[Fluffy]

Scoring: IMP

W - N - E - S
ps-1♦-2♠-3♣*
ps-3NT-ps-ps
ps

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3♣= transfer to 3♦.

The lead is the ♠10 (H109), wich goes to the Q from West, probably making it is only double dummy, but if you assumed ♥A was with East... could you make it?.

[000002]

east 7 cards ♠ for their unfavorable VUL,y?

[helene_t]

I wouldn't assume a 7-card. This was a junior event.

[000002]

Agree:)

east ♦qx?then duck ♦king or drew ♦ace if east proceed ♠ after taking ♥ace?

[FrancesHinden]

It looks not at all obvious that the HA is with East. Fluffy in particular must have seen a few junior weak jumps before!

Anyway, if I assume that the HA is with East, I win the opening lead and then cannot afford to lose the lead to West.

1. So win the opening lead, heart towards dummy.
i) If East ducks, I play him for Hx or Hxx in diamonds and run the D10.
ii) If East rises and clears spades I try 3 rounds of clubs, if they don't break I play East to have started with Qx or singleton honour in diamonds.

The alternatives are
2) play the the DA at trick 2. This only works if East has KQ doubleton, Kxx, Qxx or Kx and forgets to unblock.
3) Play a low diamond at trick 2. I think this only works if East has KQ doubleton.

3) looks hopeless.
2) picks up KQ, Kxx, Qxx and sometimes Kx.
1) only picks up Qx or 3-3 clubs genuinely, but East will not always rise.

So in fact, I wonder if I should start with 3 rounds of clubs? If they break, I play a heart towards dummy and then run the D10. If they don't break, I play the DA next.

I wonder if playing East for the HA is correct? As he could have 7 spades for a red weak jump, it's quite tempting to duck the opening lead and hope that spades are 7-1 or West has the HA and you can lose a diamond to West.

[mila85]

I remember that my pard made it but I don't how.

I guess it was a singleton diamond honour with west...

[Fluffy]

Frances got it right, if ♥A is with East, your only chance is to keep West off lead, but how can you do that?, if he has both ♦ honnors you cannot do it, only if he has a ♦ honnor you can do it, is there any better chance?

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I guess playing or the singleton ♦ honnor is better than squezing your brain to get this position, but in fact it is, when you play a ♥ at trick 2, you leave East with 2 possible ways to give the contract home:

-If he plays low you play a ♦ from dummy not allowing the K to win the trick, then East has to win, and you score an overtrick.

-If he raises with the ace and clears ♠, you will play ♥ to dummy, and a ♦, now forcing the ♦K to win the defensive trick, West has no ♠ left, and East has no entry.

[FrancesHinden]

Fluffy, on Aug 4 2005, 09:30 AM, said:

-If he raises with the ace and clears ♠, you will play ♥ to dummy, and a ♦, now forcing the ♦K to win the defensive trick, West has no ♠ left, and East has no entry.

On the actual layout, if he rises with the ace and clears spades, you will take your four club tricks.

[Led]

FrancesHinden, on Aug 4 2005, 10:11 AM, said:

Fluffy, on Aug 4 2005, 09:30 AM, said:

-If he raises with the ace and clears ♠, you will play ♥ to dummy, and a ♦, now forcing the ♦K to win the defensive trick, West has no ♠ left, and East has no entry.

On the actual layout, if he rises with the ace and clears spades, you will take your four club tricks.

another point if clubs were not dividing 3-3 :
♠lead to the K
♥East takes his Ace and clears the ♠, partner should throw away the♦K
then you can not avoid East to get a ♦trick

Edouard