[pescetom]

MP

---

In East you are playing 6NT, opponents silent.
Lead ♦5, plan your play?

[akwoo]

How good is the field? How many do I expect to be in 6N?

If something like half the field (or more) is expected to be in 6N, I win trick 1 and take the spade finesse - either way I have a red squeeze.

If not, I duck the first trick to rectify the count to increase my squeeze chances.

[mikeh]

While the small diamond lead worries me, I don’t think it matters much. I duck and win the inevitable spade switch. Pop the ace, run the clubs ending in dummy and play the top diamonds.

I like my chances.

I am making if either red suit comes home. I squeeze North if he started with the spade K and 4+ hearts.

I am making if either opp started with 4 or more in both reds

Even better, I don’t have to guess the end position.

[mike777]

Option 1.
AD
Finesse spade if loses then
Win KD return, pitch spade
AC
AS, pitch D
Run clubs ending in West
QD

[pescetom]

 akwoo, on 2026-October-24, 20:58, said:

How good is the field? How many do I expect to be in 6N?

The local field is 8 tables not good, but it's a national simultaneous tournament albeit one of the less popular ones so you can compete with over a hundred pairs of all levels on your same line.

About half will be in 6NT at either level, only a courageous few in a grand (one pair at local level).

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2026-October-25, 03:30, said:

The local field is 7 tables not good, but it's a national simultaneous tournament albeit one of the less popular ones so you can compete with over a hundred pairs of all levels on your same line.

About half will be in 6NT at either level, only a courageous few in a grand.

Speaking of Italian national events
There seems to be an uproar over a recent cheating allegation by a very well known player. He received a minor punishment which sounds outrageous. Comments?

[mike777]

bluenikki, on 2026-October-25, 06:45, said:

Maybe I've lost my mind, but don't you have 12 tricks if the lead is from 3 or 4? And you can check this by playing two top diamonds. If someone shows out, has any possible line of play been eliminated?

,
Think about it, smile
All you found out is diamonds might be 5-2

[bluenikki]

pescetom, on 2026-October-24, 16:12, said:

MP

---

In East you are playing 6NT, opponents silent.
Lead ♦5, plan your play?

Would it improve your chances by taking two top diamonds in case the lead was from six?

[bluenikki]

mike777, on 2026-October-25, 06:50, said:

,
Think about it, smile
All you found out is diamonds might be 5-2

Yes, I realized that and tried to delete.

[pescetom]

 bluenikki, on 2026-October-25, 07:01, said:

Would it improve your chances by taking two top diamonds in case the lead was from six?

Is it something you would do at the table?

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2026-October-24, 21:19, said:

Option 1.
AD
Finesse spade if loses then
Win KD return, pitch spade
AC
AS, pitch D
Run clubs ending in West
QD

The finesse fails and the hearts misbehave.

[pescetom]

 mikeh, on 2026-October-24, 21:15, said:

While the small diamond lead worries me, I don’t think it matters much. I duck and win the inevitable spade switch. Pop the ace, run the clubs ending in dummy and play the top diamonds.

I like my chances.

I am making if either red suit comes home. I squeeze North if he started with the spade K and 4+ hearts.

I am making if either opp started with 4 or more in both reds

Even better, I don’t have to guess the end position.

Admirably rational, but I think you are already down when you duck.

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2026-October-25, 16:02, said:

The finesse fails and the hearts misbehave.

If when I play the QD and LHO plays I need:
the last spade to be good, if not then, the last diamond to be good, if not then the last h to be good, if not then.......

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2026-October-25, 16:16, said:

If when I play the QD and LHO plays I need:
the last spade to be good, if not then, the last diamond to be good, if not then the last h to be good, if not then.......

As bluenikki pointed out, you (or I, at least) are probably only going to get this layout right if you cash a second diamonds honour immediately. At that point the diamonds split is evident and a spade discard by North will set you on the right track to locating the compression in South. My doubt is how likely one is to play a second honour at the table and whether one should.

I suspect that even the minority who did make 6NT were almost all graced with a spades lead rather than successful in spotting the compression. Certainly that was what happened at local level.