[Fluffy]

♠xxxx
♥Kx
♦A9654
♣K10


♠Qxx
♥AJxxxx
♦K
♣AQx


All vul, MPs.

1♥-1NT
3♥-4♥

LHO lead ♦8 (3rd and 5th, high from doubleton), RHO played ♦7 (std carding) when I asked for low from dummy.

I decided to enter dummy with ♥K (getting the 2 low spots), ♦A (getting again the 2 low spots) pitching a spade, and a heart from dummy, RHO played ♥9 and I messed up. What should I play form hand?

[MrAce]

I'd go up with the Ace, i think west led from 8x unless i am missing something. I cant think of a ♦ holding that he led 8 from length that makes sense with the east carding. Pay him off if he led his doubleton with a stiff trump and never entered the bidding with 10 card blacks.

[dwar0123]

 MrAce, on 2012-January-12, 18:26, said:

I'd go up with the Ace, i think west led from 8x unless i am missing something. I cant think of a ♦ holding that he led 8 from length that makes sense with the east carding. Pay him off if he led his doubleton with a stiff trump and never entered the bidding with 10 card blacks.

Might even still be able to endplay rho if that is the case, will need to finesse the j♣ to create another entry to the board so you can ruff 2♦'s. As long as rho has 3 clubs and one of them isn't the jack, should work.

[Phil]

 MrAce, on 2012-January-12, 18:26, said:

I'd go up with the Ace, i think west led from 8x unless i am missing something. I cant think of a ♦ holding that he led 8 from length that makes sense with the east carding. Pay him off if he led his doubleton with a stiff trump and never entered the bidding with 10 card blacks.

If you are going to play the Ace now, isn't it superior to play the ♥A sooner? That way you can shorten your hand twice once you discover the 4-1 split, cash three clubs and exit a spade. This gets you back to 10 tricks when RHO is 1=4=5=3. You still retain the option of crossing back to the ♣A in case the ♥Q drops doubleton.

I'm not clear what should be done at MPs tbh, but 10 tricks seems like a reasonable target.

You also don't have to try any fancy club finesses which is pretty dubious anyway at MPs.

[MrAce]

 Phil, on 2012-January-12, 21:45, said:

If you are going to play the Ace now, isn't it superior to play the ♥A sooner? That way you can shorten your hand twice once you discover the 4-1 split, cash three clubs and exit a spade. This gets you back to 10 tricks when RHO is 1=4=5=3. You still retain the option of crossing back to the ♣A in case the ♥Q drops doubleton.

I'm not clear what should be done at MPs tbh, but 10 tricks seems like a reasonable target.

You also don't have to try any fancy club finesses which is pretty dubious anyway at MPs.

To be honest i just paid attention after reading your post that it is mp. As for the line i could choose earlier.. u are correct but i am not the one who played to ♥K

But anyway, all this comes down to guessing ♥ situation and makes sense at MP. One can lead his doubleton from a doubleton trump holding and not taking the finesse may cost or i may get lucky to drop Qx, idk. I just dont believe LHO has stiff ♥.

[Fluffy]

 Phil, on 2012-January-12, 21:45, said:

If you are going to play the Ace now, isn't it superior to play the ♥A sooner? That way you can shorten your hand twice once you discover the 4-1 split

Goes to show how awfully I'm playing this month, RHO was 2434 (♦J7x) so cashing ♥A and tapping would work, so would finese. Olso finese in clubs was off sadly.

[FrancesHinden]

Sorry I'm feeling really stupid here. Why wouldn't I take the heart finesse? If they are 3-2 with the queen onside I make 11 tricks. If they are 4-1 I make 10 tricks. If I finesse into Qx I make 10 tricks. I agree I can make 10 the way Phil & MrAce have suggested by starting with the ace of hearts, but that seems to be giving up on 11 tricks with RHO has Qxx trumps.

[gnasher]

 FrancesHinden, on 2012-January-15, 05:33, said:

Sorry I'm feeling really stupid here. Why wouldn't I take the heart finesse? If they are 3-2 with the queen onside I make 11 tricks. If they are 4-1 I make 10 tricks. If I finesse into Qx I make 10 tricks. I agree I can make 10 the way Phil & MrAce have suggested by starting with the ace of hearts, but that seems to be giving up on 11 tricks with RHO has Qxx trumps.

Because if you finesse into Qxx you may make only nine tricks, when LHO is 23xx or x32x.

[Fluffy]

if diamonds are 2-5 there is no way opponents can avoid promoting a trump when they are 3-2

[MrAce]

 Fluffy, on 2012-January-15, 05:59, said:

if diamonds are 2-5 there is no way opponents can avoid promoting a trump when they are 3-2

I didnt understand what u meant here, but Andy summarized it very well so...

 Fluffy, on 2012-January-15, 05:21, said:

Goes to show how awfully I'm playing this month, RHO was 2434 (♦J7x) so cashing ♥A and tapping would work, so would finese. Olso finese in clubs was off sadly.

Are you telling us that LHO led ♦8 from Q8xx ?? Thats an interesting version of 3/5 leads, don't you think ?

[Fluffy]

 MrAce, on 2012-January-16, 00:18, said:

Are you telling us that LHO led ♦8 from Q8xx ?? Thats an interesting version of 3/5 leads, don't you think ?

♦Q108x



But reminds me on saturday I played 3NT at MPs, LHO led ♣9 and I had singleton in dummy to ♣K107x. I had everything outside except one ace I had to pass through. RHO won ♣A and played another club, so I went for the club block with ♣K hoping to pick H98/H9x on my left. Sadly LHO had QJ98x and I was the only guy who went down in 3NT.