[y66]

CT then CA then CK then club hoping pard has Jxx in clubs and Qx in spades.

Don't like my chances. Can't think of anything else though.

[kenrexford]

Let's see. Trying to find greatest play ever...

The obvious first thought I have is winning the club Ace to return the 10. That's about as counter-intuitive as I can get with these cards.

This line relies on partner to have five clubs, and hence Declarer a stiff, and Declarer opting to ruff in because he does not yet see any problem.

The next move would be partner's I think, like dropping the Queen from Q-third to make it look like I have a stack and that LHO has seven clubs.

now he fears losing the J and 9 of spades, plus whatever partner's second-best spade might be, now placed perhaps in my hand.

He seems to need a losing position in diamond also, so I'll give Declarer a plausible hand of ♠AKxxxxx ♥xxxx ♦x ♣x.

He ruffs the second club, tied one each, with ♠AKxxxx ♥xxxx ♦x ♣-- remaining. He tries the spade Ace for a third trick and the "bad news." The odds now seem to favor the ruffing finesse in diamonds, and he thinks he has a paucity of entries. So, he crosses to the diamond Ace to lead out the diamond Queen, planning to let her ride and pitch a heart loser. The surprise hits him when the diamond Queen loses to partner's King.

At this point, Declarer has lost two, with ♠Kxxxx ♥xxx ♦-- ♣-- remaining. Partner must keep up the ruse and not touch a club. So, he exits as passive diamond, won in dummy with Declarer pitching a heart. Fearing that I might pitch a heart on the club, Declarer also cannot play a club (although he should smell a rat for my partner's failure to play that top club himself). So, Declarer ruffs a diamond, allowing me to pitch a heart.

Declarer is now down to, say, ♠K108x ♥xx ♦-- ♣--, having lost two tricks but not yet touching hearts. He thinks that I am down to ♠J9xx ♥xx.

At this point, his line seems easy. He cashes two hearts before leading anything from dummy. He ruffs as cheaply as he can before exiting small to endplay me.

Instead, he gets the second heart ruffed by my partner, who then exists the club finally to endplay Declarer.

Eh, maybe.

[nige1]

Jlall, on Sep 13 2008, 09:59 PM, said:

Dealer: South Vul: Both Scoring: IMP

♠   ♥ AKxxx ♦ AQJxx ♣ Qxx   ♠ J9x ♥ xxx ♦ xxx ♣ AKT9

South opens 4S r/r at imps. South is an aggressive but not crazy player who is capable of opening 4S both lighter and heavier than textbooks might recommend. Everyone passes and partner leads the C3 3/5th and the 2 is missing. Declarer plays low, over to you?

Unfortunately, neither of my guesses win any brilliancy prizes and my reconstructions make a ♣ lead unlikely

• If declarer has ♣xxx then it is sufficient that partner holds a ♠ honour. Declarer might well false card with say ♣xx2, so y66's defence of four rounds of ♣ seems reasonable. You hope that decarer has, say
  ♠ AKQxxxxxx ♥- ♦ K ♣ xxx
  
• Alternatively, you might reckon that partner is unlikely to lead from ♣Jxx, so you hope that declarer has four ♣. Win with ♣AK and give partner a ♣ ruff. Playing declarer for say
  ♠ AKTxxxxxx ♥- ♦- ♣ Jxxx or
  ♠ AKTxxxxx ♥ J ♦- ♣ Jxxx

[nige1]

Sorry duplicate post

[kenrexford]

OK, so what's the best play ever? (A non-BBF friend is wildly curious.)

[han]

You play low, declarer wins the jack and pitches his other 3 clubs on the hearts and diamonds. That's the best play ever. Partner lead the 3 from 32.

[jikl]

There is always of course the option that declarer is 7051 and the ♣3 is a sort of McKenney asking you to return ♦s.

Sean

[Apollo81]

The question being asked is do we play partner for ♣32 and the ♠Q or do we play partner for ♣Jx3 and the ♠10 or better.

I suspect East tried the latter play at the table, but the former position is what was going on. Hence "BEST PLAY EVER", sarcastically.

I think I would play partner for 3-2 doubleton. I don't know why partner would lead from Jxx from a hand like Qx Q10xx K10xx Jxx -- I would lead either red suit before I would lead a club. It is easier to see partner leading a doubleton from a hand like Qx Q10xx K10xxx xx

[y66]

Quote

You play low, declarer wins the jack and pitches his other 3 clubs on the hearts and diamonds. That's the best play ever. Partner lead the 3 from 32.

I've made way better plays than this, but not lately.

[jdonn]

Apollo81, on Sep 17 2008, 09:46 AM, said:

The question being asked is do we play partner for ♣32 and the ♠Q or do we play partner for ♣Jx3 and the ♠10 or better. 

I suspect East tried the latter play at the table, but the former position is what was going on.  Hence "BEST PLAY EVER", sarcastically. 

I think I would play partner for 3-2 doubleton.  I don't know why partner would lead from Jxx from a hand like Qx Q10xx K10xx Jxx -- I would lead either red suit before I would lead a club.  It is easier to see partner leading a doubleton from a hand like Qx Q10xx K10xxx xx

There is another big factor. If partner has Jx3 and you play high, you might just easily beat them anyway. All he needs is Kxx of spades.

Also he might have a singleton...

[MFA]

I think playing low and hoping for exactly Jxx is much too big.

[pclayton]

jdonn, on Sep 17 2008, 07:03 AM, said:

Apollo81, on Sep 17 2008, 09:46 AM, said:

The question being asked is do we play partner for ♣32 and the ♠Q or do we play partner for ♣Jx3 and the ♠10 or better. 

[snip)

There is another big factor. If partner has Jx3 and you play high, you might just easily beat them anyway. All he needs is Kxx of spades.

Also he might have a singleton...

Don't forget to thank pard for making the killing lead.