[akhare]

MPs, NV vs. V, you are in 3♦ against silent opps after after a forcing 1N sequence (playing 2/1):

1♠ - 1N - 2♣ - 3♦

J
KX
AJT8XXXX
XX

Opps lead a small ♣ and dummy hits w/:

AQ9XX
XXX
X
AQXX

You decide to play Q♣ and it holds. A ♦ off the board to the T♦ fetches a small ♦ from RHO. LHO wins with K♦ and exits w/ T♠.

Any thoughts?

[Codo]

IS there any reason for lho to switch to spades facing Aqxxx in dummy and a known shortness in my hand? He can continue clubs without risking anything. So I guess, he won´t have the King, so I decline the finesse and try to roll home with loosing just two hearts and two trumps.
Should be a fair result. And the cannce, the the Heart King will score a trick is much higher then chance, that the spade finesse is working.

[akhare]

Codo, on Oct 9 2006, 03:02 AM, said:

IS there any reason for lho to switch to spades facing Aqxxx in dummy and a known shortness in my hand? He can continue clubs without risking anything. So I guess, he won´t have the King, so I decline the finesse and try to roll home with loosing just two hearts and two trumps.
Should be a fair result. And the cannce, the the Heart King will score a trick is much higher then chance, that the spade finesse is working.

The actual ♠ holding AQ9XX. In this case LHO made a brilliant (or clueless) defensive play -- the latter is more likely based on the level of competition.

In any case, pard reasonably declined the finesse, took the probable ruffing finesse in ♠ against RHO, pitching a ♥ (in case A♥ was offside).

Curtains -- LHO held KTX (!!!) and didn't have A♥ either. Needless to say that play didn't MP very well compared to the more mundane play of A♦, ♠ finesse, A♠ pitching ♥, then ♠ ruff, A♣ to board, then 9♠ pitching ♥ as LHO ruffs in w/ natural trump trick.

You might argue that pard should have taken the above line to begin with at MPs, but we wouldn't get to see this ploy would we?