[Hanoi5]

Scoring: IMP

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Bidding went:
Pass 1♥ 2♠ 3♦
Pass 4♣ Pass 5♣
All Pass

After ♠AK West led a diamond, the Jack getting the trick in dummy. I played two rounds of clubs (West holding 3) and then decided that I had to play hearts to see if they were breaking ('cause if they weren't I wasn't making the contract). West had a singleton heart. Did you spot the correct line?

[manudude03]

If you assume LHO has the ♦K (that would be a conservative 2♠ bid though), since the Jack held, then you can cash the Ace, ruff a diamond, draw trumps ending in dummy, ruff another low diamond if the King hasn't dropped. When the King drops, you can claim (taking 3 diamonds, 2 hearts, 3 clubs, 2 diamond ruffs and a heart ruff)

[Fluffy]

♦A+ruff a diamond at trick 4 before testing the trumps, when they don't break you have to make a decision for ♥3-2 or ♦K failing (if East ducked it he is my new hero).

[nige1]

Hanoi5, on Jan 11 2009, 06:58 AM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠ QT ♥ KT ♦ AQJxx ♣ Q743 ♠ Jx ♥ A9xxxx ♦   ♣ AKJ9x

Bidding went: Pass 1♥ 2♠ 3♦ Pass 4♣ Pass 5♣ All Pass After ♠AK West led a diamond, the Jack getting the trick in dummy. I played two rounds of clubs (West holding 3) and then decided that I had to play hearts to see if they were breaking ('cause if they weren't I wasn't making the contract). West had a singleton heart. Did you spot the correct line?

My guess: Assuming that your llow trjump is the ♣6 or ♣8: After ♦J wns, you can safely ruff a ♦x with ♣K. Otherwise you may risk ruffing a ♦ low. Now tackle trumps.

• If ♣ break 2-2, then you are home if either red suit breaks favourably.
  
• If ♣ are 3-1, then draw them ending in dummy. Cash ♦A. If both follow claim. else play ♥KA and ruff a ♥.
  
• If RHO has 4 ♣ then play ♥AK, ♦A (claim if ♦K drops). finesse ♣. Ruff ♥ with ♣Q, finesse ♣ and draw trumps

[lordorange]

I would play as follows:

West holds 6-card♠ on the bidding and (I hope) you played ♣AK leaving two entries to dummy. You know that west has 3 trumps, that leaves 4 cards in the red suits. If by any chance west has only a 5-card spade, it will come out in the wash anyway. Your source of tricks should be diamonds, not hearts. Play a trump to Q in dummy and lead a low diamond to ruff high. Play to ♥K and another low ♦ for a high ruff. Now you know that west has 3 or 4 diamonds left. Play a trump to dummy preserving your entry and ruff a low diamond. Cross with your last trump to dummy and play ♦AQ for your contract.
It would have been easier to ruff a small diamond immediately at trick 4 preserving another entry.

Henry

[Hanoi5]

I just ruled out the possibilities diamonds gave me. I just thought 'If clubs are 2-2, fine. If not, I hope whoever has 3 clubs also has 4 hearts' I didn't use the bidding in my analysis or even remember it.