[Evies Dad]

We reached 6H on these cards the other night.

West leads 6S (4th highest)

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IMPs scoring.
You can assume West has a high number of spades - they raised their partners t/o X to 4S.
But otherwise I think you will find the bidding unhelpful, so I am not posting it (yet).

What is the best line to make your contract ?

How does this change if East is assumed to have the majority of the missing points ?

TIA.

[paulg]

I think the bidding does matter, for example East made a takeout double of what? How many hearts did South bid before West bid 4♠? Who was the dealer? What is the vulnerability

There are a couple of lines:

• you can ruff the spade lead high, finesse the ♥10, draw trumps and take the ruffing diamond finesse for 12 tricks
• you can ruff low, cash the ace of hearts, then play ace and queen of diamonds, planning to pitch the spade when not covered. If West wins the DK and switches to a club, then you'll need diamonds 3-3 or the hand with four diamonds to hold the remaining trumps.

If East has doubled one diamond, then the first line is more attractive.

[Douglas43]

With no opposition bidding I would ruff low, DA, D ruff, Spade ruff, D ruff with the 10, HKQ and hope that trumps break or D king drops. As we are told that the bidding does not help, that's my line for now.

[mikeh]

I think it to be a very bad idea to present a play problem without giving us ALL of the information we’d have at the table

While it’s possible that the bidding would be ‘unhelpful’, I’d rather be the judge of that.

[Douglas43]

If the OP now posts bidding on which my line fails I have a good excuse. 😎

[pescetom]

paulg, on 2023-January-13, 08:14, said:

I think the bidding does matter, for example East made a takeout double of what? How many hearts did South bid before West bid 4♠? Who was the dealer? What is the vulnerability

There are a couple of lines:

• you can ruff the spade lead high, finesse the ♥10, draw trumps and take the ruffing diamond finesse for 12 tricks
• you can ruff low, cash the ace of hearts, then play ace and queen of diamonds, planning to pitch the spade when not covered. If West wins the DK and switches to a club, then you'll need diamonds 3-3 or the hand with four diamonds to hold the remaining trumps.

If East has doubled one diamond, then the first line is more attractive.

I like your second line more, but am puzzled why you cash the ♥A rather than just ♦A and then ♦Q.

Let's hope OP will provide the auction to make the probabilities clearer.

[Evies Dad]

I've been reading enough replies from you all by now that I ought to know I could not get away without posting the bidding.
Initially I was after a pure probability response - throw the other 26 cards in the air and have then land randomly.
Next time I'll make sure to post the bidding and then be clear in what I'd like to discuss.

Here is the bidding.

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West leads 6S

East's X is nominally Clubs, the second one definitely so - "you are not making 5C".
South is expecting opener to hold a D pre-empt (1st seat GvG - almost certainly won't be as good as 9 hcp). 4H shows a good, long heart suit either "to make" or as a further pre-empt.

I can work out all the hearts 2-1 lines - ruff low or high / KD finesse or ruffing finesse - but the 3-0 lines get very fiddly to work out with every split of both red suits coming into the equation.
I think Douglas43 line of ruff low (retain AH) and cash AD and a low D might be best - keeps most options open the longest ?