[Fluffy]

Scoring: MP

S - W - N - E
1♥ -ps -1♠ -ps
2♣ -ps -2♥ -ps
ps -ps

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And the lead is the ♦J (KJ10(x), J10(x), Jx or stiff J), plan the early tricks.

Some help on the coming events (try to be honest and read only the one you should).

-If you play ♦A to play a ♥

Spoiler

East plays the ♦8 and then a low ♥

-If you play ♦A to play a ♣ to the ♣J

Spoiler

East plays the ♦8, West wins ♣K and returns a ♣

-If you play low ♦

Spoiler

East win´s ♦K and switches to club 10

[Flame]

I would play small ♦ and to the club return Q of club.

[Free]

I would also play low, and take ♣A, just in case someone has stiff ♣. The King will probably offside anyway...

[jtfanclub]

Flame, on Nov 16 2004, 03:49 AM, said:

I would play small ♦ and to the club return Q of club.

I would also duck the diamond....I think.

I'm wondering what the trick is. Are both hands 5-1 and I'm going to get my life ruffed out of me if I don't go up?

So, then the club gets led back, I rise with the ace. Queen of spades to the ace. 8 of hearts and let it ride (let's assume that works to the king). King of clubs, club ruff, diamond ruff. Ace of hearts is still out there. That's two trumps on power, two trumps on ruffs, and two minor suit kings.


Oops.

Suppose I go up with the ace of diamonds immediately, to play a heart. Still assuming the ride works to the king. Any lead back doesn't help (assume a spade). Another heart, won by East this time. Leads a club, rise with the ace, draw trump. No ruffs.

But, no good cards either. Looks down 1 again.
.......................................................................................

Hmmm...Suppose diamonds are 4-2? Now the way to play it is to duck the diamond, take the ace of clubs, take the ace of spades, lead a heart around, watch them take the king of clubs and a club ruff, and then they lead a diamond around to my A9. I can then play the last heart, hopefully crashing the last two trump. So this time I got three hearts, one spade, two diamonds, and two clubs. I can afford to finesse if both minors are 4-2, but it's down one if diamonds are 4-2 and clubs are 5-1.

That club shift really looks like somebody who doesn't have any clubs, so this is what I'll go with.

I don't know if it's the highest odds, but it's the one I'm trying.

[Fluffy]

Nice long analysis mate, you are close.

[Fluffy]

So partscores are tough since there are many options here and there, but they aren´t tough only for declarer, they may be very tough sometimes for the defenders, as declarer your task here was to make defender´s life harder, here is the full hand:

Scoring: MP

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There is nothing you can do to avoid a ♦ ruff on perfect defence, but you shouldn´t help the defence to find it by playing a low ♦ from your hand at trick 1, drop your ♦Q and let´s see if they find it then.

From East´s point of view it looks like you have Qx and partner J10xxx and playing ♦ will end on the ♦7 being rufed and overruffed losign his potential ♥J trick.

From West´s point of view it looks like you again have Qx and his partner Kxx, so he is probably willing to try get a ♠ trick (or to force you make a decision to play low to your queen with the fear that East may have only 2♦) by leading the suit from his side after winning ♣K.