[ochinko]

I was kibitzing on this one, and there was an argument later about the proper play. The bidding went:

Quote

E    S    W    N
P    P    P    1♣*
P  2♦    P    5NT
P  6♦

* precision

Scoring: IMP

---

♠8 is lead, declarer put the Queen which won. With that hurdle behind you what should be the safest play of the trump and the clubs?

Petko

[Gerben42]

Cash the ♦K and eliminate the majors. If the ♦10 drops run the ♦J to East for an endplay. This guards against a 4-0 break in trumps as well.

If you see you have a trump loser, cash a top club before finessing or surrendering your trump trick.

Example sequence with ♦QTx in West: ♦K, ♠A, ♠ruff, 2 top ♥ ending in hand. ♦JQK East shows out. ♣Ace and a diamond. Now just finesse the ♣.

[Fluffy]

Can't find anything better either.

[ochinko]

Well done, Gerben!

When playng a small ♦ East shows out. West was dealt ♦QT32 and a singleton ♣Q.

At the table the declarer cashed ♦A and went down.

What I was wondering about was whether it would be better to finesse the clubs once, so that you know how you should play the diamonds - for 5 or for 6 tricks. The danger is that East could have ♣Qxxx and return a club for his partner to ruff. Marginal percentage difference but seams to be against the clubs first.

Petko

[Fluffy]

ochinko, on Apr 8 2005, 08:24 AM, said:

What I was wondering about was whether it would be better to finesse the clubs once, so that you know how you should play the diamonds - for 5 or for 6 tricks.

I though of this as well, but then realised that playing ♦ for 5 and 6 tricks start both by playing ♦K.