[han]

Scoring: IMPs

1♦ - 1♥
3♦ - 3♠
3NT - 6NT

---

The bidding and final contract are not great but this is how it went at the table. The heart 7 is lead, plan the play.

If it matters, LHO is very good and RHO is also a pro player and while you may be somewhat sound, you are not known for imaginative plays.

[ArtK78]

I know that the technically correct play would be cash the AK of hearts, to see if the ♥Q would fall, cash the ♠A to see if the ♠Q would fall, run the diamonds and finesse the spade for your 12th trick.

The imaginative play would be win the ♥A and play a club to the K. Even if it loses, LHO won't know to return a club unless (1) RHO played a high club honor at trick 2 or (2) LHO holds the AQ of clubs.

Besides offering almost the same odds as the other plays (a straight 50% without all of the extra chances) it also has the merit of correcting the count for a real squeeze when LHO wins the ♣A and returns any other suit.

[pclayton]

Feh I like Italian slams better than Dutch ones

I'd lead a club up at T2. This may lead to extra undertricks, but its also very possible that RHO has the Ace, or that LHO doesn't continue clubs at T3, which lets me test the majors or possibly set up a squeeze, especially if they don't return a diamond.

[hrothgar]

I suspect that I will maintain my reputation for dull plays on this hand.

If the diamonds don't behave, I'm (essentially) down so I assume that the Diamonds behave.

I'd win the first heart and then play another top heart (pitching clubs from hand). If the Queen drops (It could happen) life is good. if the queen doesn't drop, I cash a top Spade and then run seven rounds of Diamonds, pitching hearts and the club

On the last Diamond, I come down to the following ending

♠ KJx
♥ J
♦
♣

♠ T
♥
♦ x
♣ KT

I'll lead the last Diamond and hope that LHO has to let something useful go.
If worse comes to worst, I can always hook the Spade

[ArtK78]

hrothgar, on Dec 18 2007, 01:26 PM, said:

I suspect that I will maintain my reputation for dull plays on this hand.

If the diamonds don't behave, I'm (essentially) down so I assume that the Diamonds behave.

I'd win the first heart and then play another top heart (pitching clubs from hand). If the Queen drops (It could happen) life is good. if the queen doesn't drop, I cash a top Spade and then run seven rounds of Diamonds, pitching hearts and the club

On the last Diamond, I come down to the following ending

♠ KJx
♥ J
♦
♣

♠ T
♥
♦ x
♣ KT

I'll lead the last Diamond and hope that LHO has to let something useful go.
If worse comes to worst, I can always hook the Spade

Given that the count has not been corrected, any squeeze that might develop would have to be in three suits. Not likely.

Essentially, if no major suit queen falls early, you are down to the spade finesse.

[hrothgar]

ArtK78, on Dec 18 2007, 09:29 PM, said:

hrothgar, on Dec 18 2007, 01:26 PM, said:

I suspect that I will maintain my reputation for dull plays on this hand.

If the diamonds don't behave, I'm (essentially) down so I assume that the Diamonds behave.

I'd win the first heart and then play another top heart (pitching clubs from hand).  If the Queen drops (It could happen) life is good.  if the queen doesn't drop, I cash a top Spade and then run seven rounds of Diamonds, pitching hearts and the club

On the last Diamond, I come down to the following ending

♠ KJx
♥ J
♦
♣

♠ T
♥
♦ x
♣ KT

I'll lead the last Diamond and hope that LHO has to let something useful go.
If worse comes to worst, I can always hook the Spade

Given that the count has not been corrected, any squeeze that might develop would have to be in three suits. Not likely.

Essentially, if no major suit queen falls early, you are down to the spade finesse.

Moreover, if a three suited squeeze is operating the finesse is on

[Apollo81]

hrothgar, on Dec 18 2007, 01:26 PM, said:

On the last Diamond, I come down to the following ending

♠ KJx
♥ J
♦
♣

♠ T
♥
♦ x
♣ KT

Clearly worse than trying a black suit finesse, since you need someone to hold all three guards.

[hrothgar]

Apollo81, on Dec 18 2007, 09:53 PM, said:

hrothgar, on Dec 18 2007, 01:26 PM, said:

On the last Diamond, I come down to the following ending

♠ KJx
♥ J
♦
♣

♠ T
♥
♦ x
♣ KT

Clearly worse than trying a black suit finesse, since you need someone to hold all three guards.

Doesn't look like this gains anything over the immediate finesse, however, you still have the option to finess at this point in time.

Lead the last Dimaond, pitching a heart and then lead a spade to the Jack

[Fluffy]

I like club at trick 2, but I am so worried about non club lead. Having no extra clubs in dummy decreases chances of it beign ducked.

I try ♥J from dummy.

[Halo]

I'd play the 'technical' line - spade finesse and all.

I admire the play to the club King, just would never do it.

[whereagles]

hrothgar's line puts a lot of pressure on opps' discards, so I might try that.

[Free]

whereagles, on Dec 18 2007, 09:50 PM, said:

hrothgar's line puts a lot of pressure on opps' discards, so I might try that.

Yeah, and he might just have an endplay against East

[Codo]

I try the Club too. This has more to gain then just the 50 % from a working finesse.
If LHo does not own AQ, he would seldom return the suit.
Intersting side question would be, what to do, if RHO plays the jack on the first round of clubs...

[Gerben42]

Playing ♣ to the King directly sounds like a Brink type of play. And since I mean this as a compliment, I'll do that.

So win the ♥A, play ♣ to the King and Ace, another ♥ comes back and you win. Cash ♠A and run the ♦.

[han]

I'd certainly take that as a compliment Gerben. That's how I played, but since the club ace was onside I'll never know if lefty would find the club return. I think that would be a very difficult defense from AJxx.

[pclayton]

Hannie, on Dec 19 2007, 10:11 AM, said:

I'd certainly take that as a compliment Gerben. That's how I played, but since the club ace was onside I'll never know if lefty would find the club return. I think that would be a very difficult defense from AJxx.

It's even possible LHO might duck the club looking at AJxx to avoid rectifying the count.

[han]

Claytonned!

[cherdano]

pclayton, on Dec 19 2007, 02:00 PM, said:

Hannie, on Dec 19 2007, 10:11 AM, said:

I'd certainly take that as a compliment Gerben. That's how I played, but since the club ace was onside I'll never know if lefty would find the club return. I think that would be a very difficult defense from AJxx.

It's even possible LHO might duck the club looking at AJxx to avoid rectifying the count.

Against some players (and I won't name any gnames here), the club play is 75%, as it only fails when LHO has ♣AQ.