[Fluffy]

ps-(ps)-1♠-(2♣)
4♠-(ps)-ps-(5♣)
5♠-all pass

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Lead is ♣A, spades are divided (LHO having the King if it matters)

Had no clue how to play the board

[the hog]

The lead has given you a tempo as opposed to a D lead.
I would ruff, cash SA, lead a S to dummy, ruff another C and play a H towards the J. If H break 3-3 or if the 9 of H comes down in 2 rounds you will have a pitch for the low D in dummy. Seems like the best line to me. There is also the possible rise of Honour X from lho.

[dellache]

Just play Heart to the ten. If it loses to the queen, play then Heart to the King. If it still fails hope for 3-3 Hearts, or H9 falling. I don't see any interest in eliminating Clubs.

[shevek]

Dis North really bid 5♠? If he passes, South will bid 5♠, if he doubles, South still might.

[Fluffy]

shevek, on Dec 15 2009, 09:12 AM, said:

Dis North really bid 5♠? If he passes, South will bid 5♠, if he doubles, South still might.

North is the sponsor, and he can barely count his HCP. I am glad he could count his trumps this time. Yesterday was one of the funniest seasons I ever had, appearing on top of the ranking when your partner usually forgets to ruff when you play the suit he is void in. But that's another story.

So far 2 players picked different lines for the hearts. What is the best play for 2 tricks?

[Codo]

I would go with low to the ten cross cross in spades if nec. low to the jack, finesse nine if both tricks are lost.
Hearts are quite likely 5-1 or 4-2 with the club bidder being short.

[gnasher]

Given the bidding, hearts are more likely to be 2=4 than 3=3. If it comes to it, I'll finesse against East's ♥9 rather than playing for 3-3.

However, I'd like to have tested diamonds before I do that. I don't want RHO to lead a third round of hearts before I've cashed the top diamonds. Hence I want West to be on lead with the second round of hearts.

Eliminating clubs will help if West has a singleton diamond and is on lead after the second heart.

So:

Ruff with the jack and draw trumps.
Heart to the jack, losing to the queen.
Win the (say) diamond return.
Ruff a club with the ten.
Play a trump to dummy (keeping one entry to each hand)
Heart to the king, losing to the ace. (If it doesn't lose, cross in trumps and play another heart. I still have a trump entry to hand to cash the heart.)
Test diamonds.
If the queen doesn't drop, play a heart to the 8.

That loses only to:
- ♥A9x on my left with ♦Q guarded and 2+ diamonds on the left.
- ♥A9xx on my left with ♦Q guarded, as long as LHO ducks the second heart.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2009-December-15, 05:31

[dellache]

Oups I thought it was East who bid 5♣ ! So my line is nonsense. Gnasher is probably right, I'll rethink about it.

[Fluffy]

since it was matchpoints, I just stopped thinking lines and just run ♥J looking for 12 tricks, it didnt matter much

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Just for the fun, 2 firends of mine bid this way:

pass-(pass)-2♠

Now west hesitated for long time but then passed.

North was about to bid 4♠ against anythign, but after the pass he thought he could just buy it with 3♠ wich would be much better.

RHO bid now a ridicoulous 4♦ based on the tank and bought the contract.

South led ♠2 trying to get as many club ruffs as possible. You can imagine his face when he didn't only pick stiff ♠K in dummy but also stiff ♠Q on declarer's