[pclayton]

Believe it or not, you cruise into 6♦ on this layout:

Scoring: IMP

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Auction:

South.....West.....North.....East
1♦.......4♥.......5♦.......5♠
6♦.......Double.......all pass

Opening lead: A♥, ♦2, 9, 2
2. ♦3, 5, A, 6

You are amazed slam actually has a decent play. Now what?

[Fluffy]

East has 8♠, 1♥

If he has 2♦ adn 2♣ we have to play ♦K now and we have asy 12/13 tricks.

If he has 1♦ and 3♣ we will need to find ♣K doubleton onside, so play ♦K to get the ♣ count.

[luke warm]

i think, no matter what, the ♣K needs to be right... think i'd play the ♦A then lead low ♣ to the J... if this wins, i enter hand with ♦K... if they split 2/2 there's no problem.. if they don't, we have to decide whether or not to play the ♣K as doubleton or the ♣10 as doubleton (with east)

if diamonds split 3/1 i'm almost forced to play west for Kx of clubs.. so i lead low to the A i guess, dropping the 10 later with the Q.. i'm probably down, sigh

[inquiry]

luke warm, on Nov 22 2004, 07:43 PM, said:

i think, no matter what, the ♣K needs to be right

This is not true.

If you have no diamond losers (♦2-2), you can afford a club loser. But there is a problem. If you cash a diamond ACE, and lose a club hook, a third round of diamonds leaves you one trick short. Also, if you try a club hook with a diamond still out, EAST might win and give WEST a spade ruff (surely west has a spade void at this vul).

So the way I would play is cash the second top diamond. Suit is 3-1 or I make. If EAST has three diamomnds to the Queen, I will lead the club QUEEN, playing west for four to the king (KTxx or Kxxx). If West has htree diamonds to the queen, I will lead a low club to the jack then cash the club ACe. (playing west for Kx of clubs).

Ben

[Fluffy]

inquiry, on Nov 23 2004, 12:36 AM, said:

If you have no diamond losers (♦2-2), you can afford a club loser. But there is a problem. If you cash a diamond ACE, and lose a club hook, a third round of diamonds leaves you one trick short. Also, if you try a club hook with a diamond still out, EAST might win and give WEST a spade ruff (surely west has a spade void at this vul).

mm I think that after a ♣ hook loss if a third ♦ is coming you are kinda down with at least 2 top losers