[ewj]

Scoring: IMP

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Dealer opens 4S and that ends the auction. Partner leads the DK (from AK for count often).

Dummy hits with
KT
JT7
QJ7
KJ652


So you play the 6 (UDCA) to show your doubleton and declarer the 3.

Partner now plays the 7 of clubs, declarer puts the king up and you take the ace, declarer dropping the 9. What now? At the table the ace of hearts was now cashed...declarer played the 3 and partner the 9 (disc)....

Over to you....club ruff or another diamond?

[ASkolnick]

The way partner played, he better have a stiff club. Why would he break a 5-card suit unless looking for a club ruff. I don't think he is underleading Qx in clubs. Setting up the suit could be really dangerous.

So, I give him the club ruff, have him cash the diamond and try to give an uppercut for down 2.

If he did do it from Qx, it is a very strange play.

[kfay]

I'm giving partner his club ruff. This will go down multiple tricks since I find it unlikely partner is 2371 with the diamond AK and didn't overcall.

[MFA]

Club ruff. Partner's shift to a club shows a singleton.

[pclayton]

Pard has a stiff club. Period. With just about any heart holding, pard should shift into the preemptor looking at ♣Q7.

Pard can definitely read us for a maximum of 2 diamonds. Can we automatically infer that a 2nd diamond isn't cashing? I think we can. If declarer had the stiff ♣ Q, he's handed away the contract if declarer holds something like AQxxxxxx Ax xx Q.

We can place declarer with a 7=3=1=2 / 8=2=1=2 or a 9=1=1=2. The last shape is unusual, since that leaves pard with 12 red cards, and I doubt that hand passes 4♠.

Therefore, I'll take the straightforward line of A♣ and try for -2.

[ewj]

Suppose declarer thinks for a few seconds before putting the king up, like nothing major but noticeable. Would that ever affect your decision here?

[pclayton]

ewj, on Sep 9 2008, 07:03 AM, said:

Suppose declarer thinks for a few seconds before putting the king up, like nothing major but noticeable. Would that ever affect your decision here?

No. I won't allow myself to be coffee-housed, and the difference between a 2nd and 3rd club trick for declarer is immaterial.