[Apollo81]

Jlall, on Nov 10 2006, 01:45 PM, said:

AJxx xxx 9xx Jxx
KQTx AKJ9 JT AKx

Playing imps you arrive at 3N after 2N p 3N. 4S is better obviously but partner forgot there was a way to find 4-4 major suit fits The opps lead a standard 9 of spades. What line do you take?

LHO is probably 2344 or 33(34) for this lead. I feel that he would lead a 5-card minor instead of the ♠9 or that he would lead from ♥Q10xx instead of the ♠9.

Without reading into the lead, the best technical line is to cash the ♣AK and ♥A and finesse the ♥J. Given the lead, I don't think the cashing can help so the best technical play is probably an immediate finesse of the ♥J. However I am tempted to finesse the ♥9 instead. If LHO had held ♥10x then he might (should?) have led that instead of ♠9xx. If LHO has basically anything else then we can pick up the hearts by cashing the ♥AK later. Also, if I finesse the ♥9, it is extremely unlikely that LHO will play me for the ♥AKJ, so he may defend passively rather than shifting to a diamond, thus allowing me to make on "unmakable" hands.

[Codo]

I will finesse to the heart nine at trick two. Technical, there are better ways, but I try to find the way where they have it as difficult as possible to switch to a damond when my finesse looses.

[pclayton]

3 spades and a diamond toward my hand has a lot of appeal. It may:

1) Get a favorable return from LHO (happens a lot more than it should)

2) Start to rectify the count for a rounded suit squeeze against either opponent if they cash their diamonds (assuming they are 4-4)

LHO went passive, so I expect some bits and pieces (in ♦'s) over there, and no 5 (or real good) 4 card suit. Come to think about it; LHO is going to have a real hard time if he has the kind of hand I envision: 98x, Qxx, KQxx, Qxx (could have xxx in either rounded suit too).

RHO will be hard pressed to pitch a ♦ from 5, and the pitch will reveal a little about the hand - I expect something honest.

[Winstonm]

J of spades from dummy and 10 from hand - immediate heart to the J.

The better technical line of cashing the club AK before trying the heart finesse is offset IMO by the deception and lack of information available to the opps at tricks 2 and 3. If LHO has AQxx of diamonds, he/she won't know if the heart suit is AJ10 or AJ10x along with Kxx of diamonds - from that perspective a diamond shift blows the contract. Plus, if the club Q does not come down and the heart is offside, the diamond switch is pinpointed and the added undertricks are considerable.

[fred]

I think there is a lot to be said for the deceptive line of winning the Ace of spades and playing a diamond to your Jack at trick 2. This sort of play is especially appealling if you think your opponents would not expect you to do something like this.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com