[gnasher]

mikeh, on Jul 8 2009, 05:41 PM, said:

So I think that LHO is in fact 4=2=2=5.

In which case, how can it be wrong to win the diamond K and lead the heart Q?

"How did you manage to beat 4♥ on that hand where you were 4126 with the red aces?"

"We didn't beat it - declarer just played it off."

"What did he do?"

"He led ♥Q from dummy. I'd made it really easy for him too - I couldn't resist bidding 1♠ over 1♥, and he'd seen both of my diamonds, so he ought to have known I was short in hearts."

"Bizarre. I thought he was supposed to be able to play?"

[mikeh]

gnasher, on Jul 8 2009, 02:41 PM, said:

mikeh, on Jul 8 2009, 05:41 PM, said:

So I think that LHO is in fact 4=2=2=5.

In which case, how can it be wrong to win the diamond K and lead the heart Q?

"How did you manage to beat 4♥ on that hand where you were 4126 with the red aces?"

"We didn't beat it - declarer just played it off."

"What did he do?"

"He led ♥Q from dummy. I'd made it really easy for him too - I couldn't resist bidding 1♠ over 1♥, and he'd seen both of my diamonds, so he ought to have known I was short in hearts."

"Bizarre. I thought he was supposed to be able to play?"

equally bizarre... declarer thought LHO knew how to defend... explain to me in detail how I was going to make the contract on a spade or club lead when trump were 4-1?

[gnasher]

mikeh, on Jul 8 2009, 09:13 PM, said:

equally bizarre... declarer thought LHO knew how to defend... explain to me in detail how I was going to make the contract on a spade or club lead when trump were 4-1?

Cash the black-suit winners, ruff a club (if you're in dummy), lead a diamond the the king, play a diamond back to LHO's ace, ruff the return, lead a heart to LHO's ace, ruff the return, cash ♦Q, ruff a diamond.

[karlson]

Obviously it depends on the opponents, but I've never seen anyone bid 1s here with 4324, but I've definitely seen people pass 1c on a 5-count. I'm not sure what inference can be taken from the lead other than that the opponents are not very good. I can't picture any hand for lefty that I would ever lead the ♦A from.

[mikeh]

gnasher, on Jul 8 2009, 03:45 PM, said:

mikeh, on Jul 8 2009, 09:13 PM, said:

equally bizarre... declarer thought LHO knew how to defend... explain to me in detail how I was going to make the contract on a spade or club lead when trump were 4-1?

Cash the black-suit winners, ruff a club (if you're in dummy), lead a diamond the the king, play a diamond back to LHO's ace, ruff the return, lead a heart to LHO's ace, ruff the return, cash ♦Q, ruff a diamond.

Gnasher...

This is a complex hand, but your line fails on a spade lead and, I think, on a club lead. You end up getting tapped and rho ruffs your diamond Q in the endgame.

There is a better line on a club lead, I think: top clubs, ruff a club, two rounds of diamonds, ducking to LHO's A... win the spade... lead the diamond Q... if LHO ruffs, you plan to do a cross-ruff to elope with your small trump, while ruffing a diamond in dummy.... 1 spade, 1 diamond, 2 clubs 5 trump in hand and a diamond ruff. If LHO pitches, then play another diamond... But I think a spade lead always beats it.... altho i have not studied it much further.
.

[gnasher]

mikeh, on Jul 9 2009, 05:03 PM, said:

This is a complex hand, but your line fails on a spade lead and, I think, on a club lead. You end up getting tapped and rho ruffs your diamond Q in the endgame.

There is a better line on a club lead, I think: top clubs, ruff a club, two rounds of diamonds, ducking to LHO's A... win the spade... lead the diamond Q... if LHO ruffs, you plan to do a cross-ruff to elope with your small trump, while ruffing a diamond in dummy.... 1 spade, 1 diamond, 2 clubs 5 trump in hand and a diamond ruff. If LHO pitches, then play another diamond... But I think a spade lead always beats it.... altho i have not studied it much further.

[In case anyone's lost track, we're talking about LHO's being 4126 with the red aces, on a black suit lead.]

Yes, you're right that I can't afford to be forced three times, having played hearts myself, because that lets RHO throw three diamonds away.

However, I don't see why your suggestion doesn't work on a spade lead: I can win the second spade, cash clubs throwing a spade, ruff a club (RHO pitches a diamond), diamond to the king, diamond to the ace, club (RHO pitches another diamond), ♦Q.

A stronger defence is for LHO to take ♦A on the first round, then play another club. The idea is that after unblocking the diamonds I'll have to force myself a third time, allowing East to throw yet another diamond. However, I can counter that by playing ♦K under the ace. The extra diamond winner is an illusion - as long as East hasn't thrown three diamonds away, I only need one diamond winner, because I can ruff the other two.

One more thing: after a diamond lead, I think you were going to survive your original plan of leading ♥Q at trick two. Say that LHO switches to a club. As long as you remember to cash ♣AK and ruff a club, you're OK: ♥K, ♦Q, ♠A, diamond ruff, club.