[pescetom]

Whatever your bidding methods, it's time to bring it home.

MP

---

Lead ♦3.
Your plan of play?

[mike777]

Petrus, going back to Rome to be crucified, again.

[jillybean]

Yikes. win ♦, play ♥

I assume diamonds are not going to split 2-2, but I hope they split 3-1

What do they return trick 3?

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2026-June-04, 20:26, said:

Yikes. win ♦, play ♥

I assume diamonds are not going to split 2-2, but I hope they split 3-1

What do they return trick 3?

Expect duck

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2026-June-04, 20:52, said:

Expect duck

A♠, ♠ ruff, ♥

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the simple plan is 6D and 4H, 2 Aces.

Keeping the Q of diamonds as entry.

In otherwords diamonds in hand, play hearts, if duck, get back to hand with a diamond,
this eliminates the risk of a ruff in case diamonds are 2-2.
If they are 3-1, ..., I guess drawing the last diamond, staying in hand is best, if the
T of hearts drops, you are home, but if they win the 2nd heart round with the Ace, and fire
back a club you are still home with hearts 3-3.

This should be the benchmark.

If one of the defenders has ATxx and ducks 2 times, ..., you may go down.
I hope I find this kind of defence, but it is MP, and throwing away a sure trick at MP,
..., playing IMPs it is most likely a matadory defence, not sure I find it, eventually in
the future sometimes, ..., if one counts declarers tricks it is not too hard to find.

Due to this drawing the last round of trumps may not be best, better playing a 2nd heart
towards dummy, ruffing a heart high, drawing the last trump is better, ending in dummy.
You can establish the 3rd heart trick, and have the spade finesse to provide the 12th trick,
if it is needed.

With trumps 2-2 you always have club ruff as replacement, if the 4th heart trick does not show up.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2026-June-04, 16:31, said:

Petrus, going back to Rome to be crucified, again.

But the right way up this time.

jillybean, on 2026-June-04, 20:26, said:

Yikes. win ♦, play ♥

I assume diamonds are not going to split 2-2, but I hope they split 3-1

What do they return trick 3?

mike777, on 2026-June-04, 20:52, said:

Expect duck

jillybean, on 2026-June-04, 21:29, said:

A♠, ♠ ruff, ♥

Your heart to ♥K is ducked.
♠A and ruff produces 3 and 8 in North, 4 and T in South.
Your second heart produces ♥A in South and a ♣ in North.

[pescetom]

But I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase, things are as P_Marlowe said and your line is going to work.

Here is the actual layout.

MP

---

I was just wondering if there was some obvious but doomed line that I might have missed, as so many people failed to take 12 tricks in diamonds after the "obvious" trumps lead.
I guess they really did pull trumps and then find themselves without entries to dummy when South ducks and then returns clubs.

[pescetom]

I thought the most compelling feature of this layout was the choice of lead.

Only one South took the first two tricks with ♥A and another (he swears it was planned and not just the result of North pushing the 7 through the table).
Should South have been able to figure out that this was a good risk from the auction and his hand?
East has denied three hearts, would he have control-bid a singleton in partner's suit? Probably not, but I would have asked.
If not, what are the odds that he has two?
I polled this as a Lead Problem on that more numerous site (but without the control-bid to complicate things) and 87% chose a diamonds lead.

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-June-05, 08:39, said:

But I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase, things are as P_Marlowe said and your line is going to work.

Thanks. Next I was going to lay out the cards, I have to see them.

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2026-June-05, 09:40, said:

Thanks. Next I was going to lay out the cards, I have to see them.

And your lead as South?

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-June-05, 12:13, said:

And your lead as South?

♥10 came to mind , but when I'm put on the spot, ♦ looks most benign. If partner can decipher my signals, I'd lead the 8

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2026-June-05, 08:39, said:

But I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase, things are as P_Marlowe said and your line is going to work.

<snip>

Any my line does not, because I cant establish 3H tricks, but failing due to a 5-1 break, I have blown simpler ones.

The Ace of hearts lead is certainly a valid one, and most likely best.
It is at least a 50% chance to beat the contract.

Ask me at the table if I found the lead.

[pescetom]

P_Marlowe, on 2026-June-06, 05:10, said:

The Ace of hearts lead is certainly a valid one, and most likely best.
It is at least a 50% chance to beat the contract.

Ask me at the table if I found the lead.

I have sympathy with those who did not find the lead at the table, it's always easier looking at the diagram.
But I was surprised that so few BridgeSinners spotted it when posed as a lead problem.