[kgr]

Another one I misplayed:

Scoring: IMP's

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1♠-(2♥)-2♠-(3♥)
p-(4♥)-4♠-All pass
 
♥K lead for J, 8 and T
Followed by ♣5 from West for 3, A and 7
East plays ♣2 for your Q and 6 of West.
You now play a small ♠, West playing the ♠J.
How do you continue.

[foo]

"1♠-(2♥)-2♠-(3♥)
p-(4♥)-4♠-All pass

♥K lead for J, 8 and T
Followed by ♣5 from West for 3, A and 7
East plays ♣2 for your Q and 6 of West.
You now play a small ♠, West playing the ♠J.
How do you continue. "

You have lost 2 tricks and can afford to lose 1 more.
If the Trump suit can be played for no losers, you can afford to lose the ♦Q even if ♦'s break 3-0

Since you are missing equal cards, both the ♠Q and ♠J, this is a Restricted Choice situation.
You win the ♠A and then play the ♠8, intending to run it if it is not covered.

If the ♠8 holds, you next play the ♠3, intending to hook the ♠T if it is not covered.

Regardless of how the play in trumps turns out, you then play ♦'s from the top in the hopes of a 2-1 break.

[kgr]

foo, on Dec 14 2008, 07:44 PM, said:

...
Since you are missing equal cards, both the ♠Q and ♠J, this is a Restricted Choice situation.
You win the ♠A and then play the ♠8, intending to run it if it is not covered.
...

Probably restricted choice, but it can be from QJxx, QJx, QJ or J.
I would think that QJx is more then twice as likely then J.
Below the holdings were it matters imho how you play.
West can have:
♠QJx
♦void
=> We have to play from the top. Otherwise West returns a ♠ and we can not go back to dummy after testing ♦.
♠J
♦void
=> It should always make
♠J
♦Qxx
=> We have to finesse.
? Maybe it is better to play from top?

[han]

The only holdings that matter are J and QJ. If RHO had Qxxx he would have beaten you by returning a heart. Play for the drop.

[kgr]

han, on Dec 15 2008, 04:58 AM, said:

The only holdings that matter are J and QJ.

I would think that QJx also matters because you should not finesse then.

Quote

If RHO had Qxxx he would have beaten you by returning a heart. Play for the drop.

I can tell you that opps I play against don't always play perfect or even good.

[CSGibson]

small spade to the king, if both follow test diamonds. If they don't follow, ruff a heart, diamond to the ace, T of spades.

If someone had 4 spades on this auction, you'd likely be doubled on the bidding if nothing else.

[brianshark]

If QJx offside, you need to go up the K because if the diamonds are 3-0 onside, you can ruff a heart as an entry to take the finesse. (If you finesse, he can return a trump or heart killing the entry and you can no longer test Diamonds.)

If QJ doubleton offside, you need to play the K which ensures the contract and you can try and pick up the diamonds for the overtrick.

If J singleton offside, it doesn't matter what you play. You are going to lose a trump trick no matter what (no entry to repeat finesse), and either way you get to test Diamonds and ruff a heart for a Diamond finesse if they are 3-0 onside.

[brianshark]

CSGibson, on Dec 16 2008, 12:38 AM, said:

If they don't follow, ruff a heart, diamond to the ace, T of spades.

Cash a big Diamond before you ruff a heart in case you need to finesse.

[kgr]

Thanks all for the answers.
I finessed ♠ and was -1 because QJx was offside, and the diamonds were 3-0 onside.