[Winstonm]

Scoring: IMP

W N E S
1D P 1S Dble
2S P 4S All pass.

You lead the heart Ace - pards play show 3 and RHO plays the Q. You continue with the heart king and declarer follows with the J. You exit with a third heart, which declarer ruffs. Declarer now lead a spade to the Q, while you pitch a club, and ruffs the last heart, partner playing a discouraging diamond spot. Now declarer plays a low club toward the Q. How do you defend?

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[HeartA]

I am wondering why I didn't cash ♣A at trick 3 before exiting with 3rd ♥?

Well, now I exit with a club.

[pclayton]

I'm putting declarer on the ♠K and ♦Q.

This hand is curious. I worked out a lot of combinations where I needed to rise with the A♣ and play the last heart, to kill a red suit squeeze against myself, but then I noticed that declarer eliminated the heart himself

If declarer has ♦Qx, I think we've have this hand beat.

If declarer is 6=2=1=4, without the K♣, declarer has flat blundered by not conceding a club early. if declarer has 6=2=1=4 with the K♣, 10 tricks are still there, since the defense can't play trump.

The relevant hands are 5=2=1=5's I think.

If Declarer has:

1. KJxxx, QJ, Q, KTxxx, Declarer is cold.

2. KJxxx, QJ, Q, Txxxx, I need to duck and let pard play a trump. But with this hand, its so obvious for declarer to concede a club early.

3. Kxxxx, QJ, Q, KTxxx, I need to win the club, exit with the K♦, and let pard get his trump promotion on the 3rd club (I think; its early)

This hand is maddening. I don't want to hand the contract back to declarer if he holds the ♦Qx.

Winston, who is my RHO? Someone good? If thats the case, I will win the A♣ and play the K♦, as this seems like the only chance. If its a lesser being, I will duck, and let pard play a trump (hopefully).

I'd want to be at the table when I show out on the ♠. If declarer shows visible signs of stress, ducking especially seems best.

I've spent 45 minutes on this, and I'm dying to know the hand now.

[Winstonm]

Declarer was Jack Blair, who can play a little bit.

Here is the hand:

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At his table, our partner's cashed the heart A, K, then the club A, and led the third heart, establishing a diamond/heart squeeze for +420.

The only way to beat this is to play three rounds of hearts, and if declarer plays as described, return a club after winning the Ace.

If declarer does not strip the hearts, you have to play 3 rounds of hearts then a fourth heart after winning the club Ace as to kill the heart threat. Certainly a difficult hand to find the winning defense as it seems "normal" to cash the club Ace and sit back and wait for the diamond King to score.

An addendum to this hand: What do you lead in this auction?

1S-P-3D*-P
3S-P-4S-X
P-P-P

3D is a game forcing spade raise with poor contols.

Your hand:

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