[pork rind]

Scoring: XIMP

bidding goes
E S W N
1s p 1n 2h
4s ppp

---

you are south.
you lead 5 of hearts (starting hi lo(standard signals) partner wins the q of hearts.
partner then shifts to the k of diamonds. east plays the j of diamond

plan the defense which 4 tricks do you hope to win???????????

[Double !]

This is a marvelous question, at least for me, because I always get my reasoning backwards in such situations.
As I see, your play to trick 2 is another potential example of the dog that didn't bark (my favorite bridge theme). You don't know whether partner has 5 or 6 hearts, although partner knows. When P sees his king of diamond hold the trick, he is going to look at whether or not you encouraged or discouraged. Don't just play a high diamond automatically to show the Ace: the play of the cards makes it quite evident that you have the ace. But, if you have a singleton heart, you want P to switch (attitude first), and should, therefore, play whatever type of card you have agreed to play as a discouraging signal. P will ask self why you are discouraging the suit when he knows you have the ace, and will, hopefully deduce that you have a stiff heart and wish a ruff. Encouraging initially in diamonds should show a dbltn heart, so you need to take the diamonds first lest declarer play loser on loser, pitching a diamond on the 3rd round of hearts.

Since I know automatically (from repeated experience) that my analysis and reasoning have to be wrong, someone please explain to me where I am going wrong in my thought process.

[TheoKole]

I read partner for a 6 card ♥ suit, most likely as he probably would have continued otherwise, also if declarer is a good bidder he wouldn't jump to 4 spades with 4 immediate losers.

Partner has the King and Queen ♦ or King and X ♦ doubleton. You must initially encourage partner to play a second diamond, so that declarer doesn't have a chance to make a loser on loser play on second round of hearts.

Overtake the second round of diamonds with the Ace and play a third diamond hopefully uppercutting declarer when partner ruffs with his hypothetical J spades.

This will cause a trump promotion for your Q ♠, down 1.

Cheers

[Double !]

and if declarer ruffs the second round of diamonds?.................

[pork rind]

AT THIS POINT BOTH OF YOU ARE SETTING THE HAND, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE REASONS STATED. THERES MORE TO IT. TOM

AND I MANAGED TO OVERANALYSE IT AND LET HIM MAKE IT. CAN YOU SEE WHAT I DID"???

[han]

Just woke up, please don't shout Pork.

I play a high diamond, denying a stiff heart. When partner continues with a second diamond and declarer follows I overtake and play a third round of diamonds, hoping for an uppercut. If the uppercut does not happen, we may still get a club trick or a heart trick, dummy is dead.

A possible way to give away the contract would be to overtake the diamond king. Don't know how overanalyzing could lead to this play, but I've made worse mistake than that.

[pork rind]

I LIKE CAPS. IM OLD ENOUGH THAT ITS NOT SHOUTING TO ME. I SUGGEST EAR PLUGS.
I NEGLECTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 10 OF DIAMONDS IN DUMMY.

PARTNER HAD A SINGLETON K OF DIAMONDS.