[pclayton]

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

 -     -     Pass  3♠
 Pass  4♠    Pass  Pass
 Pass  

LHO leads the A♥ and continues with the 2 to partner's King which you ruff.

If you are wondering how to continue; I'll give you a freebie; LHO shows out on the 1st round of trump.

How do you continue?

[hrothgar]

What first round of trumps?
My third trick is a club to the 10...

[whereagles]

Not sure if opps are reliable enough for me to take the following inference, but here it goes:

LHO's lead from an unsupported ace is unattractive in comparision with a minor suit king from Kxx(x), so RHO rates to have both minor kings. With diamond king offside, after pulling trumps, I might try ace and another diamond and see what happens.

But then again, after the preempt to lead an ace lead is not unusual, so I'm not sure this holds... lol. The alternative is to duck a club and try to get a count on the points to find out how diams are going.

[luke warm]

assuming i'm in dummy with the ♠Q, i'd lead a low diamond ducking all around... my plan is to later finesse in diamonds anyway.. a club comes back (probably), i win and draw trumps, win (!!) the ♦ finesse, play A and another ♦, tossing my club (whether or not diamonds are 3/3)

[Fluffy]

♠Q,♦A, draw trumps and lead a ♦ towards dummy, I dunno If I will guess a ♦K offside second because the lead and the pass with ♠ void seem a bit contrradictory (its 3 am here, maybe I am saying just nonsense ) and I dunno what is going on.

[pclayton]

I played it similar to Fluffy. Misguessed the ♦'s (ducked instead of the rising with Q; LHO smooth ducked with K9x). I figured the clubs were more or less divided, and LHO might have found a call with the spade void, A♥, K♦ and some odd clubs.

In isolation, I think its best to cash the A♦ first, and lead a diamond up. % wise its slightly better to try the Q instead of ducking.

On the actual hand it makes a whole lot of sense to try a club to the 10 first (like Richard is suggesting). Turns out RHO has KQ tight and you make a club trick without having to guess ♦'s. Or, LHO might give you a favorable return; maybe EAST has a spade void and has to give you a trick at T4.

Matchpoints its a whole different kettle of fish I think.

[beatrix45]

Looks like RHO is probably 4-5 -?-?. With 6 hearts LHO might have bid, the lead suggests that RHO has the heart jack and at least one club honor. Why not play the diamond ace, pull trumps, and then lead a diamond toward the table - if the 9 or J fell from RHO on the first diamond trick, I would plan to play small from dummy.

[firechief]

After laying down the SA from my hand (there's no reason to lead to the queen), I'd lead a club to the ten. When east returns a spade, I'd run trumps, coming down to -- -- AQ A98 opposite x -- T8x x I'm pretty sure I could get a feel from my opponents whether I should play club to the ace and another club or diamond to the ace and another diamond. It's my belief that the DK is offside due to LHO's non-bid over 3s. This might not be the best technical line, but it employs table feel, which I like to use I'm playing for LHO to have length in both minors or getting a read on my opponent's body language (try to play for a doubleton jack of diamonds). Alternative line is club to ten, spade back, draw trump, club, club ruff, run off trump coming down to -- -- AQ7 9 opposite x -- T8x -- and now lead a diamond and attempt to duck into RHO playing for the show up squeeze on the forced heart return.
Joel

[Winstonm]

You don't say how the spades are played so I'll give you my line and my reasoning. It appears that hearts are either 5/5 or 4/6. It's unlikely that west led A from AJxxx or AJxx. If the 2 is a true card, it's more likely he has led from Axxx or Axxxx if 3rd and 5th leads. RHO did not open with a weak 2, suggesting 4/5 pattern in the majors, leaving 4 minor suit cards. Surely from KQJ West would have led a club rather than heart ace so RHO is marked with at least 1 club honor, more than likely the Q as West may have led club from QJxx(x). We now know 10 or 11 of East's and assume 9 or 10 of West's cards. If East has KJx of diamonds we cannot make, so rule that out. If East has 4531 pattern he is most likely to hold both K and J of diamonds so rule that out.

That leaves holdings where East has (??) or (?) diamonds. Can we cater to both holdings and protect against a stiff honor in East's hand? I think so.

So, with that thinking done at trick 1, I lead the A of spades from hand and when West shows out I lead the 8 of diamonds to dummy's Ace. Presumably, East will follow with K, J, 9, or a small diamond. I then return in trumps, overtaking the Q with the K and draw trumps. Now I lead the 10 of diamonds and run it. If this wins or if west plays the King I can claim. It will even win in situations where East has 3 Diamonds and West began with J9 doubleton or Kx, though that is unlikely.

Given than East needs to have short diamonds for me to make or West the J9 or Kx, this line only loses to Jx of diamonds in East's hand and wins whenever East holds stiff K, J, 9, or a small card or any doubleton other than Jx. By leading the 8 and then the 10 I also give myself the extra chance of West holding KJxx and East singleton 9. If West hops with the K on round two of diamonds, I have a tenace of his remaining Jx with Q7 in dummy and 5 left in my hand.

How did I do?