[nielsfoged]

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Lead ♠J (promises T, perhaps internal seq.) to A, and ♠3 return.
What now?

[Fluffy]

RHO must be 5422 or 5431 with stiff ♣K for this to make, we probably need also ♦Jx falling for the extra entry to dummy.

ruffing then getting tu dummy with the second diamond we should avoid playing a club right now, we need to play a heart or a spade ruff, I don't see the benefit of a heart, wich risks ♥A on west's hands innecesarilly. So just ruff third spade and exit with a heart, ruff in dummy, draw last trump, club finese and claim.

Since I am ruffing third spade I can just as well ruff low the second spade, and play ♦A+♦10 to the King. If the ♦J doesn't appear at least we might go less downs.

If opponents are of the 99% kind unable to hop with ♦J to avoid the Olso finese I guess there are some other alternatives.

[gnasher]

If we're going to play for ♦J doubleton, we don't need any miracles in the club suit - Kx or Kxx will do, as long as ♥A is onside.

Ruff the spade with the ace, then play ♦Q, ♦10 to the king. Now play a heart to RHO's ace. If he forces us again, we have 6 trumps, 4 clubs and a heart. If he doesn't, we can draw trumps and still have a long trump in dummy for getting back to the clubs, making 5 trumps, 5 clubs and a heart.

[rhm]

If this contract is supposed to have a chance with 2 top losers in the majors, I think you need
1) the ♣ king onside. (likely)
2) trumps to break
3) entries to dummy
4) clubs not 0-4

The play diverges after trick 2, depending on whether ♣ are 2-2 or 1-3:

If ♣ are 2-2 the play is a little bit simpler. Ruff the ♠ low and play a ♥ from hand. If the defense plays another ♠, ruff and draw trumps. If the defense returns anything else, ruff two ♥ in dummy before drawing trumps by coming back to hand by way of the ♣ finesse. You make 6 trump tricks and 5 club tricks.

If ♣ are 1-3 and the trump jack is third, I do not think you can get the necessary entries to dummy. Even if you ruff the second ♠ with a high trump, if LHO covers the ♦ 3 and otherwise not. So play for the trump jack to be doubleton (presumably with East).
Ruff with the ♦ten. Play ♦ace and overtake ♦queen in dummy. Now play a ♥(we need the ♥king for eleven tricks). Presumably East will win and play a major.
If a ♠, ruff. Ruff a ♥ in dummy, draw trumps, on which you discard your remaining low ♥ and lead the ♣ jack to take the ♣ finesse.
If a ♥, ruff in dummy. Play a ♣ to the queen, the preserved ♦ 3 to the table, a ♣ and finesse. Cash the ♥ king to discard the remaining ♠ on the table and finally overtake the last ♣ in hand with the jack.

Hard to say which layout you should play for. The second one is more indicated by the bidding and is more artistic and would also work if ♣ are 2-2, but requires in addition the ♦ jack to be doubleton and West did not lead his singleton ♣.

Rainer Herrmann

[Fluffy]

gnasher, on 2010-November-20, 15:26, said:

If we're going to play for ♦J doubleton, we don't need any miracles in the club suit - Kx or Kxx will do, as long as ♥A is onside.

Ruff the spade with the ace, then play ♦Q, ♦10 to the king. Now play a heart to RHO's ace. If he forces us again, we have 6 trumps, 4 clubs and a heart. If he doesn't, we can draw trumps and still have a long trump in dummy for getting back to the clubs, making 5 trumps, 5 clubs and a heart.

Ahh good point, I knew the ♥K was there for something, just failed to figure out why.