[Fluffy]

W - N - E - S
.-.-.-.-1♠-ps
2♥-ps-3♥-ps
4♥-ps-ps-ps

---

Match points, partner leads ♦5 (3rd/5th), declarer drops ♦4 under your Ace.

W - N - E - S
.-.-.-.-1♠-ps
2♥-ps-3♥-ps
4♥-ps-ps-ps

---

2♦ is forcing, rest is natural.

Match Points again, partner leads ♣6 (3rd/5th), declarer tries ♣10 from dummy and you capture declarer's ♣2 with your ace.

[lowerline]

Fluffy, on Jul 2 2007, 09:50 AM, said:

W - N - E - S
.-.-.-.-1♠-ps
2♥-ps-3♥-ps
4♥-ps-ps-ps

---

Match points, partner leads ♦5 (3rd/5th), declarer drops ♦4 under your Ace.

W - N - E - S
.-.-.-.-1♠-ps
2♥-ps-3♥-ps
4♥-ps-ps-ps

---

2♦ is forcing, rest is natural.

Match Points again, partner leads ♣6 (3rd/5th), declarer tries ♣10 from dummy and you capture declarer's ♣2 with your ace.

1. I switch to ♥, reducing the possible black suit ruffs and hoping we can stop that spade suit...
2. I continue ♣ for the ruff.

Steven

[awm]

1. I would continue ♦Q. Chances of setting this are not good, but we may have two diamond tricks off the top and need to take them before they disappear on the spades. There is some possibility partner has a spade void, but I would've expected a higher diamond lead in that case. Partner's lead must be from K95(3), KT5(3), or 53 doubleton. This last (53 doubleton) seems least likely of the possible holdings, especially because it's unlikely partner has all that many hearts or spades given what we can see and partner might've bid with a 7-card club suit or the like.

2. Continue a low club. It seems possible that partner has a singleton, giving declarer something like ♠Kx ♥Kxx ♦Axxx ♣QJxx, which is certainly a possibility on the auction. Also note that this is one of the few likely hands where 3NT is not cold, so it becomes essential to beat 5♦. There are hands where a spade switch holdes the contract to five and returning club lets them make six, but those hands normally 3NT was on ice anyway and we may well receive average-plus defending 5♦ even with the overtrick (some people will get 430/630 in 3NT).

[Free]

small ♣

small ♣

[skjaeran]

1. It's imperative that we cash our minor suit tricks before they disappear on dummy's spades (unless partner holds the ♠A). So we need to decide if partner is more likely to hold the ♦K or the ♣A. Partner's lead is from KX53, KX5 or 53. 53 is a priori the lesser chance. In addition, if partner held a doubleton, he'd have quite a few clubs, and might have decided to lead the ♣A. So I'll return the ♦6.

2. Looks like there's a ♣ ruff. And as other's have noted, if declarer has QJxx, the overtrick might still score well against 3NT. So I'll continue ♣5.

[mikeh]

1. Continue the ♦Q. I am playing partner for the ♦K rather than the ♣A, but I am also catering to the chance that he holds both: I am sure that my partner can work out to cash the ♣A if he wins the ♦K... but why make him think when he doesn't have to?

If declarer plays an non- 3 next, and partner the 10, I may have to consider a ♠ void for partner (partner with K1053 can, in theory, play the 3 or the 10... but in practice it is not clear that he can effectively signal, since declarer can be continuing to conceal the 3), but I doubt it exists and I won't play for it... especially if partner breaks tempo in many fashion before playing the 10.

2. continue a club, hoping for the ruff. The 10 is a standard false card for declarer from QJxx. However, if declarer is a really bad player, then I'd switch to a ♠... really bad players don't play the 10. BTW, anyone else interested in the vulnerability, given that we are all playing partner to be 1=1 in the minors and not to have bid?

[pclayton]

(edited - my handheld does weird things when the batteries are low)

1. Pard appeared to make an agressive lead from K 3rd or K 4th. Its possible the lead is from 53 however, and I dont want to give declarer an easy time by leading back the Q, especially since there is no lead that needs to come from my side. Pard probably has one high card and it appears to be the KD. If its the Ac, Ive just guessed wrong.

2. What a weird auction. I think we are getting a zillion matchpoints for defending 5♦ instead of 3N here. I'll lead back a club, but I'm expecting it won't matter much for my score.

[Fluffy]

Sorry all,on first one I messed with spot cards. Suoth had ♦9, and North could had led from 10853,