[Zelandakh]

You are South and have to play 6NT after being a little optimistic in the bidding.

West leads ♠6

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How would you play this hand to optimise your chances?

[gordontd]

 Zelandakh, on 2011-December-17, 06:47, said:

You are South and have to play 6NT after being a little optimistic in the bidding.

West leads ♠6

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How would you play this hand to optimise your chances?

Have you asked for aces along the way?

[Zelandakh]

 gordontd, on 2011-December-17, 07:17, said:

Have you asked for aces along the way?

This is an awkward question to answer. North bid 4NT (quantitative) and South responded 5H (2 aces). This is the main reason I did not give the auction.

[gordontd]

 Zelandakh, on 2011-December-17, 07:33, said:

This is an awkward question to answer. North bid 4NT (quantitative) and South responded 5H (2 aces). This is the main reason I did not give the auction.

So if you took a losing finesse early, they would know that they have an ace to cash too.

[Fluffy]

sounds like the typical heart to the king hand where even if it loses you have chances.

[bridgeemu]

Win K and lead a club to the J

[TWO4BRIDGE]

 Fluffy, on 2011-December-17, 08:11, said:

sounds like the typical heart to the king hand where even if it loses you have chances.

Even if the ♥ play wins, that would only make the 11th trick.
A 2nd ♥ trick would be hard to get.

So, you need the ♣ finesse to work in any case.
When that wins, you could get another ♣ trick ( 12th ) if the suit splits 3-3.... w/o even touching ♥.

If you handle the entries properly, and the ♣ don't split, THEN lead the ♥10 from dummy:

♠ K
♣ to J ( wins )
♦ K
♣ A
♣ to K ( if they split your troubles are over )
... if they don't split, then run the next five ♦, pitching two ♠ and three ♥;
then lead ♥ 10 ( you need the opp with the ♥ A to be out of ♣ ).
........ if East plays a low ♥, you will have to play West for the ♥A and not the Q.

[gordontd]

 Fluffy, on 2011-December-17, 08:11, said:

sounds like the typical heart to the king hand where even if it loses you have chances.

If it wins you've still only got 11 tricks, and if it loses (and they don't play a heart back) you're short of two tricks. It's hard to see how you can make the contract without finding the CQ onside, so I'm inclined to think you should start with the club finesse, and then judge whether to play for clubs 3-3 or generate a heart trick. Another problem is that the entry position requires you to see if the clubs break before playing on hearts, and if they don't break then your heart play is determined for you - to keep the hand with the fourth club off lead.

[Zelandakh]

So far we have ♠K then ♣ to the J or ♠K then ♥ to the K. Any additional entries before I start giving spoilers?

[TWO4BRIDGE]

 Zelandakh, on 2011-December-18, 06:49, said:

So far we have ♠K then ♣ to the J or ♠K then ♥ to the K. Any additional entries before I start giving spoilers?

I'm ready for the spoilers ...

[kenrexford]

The first part seems fairly normal. WIn the spade King and then hook the club Jack. When that wins (we hope), cash the top club in hand and top diamond before trying clubs for a 3-3 splt.

If the club Queen drops under the Ace, the clubs seem like 4-2. In that event, you will probably need RHO with the heart Ace. If hearts are 2-4, instead, then you need LHO with the heart Ace and not the Queen.

One funny possibility is that the opening spade lead was stiff or doubleton 6-5, in which case you might simply get another trick in spades if RHO has the fourth club, the heart Ace, and thus a squeeze on the run of diamonds. ♠QJ1098 ♥A? ♦? ♣Qxxx. I suppose that LHO could have the heart Ace, four clubs without the Queen, and five spades, as well.

[JLOGIC]

+1 for win the king and club to the jack, then play hearts accordingly if clubs are 4-2. Only interesting variation comes up if RHO plays the 9 or ten on the first club, then the queen, in which case we'll have to decide whether to play restricted choice, or whether to combine our chances with QT9 of clubs on right, falling back on HA on right. This might depend on how good RHO is (aka if they would always remember to drop the queen on the second round).

[robkat]

 JLOGIC, on 2011-December-19, 15:47, said:

+1 for win the king and club to the jack, then play hearts accordingly if clubs are 4-2. Only interesting variation comes up if RHO plays the 9 or ten on the first club, then the queen, in which case we'll have to decide whether to play restricted choice, or whether to combine our chances with QT9 of clubs on right, falling back on HA on right. This might depend on how good RHO is (aka if they would always remember to drop the queen on the second round).

That is a good question. In isolation, the clubs suit is 2:1 more likely to come in with a finesse. But this gives up on A of H with RHO which cuts the loss of losing to QT9 with RHO in half. How often would LHO lead the A of H's at trick one if he had it? Depends on the bidding which was not given.

[Zelandakh]

Ok, first spoiler. You win ♠K and play a ♣ to the J which wins, opps giving the 3 and 5. Whether you play the ♣K or ♣A now the Q appears from RHO. The ♣T9 are still out. What now? Still taking offers on alternative starts too if Rainer or someone wants to come in...

[JLOGIC]

Cash the DK, club to the king. If clubs split I'm home assuming diamonds split. If LHO has the last club, run diamonds and heart to the king. If RHO has the last club run diamonds and heart to the jack.

[gordontd]

Indeed - nothing has changed since the earlier responses.

[Zelandakh]

The clubs do not split. LHO has ♠J986, ♥AQ2, ♦74, ♣T965 so there is no squeeze after this start. The line I was wondering if it is possible to find is to first win the ♠A, then cash ♦K. Trick 3 cross to ♠K and run the diamonds without touching clubs at all. LHO now has to either unguard clubs or drop the ♥Q.

It seems this line is too double dummy to find at the table. I wondered about it and thought if noone here found it then it is clearly not the correct option. Still, an interesting hand I hope you agree. The deal in full...

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