West discards a couple of hearts? Your problems are mostly over. If he discards too many spades, you can turn your attention back to spades.

The alternative play is a tatical one that might win even when it loses. Play a low diamond from dummy. This works unless EAST pops up with the diamond Queen from legth and switches to a heart, and EAST who bid 2S has four or more hearts to the ACE. That is long chance. First RHO unless he is genius will not popup with diamond honor, and LHO who bid spades in this day and age of two suited notrump overcalls is fairly unlikely to have a crappy spade suit and a long (4+ heart suit).

I believe I would run my clubs, and discard a diamond, but leading a low diamond from dummy has a lot to say for it.

Ben

[flytoox]

Quote

The alternative play is a tatical one that might win even when it loses. Play a low diamond from dummy. This works unless EAST pops up with the diamond Queen from legth and switches to a heart, and EAST who bid 2S has four or more hearts to the ACE. That is long chance. First RHO unless he is genius will not popup with diamond honor, and LHO who bid spades in this day and age of two suited notrump overcalls is fairly unlikely to have a crappy spade suit and a long (4+ heart suit).
Ben

This is my line.

[mishovnbg]

Hi all!

Here is full board:

K8
543
K1075
AJ43
QJ765 42
A1076 J94
A9 Q843
54 10876
A1092
KQ6
J32
KQ5

Misho

[Trpltrbl]

Quote

Quote

I suspect R = King? So play the SK and small S to the 9. Then you start working on the Diamonds.

This hand seems like one I've played last week... :

That will be down 1 if West has 6 spades and both red aces and East has 3 or more diamonds with queen. West will clear spades and you have only eight tricks.

I think it is good odds to play West for diamond ace. My line would be win in dummy with spade king and cross to hand with a club and lead a diamond to king. If it holds now you concede a spade as defence cannot get more than 2 diamonds, 1 spade and 1 heart.

I agree to play D to the K, we have to make sure we don't get H back from wrong side. And this seems to work most of the time.

Mike ;D