[kfay]

Scoring: IMP

P-(1♣)-P-(1♦)
P-(1NT)-P-(3NT)
All Pass

---

Partner leads the 8 of spades. You win with the ACE (declarer playing the 9) and...

[ArtK78]

♣9.

Partner may have AQ7x of clubs, and it will be necessary to lead the 9 to take 4 tricks in the suit.

Hopefully partner can work out to return a small club upon winning declarer's 10 or J with his Q on the first round.

I almost led the ♣K at trick 2, but that would make it impossible to take 4 club tricks if partner has AQ7x. If partner holds AQJx or AQTx of clubs, my shift to the 9 may make it hard for him to continue the suit. But I think it is unlikely that declarer's clubs are that weak.

From the bidding, the lead and the play to trick one, declarer could hold this hand:

KJ9
Kxx
Axx
JTxx

[quiddity]

A slightly harder problem: what if declarer plays a low spade instead of the 9 to the first trick?

[pooltuna]

kfay, on Sep 16 2009, 11:44 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

P-(1♣)-P-(1♦)
P-(1NT)-P-(3NT)
All Pass

---

Partner leads the 8 of spades. You win with the ACE (declarer playing the 9) and...

fire back the ♣9 hopefully partner will have enough brains to return the suit.

[ArtK78]

quiddity, on Sep 16 2009, 01:56 PM, said:

A slightly harder problem: what if declarer plays a low spade instead of the 9 to the first trick?

If declarer plays a low spade at trick 1 then partner's 8 could be fourth-best from KJ98(x). Having won the ♠A at trick one, it is almost impossible for there to be a successful defense at this point, as declarer must have the ♣A and either the ♣Q or ♣J. But the little chance that remains is that declarer's clubs are no better than AJ5x. You need to switch to the ♣9 in the hope that partner has QT7x of clubs. Declarer's ninth trick is the ♠Q in dummy - you need to establish 3 club tricks before declarer gets to play a spade towards dummy's ♠Q.

[nigel_k]

Would partner lead his highest or second-highest from small cards?

[kfay]

nigel_k, on Sep 16 2009, 03:56 PM, said:

Would partner lead his highest or second-highest from small cards?

As high as he could afford, which is often 2nd highest.

[phil_20686]

My analysis was flawed.

9 clubs must be the only chance. It would be worth knowing if south would open 1d with 4-4 int he minors, or if partner would lead from an interior sequence. Im inclined to beleive that south is 3235, in which case there is no way to beat this i think.