[Hanoi5]

You got to 6♥ with no opposition bidding:

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You won the lead in hand a played a heart to dummy's King (7♥-6♥-K♥-4♥) and then play a small heart from the table (♥2-♥3...)

Let's say you don't know your opponents (they're not that bad though), what would you play if:

1. ♣5 lead to the ♣Q and your ♣A.
2. High ♠ lead to the ♠9, ♠J and your ♠K.
3. RHO hadn't echo in the trump suit.

Also, do you have a rule on how to play 9 cards missing the Queen? What does it depend on?

[Phil]

Sorry, there's not much to guide me here.

1. The lead is from 53, 52 or 5. If anything, LHO rates to have the heart length but its not enough to tip the scales. I would have started with the Ace however to guard against Qxxx on my left.

2. Again, it looks like LHO has the heart length. Start with the Ace.

3. This is 'noise'. Ignore it unless you are playing against nervous morons.

[gnasher]

Hanoi5, on Jun 1 2009, 07:08 PM, said:

Also, do you have a rule on how to play 9 cards missing the Queen? What does it depend on?

"Eight ever, nine never."

Edit: sorry, this deserved a more serious response. With nothing to guide me, I wouldn't waste much time thinking about it. Just take the 2% edge offered by playing with the drop and see if the next board offers more scope for flair.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2009-June-01, 12:29

[mikeh]

I agree with Phil on how I would have started trump...

Players barely beyond utter novice give count all the time. I doubt that my rho is in that category.

The next stage, often found amongst advanced players, is to give false count.. so show 3 when holding 2. This works against declarers who either always give count themselves (and often feel that it is a sin to lie) or who think that the defender is a beginner.

Finally, players learn that this is a situation in which it is usually best to either randomize spots or to always play up the line... and I think the latter is more common...especially since there may be times when it is important to give suit preference in trump... to help partner, who may shortly be under pressure, to know which suit he can pitch...bearing in mind that this signal will also be noted by declarer.

Anyway, I play for the drop.

[MFA]

Quote

You got to 6♥ with no opposition bidding:

This is not enough info.

It's a possible play to start with the ♥A and finesse the opening leader. This is bad if he has ♥xx, but if he might have led a trump from that holding, it becomes less likely after a different lead. Especially if the actual lead doesn't seem particularly attractive.

To judge all this we need to consider our own bidding sequence and if it calls for an active lead or not.

The percentages of drop vs finesse are so close for this combination that I'm always inclined to use even the slightest clue as a basis for an educated guess.