[Deanrover]

7 Hearts by South. Can you combine the D and S chances? This came up in partnership bidding, so we don't know the lead. C or H would be most tricky, so assume one of them.

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[inquiry]

The "obvious line" is to ruff two diamonds in dummy and hope to drop the queen in four rounds. You win 2♦ruffs, 4♦, 4♥, 1♣ so you will need the ♠ hook.

Not bad. There is better. Cash the ♦AK and then ruff a diamond. If the ♦Queen falls in two or three rounds, you now ruff a club, heart to dummy, ruff a club, heart to dummy pull trumps.. here then use your ♠Ace as entry to south, without risking the ♠ hook. This cash two high diamonds, and ruff a diamond seems to have best practical chance to me (1C, 4H in dummy, 2C ruff, 5D, 1S)

Ben

[paulhar]

Edited: forgot to mention one of the club ruffs! Typed too fast.

I don't even want to think about a 4-1 trump split! You need to ruff clubs to just use the diamonds, and you also have to ruff a dimaond, so I think you're committed to playing for 3-2 trumps.

Win the CA at trick 1, play DA, DK (pitch spade), D ruff.

If diamonds are good, ruff a club, heart to the board to ruff another club, heart to the board to draw trump, pitching the losing spade from hand.

If diamonds are not good, but are 4-2, ruff another diamond, lead dummy's trumps, and lead the spade Queen. If it wins, spade to ace, draw the last trump, claim.

This line needs: Trumps 3-2, diamonds no worse than 4-2, and one of the following: D3-3, DQ doubleton, or spade King onside.

[inquiry]

paulhar, on Jul 28 2004, 02:15 PM, said:

Win the CA at trick 1, play DA, DK (pitch spade), D ruff.

If diamonds are good, ruff a club, heart to the board to draw trump, pitching the losing spade from hand.

Paul, you have it right, but I think you mis-spoke. You carefully threw a spade from dummy on the second tall ♦. The reason being so you can ruff two ♣ in your hand if the ♦Q falls. Yet, if you read your post, you ruffed only one club bevore you "pulled" trumps. You said throw ♠ away on trump, but if you ruff one ♦ in dummy and one ♣ in south, you have no long trump on which to throw the ♠. It is clear from the description that your intnet was to ruff two ♣s if the diamond queen showed up. This I very much think is the correct line.

[Deanrover]

Doesn't your line leave open some defensive mischief? What happens if a defender drops the Diamond Queen on the first round?

[inquiry]

Deanrover, on Jul 29 2004, 03:41 AM, said:

Doesn't your line leave open some defensive mischief? What happens if a defender drops the Diamond Queen on the first round?

I ruff ♦, both follow hand is over. If The one fellow shows out. If real singleton diamond, things get very difficult very quickly Need to find find doubeton ♠K, LHO with 3 trumps. After win ♠A, lead ♦K force WEST to ruff., now over ruff. Two rounds of turmps. Cash out winners.. 5♠. 2♦. 2♦ ruffs, 1♣, and 4♥ in hand (more than enough).. this line also allows you to make if RHO has three spades to the KING as you will need to ruff one spade, then you win 4S, +2D, +4H, +2D ruff, +1C.. just making.

Ben

[Trpltrbl]

If ♦ break no worse then 4-2 with Q dropping 2nd it is icecold, also with 3-3 splits. With 2♣ ruffs we have 13 tricks, if Q doesn't drop we have ♠ finesse available.

Mike