[jddons]

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This hand was played in a social game. On 8♥ lead, declarer won the A, cashed AK♣, AKQ♦ pitching 4, 7 ♥. It seemed to me that this line was not best since if ♦ break 5-2 declarer is left with 3 red suit losers and 2 trumps in dummy to take care of them. What is the best line to combine your chances on this deal?

[Cyberyeti]

Actually you're not dead if Q♦ exposes a 5-2 break. Say it gets ruffed and a heart is returned, now 3-3 spades will bail you out.

It really depends who shows out and who has the trump and spades what happens on a discard.

If you play spades first, you're relying on W not having 2 spades and ♣Qxx.

[WesleyC]

It feels like a good line to me.

Assuming that you decide at trick one to trust the opening lead and go up with the ace, then i think declarer played the best line.

[nige1]

jddons asked "This hand was played in a social game. On 8♥ lead, declarer won the A, cashed AK♣, AKQ♦ pitching 4, 7 ♥. It seemed to me that this line was not best since if ♦ break 5-2 declarer is left with 3 red suit losers and 2 trumps in dummy to take care of them. What is the best line to combine your chances on this deal?"

Cyberyeti and Wesleyc are convincing. What alternatives did you consider, jddons?

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[rhm]

nige1, on 2015-July-31, 08:32, said:

Cyberyeti and Wesleyc are convincing. What alternatives did you consider, jddons?

Not so fast.
I am not that easily convinced.
What about playing three rounds of diamonds without touching trumps?
We are certainly no worse of if diamonds break.
If diamonds do not break and somebody ruffs, chances are the short diamond hand is longer in trumps anyway and the ruff does not hurt.
If West ruffs we can overruff.
Meanwhile we retain trump entries to establish spades if diamonds do not break.

For example:

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West ruffs the third dianmond and you overruff.
One line is to play on spades immediately.
If East ruffs the third spade low overruff, if high discard your heart and you make the contract even though neither diamonds nor spades break.

Rainer Herrmann

[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2015-July-31, 08:32, said:

Cyberyeti and Wesleyc are convincing. What alternatives did you consider, jddons?[/hv]

Actually I didn't suggest a line, merely pointed out an inaccuracy in the analysis.

Not sure whether Rainer's line loses when the diamond ruff is taken with Qx when you could have succeeded by banging down 2 trumps.

[jddons]

The west hand was x 98xx Jxxx QTxx, so immediately cashing AK♣ finished our chances. I agree with CY that it is not a disaster if the third round of diamonds gets ruffed. On the actual deal I believe 4 clubs and a stiff spade with west is fatal but I was wondering if cashing three rounds of diamonds and immediately taking a club finesse was better? I then realised that you aren't too happy when East wins the Jack and returns a diamond for an uppercut. So is there a line that can accommodate 4 clubs with West without damaging our chances on a 3-2 break?

[manudude03]

I think if clubs break 4-1, then I think you need West to be 4234 and make it on a trump en passent.

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