[1eyedjack]

[FONT=Courier]

Scoring: IMP


W------N------ E------S
2C!(1)-3H----P(2)----P
3N-----X------P-------P
P
(1) Strong 2 in an unspecified suit
(2) Dubious - prefer either 3N or X, but no damage - not relevant
North leads ♣AK, South following.
Plan the play

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[Dwingo]

If you say you fell from grace, it is big clue for some spectacular unblocking.

Unblock ♥A & ♥K under the ♣K & ♣Q and take the ♦ hook when you get an entry to the dummy

If they shift to ♥ after cashing only the top 2 clubs, then you have tempo to establish the spade entry to dummy to take the ♦ finnesse

[Flame]

You said AK of clubs but didnt say what continued, i am guessing heart.
play AK of diamond you cant afford not trying for 3-2 diamond (or sng 10/Q) even if its a question in a forum.
If diamonds doesnt work, play a spade to dummy, then play club, they take and come back with heart, take that play A of spade and another spade, they will let give you the entry entry.

[Trpltrbl]

Not being told what card they play after the A K of ♣. Will wait for that and then give my answer.

Mike

[Fluffy]

the next card will be told after you discard fromyour hand of course.

I don´t see the danger discarding a ♠ as long as I don´t block the suit if they swith to it, if ♣ are 5-3 I´ll need to bank on ♦ finese or drop, but if it isn´t just cash top major hjonors and ♦A and exit with a ♠, my 9 tricks are:

3♠, 3♥, 2♦, 1♣.

[Flame]

the best discard is diamond, if diamonds work you will have enough tricks anyway.
Discarding a spade is not good because on a heart continuation if the diamonds doesnt work you will be left with short of entries to dummy.
discarding the A of spade isnt good either because then you will lose 5 tricks if diamonds are 3-2 (3 clubs 1D 1S)

[Flame]

Fluffy, on May 15 2004, 06:30 PM, said:

the next card will be told after you discard fromyour hand of course.

I don´t see the danger discarding a ♠ as long as I don´t block the suit if they swith to it, if ♣ are 5-3 I´ll need to bank on ♦ finese or drop, but if it isn´t just cash top major hjonors and ♦A and exit with a ♠, my 9 tricks are:

3♠, 3♥, 2♦, 1♣.

They doesnt have to play the club for you

[1eyedjack]

Scoring: IMP

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Well done all. As you surmise, the "sleepy" low ♠ discard at trick 2 is the trap (they continue with ♣Q and switch to ♥. Now you cannot avoid 2 more losers out of the ♠K, ♦Q and ♦T).

The flamboyant discard of ♥ as suggested works, although a low ♦ discard works as well. Even the ♠A discard works.

If ♦ are 4-0 and ♠K is in the same hand as 5th ♣ then I suspect there is no play to make so you assume otherwise. Assuming you discard correctly on ♣K I suppose the best defence is to clear the ♣ suit to keep you worried about entries to the long ♣ even though there aren't any.

[Fluffy]

Arg!!! south is gonna end play me to give him ♦Q+3♣+♠K :-(((

[1eyedjack]

Minor correction:
Discarding ♠A at trick 2 fails (by ♠ switch at trick 3).
Discarding ♠A at trick 3 on ♣ continuation is still OK, however.

[Fluffy]

dumb post edited