[Trumpace]

Scoring: Rubber

Spade lead.

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You are South in 3NT. You get a spade lead. Plan the play.

[jillybean]

I never get these right but here goes..

Unless ♦ break badly you should have 10(11) tricks, 2♠, 1♥, 1♣, 6(7)♦.
I think you must protect against a 4-0 ♦ split with LHO. If RHO has 4♦ I cant see how you can make the contract.

Win ♠A
Play ♦Ace, if East doesnt follow play low ♣ to Q.
Low ♦ ,covering Wests play - play high ♦ and 4th (losing) ♦

[vuroth]

Win in hand, sacrifice a diamond. If both follow, I collect 6♦ 2♠ 1♣, and probably a ♥ overtrick.

If diamonds are 4-0 on my right, I think I'm cooked. If diamonds are 4-0 on my left, I can finesse the queen and collect as above (getting to my hand with the ace of clubs).

I don't see a way to combine my chances in clubs and diamonds - there just aren't enough entries, especially to hand.

V

[rbforster]

vuroth, on Oct 24 2007, 06:07 PM, said:

I don't see a way to combine my chances in clubs and diamonds - there just aren't enough entries, especially to hand.

Win in hand, play a diamond up intending to play the J if LHO follows (setting up 6 diamonds, 2 spades and a club if the Q is off).

If LHO shows out of diamonds, all is not lost. Win the A of diamonds and duck a club. Win the spade return on board and finesse the Q of clubs. If clubs are 3-2 with the K on side, you'll take 5 clubs, 2 diamonds, and 2 spades.

[bid_em_up]

jillybean2, on Oct 24 2007, 06:03 PM, said:

I never get these right but here goes..

Unless ♦ break badly you should have 10(11) tricks, 2♠, 1♥, 1♣, 6(7)♦.
I think you must protect against a 4-0 ♦ split with LHO. If RHO has 4♦ I cant see how you can make the contract.

Win  ♠A
Play ♦Ace, if East doesnt follow play low ♣ to Q.
Low ♦ ,covering Wests play -  play high ♦ and 4th (losing) ♦

JB, you have the right idea....but in the wrong fashion. If you win the spade Ace and cash the diamond Ace and diamonds break 4-0 (onside) you still will not be able to bring the diamond suit in before the opponents set you. You can set the suit up, but you have no entry back to dummy before the opponents cash the rest of the spades the heart ace and the diamond they have already won.

If the diamonds are 3-1, you can afford to lose 1 diamond trick.

Win the first spade in hand, and then duck a diamond in both hands. Now if LHO started with four, you can still bring the suit in by finessing on the 2nd round. It's the only way to assure making the contract as long as diamonds are not 4-0 offside. You will score 6 diamonds, two spades and the club Ace for your nine tricks.

Simple solution, but hard to see.

EDIT: You could win the spade ace in dummy, but then you must play a small diamond from dummy (not the ace) at trick two and still make.

[jtfanclub]

bid_em_up, on Oct 25 2007, 09:44 AM, said:

Win the first spade in hand, and then duck a diamond in both hands.

I think it's better to finesse the diamond. If diamonds are 3-1, you're still going to make the diamonds win or lose. If they're 4-0 on the left, you can then duck a diamond on the next trick and still cash out. If they're 4-0 on the right, well, then you can change your mind when LHO discards.

Finessing the jack on the first round doesn't make it more likely that you'll make the contract, but it doesn't hurt and significantly increases your odds of a couple of overtricks.

[pclayton]

jtfanclub, on Oct 25 2007, 07:06 AM, said:

bid_em_up, on Oct 25 2007, 09:44 AM, said:

Win the first spade in hand, and then duck a diamond in both hands.

I think it's better to finesse the diamond. If diamonds are 3-1, you're still going to make the diamonds win or lose. If they're 4-0 on the left, you can then duck a diamond on the next trick and still cash out. If they're 4-0 on the right, well, then you can change your mind when LHO discards.

Finessing the jack on the first round doesn't make it more likely that you'll make the contract, but it doesn't hurt and significantly increases your odds of a couple of overtricks.

Right. If RHO has length in both minors, there is some additional chances.

[bid_em_up]

jtfanclub, on Oct 25 2007, 10:06 AM, said:

bid_em_up, on Oct 25 2007, 09:44 AM, said:

Win the first spade in hand, and then duck a diamond in both hands.

I think it's better to finesse the diamond. If diamonds are 3-1, you're still going to make the diamonds win or lose. If they're 4-0 on the left, you can then duck a diamond on the next trick and still cash out. If they're 4-0 on the right, well, then you can change your mind when LHO discards.

Finessing the jack on the first round doesn't make it more likely that you'll make the contract, but it doesn't hurt and significantly increases your odds of a couple of overtricks.

You're right. Thats what I get for posting @ work.

The main point is that it is wrong to win the spade Ace at trick one, removing the quick entry to the hand that likely will need it later.

[Trumpace]

Follow up question. This time you are in 2NT.

Scoring: Rubber

Spade lead.

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You are South in 2NT. You get a spade lead. Plan the play.