[pooltuna]

Scoring: IMP

auction
W N E S
- - P P
4S P 6S P
P P

Opening lead is 9♦

---

You entered the team match as a substitute after the completion of the first hand. After 5 straight pushes this hand comes up.

EDIT:adding the dummy

♠A7
♥963
♦T2
♣AQJT62

EDIT#2: declarer's card on the first trick was the ♦3

[P_Marlowe]

Diamonds.

I dont think the answer is 100% obvious, but the King of hearts basically
required p to have an entry, more precise, he needs to control trumps,
otherwise what ever trick we are developing in hearts disappears on clubs.
But if he controls trumps - this means -1 anyway.

There is of course a 2nd point - if diamonds is wrong, it is easier to defend,
but you will look silly, if p happens to hold a diamond single or the diamond
king.

With kind
regards

[Dirk Kuijt]

pooltuna: do we get to know what card declarer played to the first trick?

I'm surprised that the 6♠ bidder passed as dealer. I'd open that, and I'm more conservative than most on this board, I believe.

I'm having trouble finding a diamond holding for partner that is consistent with holding the king, at least with my lead conventions. KJ9, exactly, is the only one I can find, otherwise, he'd have led a lower spot or an honor. That holding is not all that likely; of course, if has a singleton, then he has no choice.

So, leading a diamond is playing partner for singleton 9 or KJ9, leading a heart is playing partner for 97, 93, or 973, and the ♥A. Knowing partner's tendencies about leading unsupported aces on blasting auctions would be helpful.

[pooltuna]

Dirk Kuijt, on Feb 7 2010, 04:36 PM, said:

pooltuna: do we get to know what card declarer played to the first trick?

I'm surprised that the 6♠ bidder passed as dealer. I'd open that, and I'm more conservative than most on this board, I believe.

I'm having trouble finding a diamond holding for partner that is consistent with holding the king, at least with my lead conventions. KJ9, exactly, is the only one I can find, otherwise, he'd have led a lower spot or an honor. That holding is not all that likely; of course, if has a singleton, then he has no choice.

So, leading a diamond is playing partner for singleton 9 or KJ9, leading a heart is playing partner for 97, 93, or 973, and the ♥A. Knowing partner's tendencies about leading unsupported aces on blasting auctions would be helpful.

The ♦3

[gnasher]

I'd cash partner's ♥A. For that to be wrong, the remaining hands have to be something like:

---

which seems unlikely.

With ♦KJ9, I think partner should lead the king. By leading the suit he's playing me for the ace or queen anyway, and he knows that the nine will be hard to read.

[Codo]

As north I had tried to cash two heart tricks if I had been dealt the ace of hearts. And if I had been dealt H9 or HH9 in diamond, I had not lead the nine.

So maybe partner holds H97?

I play him for a singleton and cash the ruff...

[FrancesHinden]

gnasher, on Feb 7 2010, 10:49 PM, said:

I'd cash partner's ♥A. For that to be wrong, the remaining hands have to be something like:

---

which seems unlikely.

With ♦KJ9, I think partner should lead the king. By leading the suit he's playing me for the ace or queen anyway, and he knows that the nine will be hard to read.

But wouldn't a sane partner lead the HA 100% of the time if he held it rather than a wishy-washy diamond lead from KJ9(x) or 9x?

I will play partner for KJ9 of diamonds