[gwnn]

this is just another one of those boards where I ponder endlessly after T1 or thereupon and still not know what to do, and even though I feel the answer is probably clear-cut, I'm tangled in my previous thoughts, correct or not.

Scoring: IMP

opps are OK but their bidding is not 100% sound

---

after the sequence

        p-1♦
1♥-1♠-p-2♠
p-3♦-p-3NT

We, sitting west, try the lead of the Ace of ♥.

♥A-7-9-3.

udca

[blackshoe]

Lead the king of hearts at trick two.

[FrancesHinden]

Go back one step: you say you play "UDCA", but is partner's card count or attitude?

Standard in the UK is to lead the king from this holding asking for partner to unblock, or failing that give count.

I believe standard in the US is to lead the ace, asking for partner to unblock, or failing that to give count.

I don't know about elsewhere.

If partner's card is count, the answer is clear cut: you continue hearts. Partner has 1 or 3; if he has 1 your best chance is that the HQ is not exactly declarer's ninth trick*; if he has 3 the HQ is dropping.

*it is possible that declarer has, say, Kxx Qxx AQxxx Qx, but I think that is less likely than the heart continuation being right.

[gwnn]

I think it's just attitude, at least that's what I thought at the table.

[firmit]

The K♥ is the generic lead. If partner holds the Q, he should unblock expecting partner to have AKJx(xx).

However, it looks like south holds the Qxx - thus partner should lead hearts through south.

[gwnn]

firmit, on Jan 7 2008, 11:51 AM, said:

The K♥ is the generic lead. If partner holds the Q, he should unblock expecting partner to have AKJx(xx).

However, it looks like south holds the Qxx - thus partner should lead hearts through south.

so what's your t2 play?

[Codo]

To continue with a non heart wins, whenever pd wins the lead and is able to lead a heart through declarer. This needs declarer to declare 3 NT with exactly Qxx as a stopper in my 5+ card suit .
To continue a top Heart wins wheenver pd has 3 Heart or they do not have 8 cashing tricks in Spades and Diamonds.
I think the later is the much higher possibility.

[firmit]

gwnn, on Jan 7 2008, 11:59 AM, said:

firmit, on Jan 7 2008, 11:51 AM, said:

The K♥ is the generic lead. If partner holds the Q, he should unblock expecting partner to have AKJx(xx).

However, it looks like south holds the Qxx - thus partner should lead hearts through south.

so what's your t2 play?

Let's see - I see 10hp in table, 13hp in hand - South as probably 14hp when he accepted game invitation ( assuming 3♠ would be 15-17 fit points ). This leaves maximum a King for partner.... not much to hope for.

I would probably expect partner to hold the spade king which he will win anyway - so I would consider leading the J♣. If partner only had the 9 of hearts, he now have a reason for a club return... but I don't know... I am not an expert - far from it!

Added:
on second thought - if partner does hold the K♠, this would be his chance to lead a club so I can play my heart winners. Maybe I should continue hearts setting them up.... you know what - I have no idea what is the best line to play for - and I have sympathy for your puzzle

[Roupoil]

I would have continued hearts, playing South for Qxxx.

[Fluffy]

playing a club is too small target IMO. I'd just try ♥K and another heart.

[dicklont]

Continue hearts.
If the leader has Qx I win immediately.
If the leader has Qxx partner has to win a trick before he can play hearts, he can just as easily lead clubs a that time.
If the leader has Qxxx partner cannot even help me after he won that trick.

Just make the hearts good and wish South cannot win fast 9 tricks.

[DWM]

I would follow with the King (assuming I played ace first) then follow with the lowest heart to show where my entry is (unless South has 4 hearts then I play the Ten)

[kfay]

I wish I were playing obvious shift and not just standard attitude. Or count.

[dicklont]

DWM, on Jan 7 2008, 11:37 AM, said:

I would follow with the King (assuming I played ace first) then follow with the lowest heart to show where my entry is (unless South has 4 hearts then I play the Ten)

Spot on DWM!

[oldman5757]

They key is what does declarer have for his 3NT bid? I'm thinking he just about has to have 14 hcp. including 5 ♦, so continuing ♥ is too likely to give him 9 or even 10 tricks. (5♦, 4 ♠, 1 ♥). So, I'm switching to the ♣ jack.

Maybe partner has the ♣ K and a ♥ to return. If so, wonderful. If not, we're still alive if P has either the ♠ K, or, less likely, a slow ♦ winner. We' make 2 ♥ tricks, 2 ♣ tricks, plus P's winner, before declarer can come to 9.

If declarer has faked me out with something like Kxx-Qx- AQxxx-Kxx, it wouldn't be the first time. And probably not the last, sad to say.

[ArtK78]

First point. If your lead of the ♥A demands an unblock or count, which is a fairly normal agreement, and your count is UDCA, then continue hearts. Partner has either one or three hearts without the ♥Q. If, instead, your agreement is that the lead of the ♥K demands an unblock or count, then you should have led the ♥K. Continuing hearts is wrong only when partner has a singleton heart and the ♥Q is the opponent's 9th trick.

Second point. If for some reason you do not have an agreement where one of your honor leads demands unblock or count, you should shift to a spade. Partner's ♥9 is discouraging (attitude, not count). You hope that the opponents do not have 9 running tricks. A spade shift cannot give up a trick.

Shifting to a spade (or anything else) will be wrong when partner has a singleton heart and giving the opponents a trick with the ♥Q would not give them 9 tricks.

[pclayton]

kfay, on Jan 7 2008, 08:53 AM, said:

I wish I were playing obvious shift and not just standard attitude. Or count.

Agree, but if pard has the stiff 9, you haven't found out much.

If pard does has 9x and the ♣K, a club shift leads to a lot of tricks for us.

[oldman5757]

ArtK78, on Jan 7 2008, 01:19 PM, said:

  A spade shift cannot give up a trick.

of course, shifting to a ♠ can cost a trick, whenever declarer has the ♠ K, and 5 ♦ tricks to go along with his 4 ♠ tricks, which is not at all unlikely, eg, Kxx-Qxx-AQxxx-Qx.

A ♣ switch will deliver the 9th trick if declarer holds something like Kxx-Qxx-AJxxx-Kxx, but then contract is unbeatable. The ♣ switch works if P holds the ♣ K or the ♠ K, or even if declarer is holding something less likely, such as Kxx-Qxx-Axxx-KQx.

If declarer holds something like Kxx-Qxxx-AQxx-Kx, then the ♠ switch doesn't deliver the 9th trick immediately, but a good declarer will likely endplay you for a 9th trick.

[Codo]

If pd has the King of spade, continuing Heart or switch to a club will work- any reasonable line will.

But if he has the King of club and nothing more, we need to switch to a club now, because they will have 4 Diamonds and 4 Spades and a heart if declarer has Qxx or Qxxx in Hearts.
Switching to a club will only cost the undertricks two to four if pd has the king of spade or when declarer has just Qx (or less) in hearts but kxx in Clubs and a bidding misunderstanding- quite possible, if I understood the statement Czaba made.
But I changed my mind, a club switch now must be the better line to defeat the contract.

[lowerline]

gwnn, on Jan 7 2008, 04:49 AM, said:

I think it's just attitude, at least that's what I thought at the table.

I don't consider it likely declarer will have 5♦ after this bidding... (don't tell me he had Kxx-Qx-AQxxx-Kxx)

If it is count, declarer has a 4-4-3-2, but more likely a 3-4-4-2 and I will play ♣J/T. With Kxx-Qxxx-AQxx-Kx with declarer, he would always win (throw-in in ♥).

If it can be attitude from 9x, declarer has a 4-3-4-2, but more likely a 3-3-4-3 and I will play a passive ♠.

Without agreements you have to guess, but a ♠ seems most likely not to be wrong.

Steven