[pclayton]

---

You play in 3♥ after:

LHO.....Pard.....RHO.....You
1♣...Pass...1♥...2♥
Pass...2♠...Pass...3♥
All Pass

(Pard was a little confused about 2♥)

Opening lead is the A♠ (from A-K). Low club continuation, 4, 9, A.

You draw two rounds of trump and LHO follows to both. How do you continue?

[Blofeld]

I think I'll draw another trump and then try the club hook.

LHO looks marked with 5 spades (as rho bid 1♥ with 4), and therefore, according to style, either 5+ or 6+ clubs. either way the club finesse looks a good bet.

[Winstonm]

LHO is either 5206 or 5215. I can simply take the club finesse or can be more esoteric.

I play off 4 rounds of trumps, conceding the last while I pitch 3 diamonds from dummy. RHO is endplayed in 3 suits. A spade return sets up a spade trick; a club return gives me the club trick without the finesse; a diamond return holds my diamond losers to 2, as RHO must hold KQJ, KJx, KQx, QJx, or KQJx, only the latter being a 3-loser threat anyway.

Assuming that RHO holds the only dangerous holding, KQJx, he must return the king of diamonds, at which point I can claim or if in a fowl mood, torture LHO with this sequence: Win the Ace of diamonds, ruff a low spade, play off the last trump and pitch a diamond. Down to a 4-card ending, LHO must hold Q10x of clubs and the K of spades. I lead a club, covering whatever he plays, then thow him back in with the K of spades to give me the second club finesse.

If the first board at MPs or early in a KO match, I like line 2 better as it gives the opps something to think about and might get those bubblebees stirring in their heads for the next board or two. Anytime you can get the opps to think about something other than the board in front of them you have a clear advantage.

winstonm

[pclayton]

I had thought about the significance of the 10 D, but I really didn't have that card (sorry!).

Play it with missing the KQJT.

[luke warm]

that bidding is why i started playing klinger's recommendation... an x of 1♥ would be for penalty... i've overcalled also, as here, but my experience hasn't been good

everyone seems certain lho has 5 spades... what do they open if 5/5 black? i think i'd go with marlowe's line, throw east in with a trump... wish i had the ♦2 in hand and dummy had the 7

[Blofeld]

The reason I think LHO has 5 spades is because there are 9 out and I don't believe RHO has more than 4, as he bid 1♥ on a 4 card suit ; if he had a longer ♠ suit, surely he'd have bid that first?

[Fluffy]

ruff out East's ♣Q9x and claim 9 tricks.

[Winstonm]

Even with a diamond holding of 9874, I play as above. RHO is marked to be exactly 4441 or 4432. If he is 4432 I can claim by losing a heart, a spade, and two diamonds. The only danger is if he holds 4 diamonds; if he does, then LHO can be endplayed as mentioned earlier.

4 rounds of hearts. RHO must return a dimaond. If LHO follows, claim. If LHO shows out, then RHO is 4441. Win the ace, ruff a low spade, then play the last trump. LHO is reduced to K, -, -, Q10x. Lead a club, covering whatever he plays, then throw him back in with the Q of spades to lead another club.

[pclayton]

Winston's last suggestion is exactly how I played it. After LHO follows to the 2nd club, you can peg him with a likely 5-6, possibly weak 5-5.

RHO wins the 4th heart and bangs down the K♦. Not unexpectedly, LHO shows out.

There are two ways to get home. 1) Duck the K♦, and squeeze LHO in the blacks. 2) Win the K♦, ruff a spade, and play the last trump. LHO is reduced to: ♠K, ♣, QTx. Lead a club to the 8, and throw LHO with the K♠ for the forced return for 10 tricks.

Isn't it odd in the 2nd scenario you lose ZERO diamond tricks with the 4-0 split!

Note that the squeeze does not require all those nice club spots. But I think the endplay is a little cooler.

+170 was a decent board but not a top.

[Winstonm]

This hand is a good argument for opening these weaker 5/5 5/6 hands with 1S.
No chance for heroics after the 9-card spade fit is found.

[beatrix45]

Almost a double dummy problem. LHO should have five ♠, two ♥, and probably six ♣. She might have five ♣ and one ♦, but the odds are against that since many of those hands would have been opened one ♠ to begin with.

Play a club to the jack. For this to lose, LHO had to start with a club holding of:

106532

AND RHO had to have played the nine from Q9. Even if you do lose to this holding, RHO has to play back specifically a diamond honour to beat you. Did LHO lead the 3 of ♣??? An important detail.

Did LHO really open one ♣ with

AKJxx
xx
K(or some other ♦)
106532

???

All other possibilities win.

If this recommended line of play loses, excuse yourself and find an easier game.