[MrAce]

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Imps, lead ♦ J, east follows with count (doubleton) u win with K. (lead was from AJT9xx so West knows u hold KQxx(x )) Lets assume defenders are worldclass if thats important to you.

EDIT: 2♦ was weak 2

[jonottawa]

♥ up for me. If it's meant to be a condition of the puzzle that W does not have a 2nd ace (based on vulnerability/style) then I guess I'd play a ♦ for the style points (and to simplify matters.)

[twoshy]

To compare the three lines:

Playing a spade loses when LHO has the heart ace. RHO wins, sets up diamonds, and we take only 2+0+2+4. It always wins when LHO has the spade ace, even when he ducks. This line also works when East has both aces. Assume that the ♠Q holds. The ♥K follows, which RHO cannot duck (we play to the ♥Q then play to the ♠K if LHO shows out). However, he cannot threaten us in any suit, so we will have time to take 2+2+1+4 (or 1+2+2+4 if they setup diamonds, even with LHO having the spade ace).

Playing a heart from hand loses to x-AT9x or void-AT9xx or H-AHxx (assuming no guess) when LHO has the space ace: they setup diamonds and we take only 0+2+2+4. If RHO has both aces, he must duck. Now we should play the ♠K, which almost guarantees the contract. (If it loses, set up the heart unless they give you the ninth in ♦, if it wins play a heart to Q then a ♠ etc). The only danger is AT9x in LHO, with the heart return setting up the fifth defensive trick. We still make if he started with 1462, though.

Crossing to dummy in ♣ to play to the ♥Q is the most complex scenario. We always make if LHO wins, since we get 2+2+1+4. If LHO ducks, we also make: ♠Q wins (if it loses, we get 2+1+2+4 with the ♠K as an entry to the fourth ♣ or we have time to set up the second ♥ for 2+2+1+4) then a ♥ to the K wins. The only problem is when RHO starts with AT9x or AHxx. If ♥Q, ♠Q, ♥K reveals x-AT9x, we're down when RHO has the ♠A, since he can setup the ♥ before playing a ♦ through later. If he doesn't have the ♠A, we always make: if he wins the second ♥ to return a ♥ (essential to remove dummy's entry) we play two ♣ then a ♠ to the K. Best defense is to duck the ♥. However, the hand plays itself: cash both ♣ and advance the ♠J. LHO must duck, else we have the entry to table. When he wins the third ♠, he is endplayed; we take 2+2+2+3.

More interesting is a H-AHxx division. Now RHO does not have the option of setting up a ♥ trick, so he must duck the second ♥. We are at this position:

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We now play a ♠ to the J. If RHO has the ♠A, he must duck; if he wins, playing a ♦ through cuts the defense off from the ♦A (nine, maybe ten tricks if cashed) when LHO plays a third spade to knock the entry out of dummy (so we make on a stepping stone if 4162 but overtaking if 3163), whereas playing a ♠ will reveal LHO's count as the third round of ♣ is led from hand (endplay if 2164 by overtaking, cash if 3163, overtake and endplay either opponent in diamonds if 4162). LHO must also duck. Now we play ♣, overtaking if LHO follows to the third ♣, otherwise we have to guess whether to play a ♠ if LHO has the ace or a ♦ if RHO has the ace. Sometimes we will go down, but this is rare.

Cliffs: ♣ to dummy, ♥ to Q, followed by ♠Q, then ♥K if those all hold only loses to x-AT9x with RHO holding ♠A or singleton T/9-AT/9xx with a misguess on who holds the ♠A when LHO is 4162. This is the best line unless I've missed something. Interesting problem.

[gnasher]

The contract is at risk only if the aces are split and I knock out East's ace first.

The obvious line is to play hearts, because even if East has ♥A I'm still OK if hearts are 3-2. So a heart from hand loses only if hearts are x-Axxx.

An alternative is to cross to dummy and lead a heart through East. If ♥Q holds, I lead ♠Q. If they take that and clear diamonds, I have nine tricks; if they duck ♠Q I can unblock the clubs and play another heart, and be no worse off than if I'd played hearts at trick two.

If hearts are x-A109x, this plan doesn't gain - East takes the second heart and plays another one, and they have five winners [edit - that's not quite correct - see twoshy's post]. However, it does gain if LHO has singleton 10 or 9 of hearts. I can's see any downside to this second plan, so I cross to dummy and play a heart up.

[twoshy]

It's a good point about unblocking ♣, which should certainly be done if LHO's first ♥ is the 9 or T, guaranteeing nine tricks. It is also just as effective when ♥ are x-AT9x with LHO having the ♠A. So it looks like we're down to the only losing case being x-AT9x with RHO also having the ♠A.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Declarer should have ducked the opening lead of the ♦ J.

[Free]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2011-August-19, 07:22, said:

Declarer should have ducked the opening lead of the ♦ J.

My thoughts exactly

[Phil]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2011-August-19, 07:22, said:

Declarer should have ducked the opening lead of the ♦ J.

Then you would find yourself going down on completely normal breaks when RHO has the ♠A. ♠ to A, ♦ through, ♦ clearing the suit that they cash when they get in with the ♥A. We take 2♠, 1♦ and 4♣.

[whereagles]

Looks like a heart up is the play, intending to lead up again.

[MrAce]

Thanks for replies.

Original hand West held

Axx
x
AJT8xx
xxx

[TWO4BRIDGE]

MrAce, on 2011-August-21, 14:30, said:

Thanks for replies.

Original hand West held :

Axx
x
AJT8xx
xxx

Looks like twoshy pegged it right:
" Playing a heart from hand loses to x-AT9x when LHO has the spade ace: they setup diamonds and we take only 0+2+2+4. "

A) So, upon winning the 1st trick, you have to go to dummy w/small ♣ to lead a small ♥ toward the Q .
Here East has the A T 9 x but must duck ( otherwise you get 4h, 2d ( since opps will clear the suit ), 3c ( 4c here because of the 3-3 split ).
When he ducks, you win ♥Q and switch to a ♠ up. Now you will get 2s, 2h, 1d , 4c ( have to rely on the ♣-split if opps don't try to clear the ♦ suit ).

B) But let's say WEST held the ♥ Ace. His only entry will be gone when they try to set up the ♦ suit....( switching to a ♠ to East for a ♦ thru ) ..... You will get 2s, 2h, 2d, 3c ( 4c here ).

C) Even if you make "my" inferior play of ducking the opening lead of the ♦ J , you still win the race only because East holds the ♥ Ace and the ♣ split .