lamford, on 2020-June-05, 18:57, said:
An alternative line certainly merits consideration, which is to win the heart in dummy and lead the ace and jack of clubs. I think they need to duck this, and if the ten has not fallen, you play ace of diamonds, ten of diamonds to the king and then the queen of clubs. Now they cannot cash a club winner, even if neither minor has already provided the ninth trick, and while you are not completely gin, you can win the likely heart exit and can run the jack of spades. If East has KQx Axxx xx KTxx, you have to finesse the diamond instead, but you will know by now a lot more about the distribution.
Can't E have KQxxx, Axxx, xx, xx where W exits a spade on winning the club and E clears the hearts on winning the spade ? Now you need to guess well.
If you think W would have led a spade from Hxx(x) instead of a heart from the J, if you win the second heart on the table and just play a spade, E wins and clears the hearts, you duck a further spade to him and he cashes the heart, you pitch the
♣J (if the finesse is right you don't need to take it). E exits in a black suit, and you cash your black winners before unblocking the 10
♦ under the A and coming to hand with the K. Watch the discards and decide if with
♣Q,
♦x opposite
♦Q9 W has two diamonds or a diamond and the
♣K left, if he had 4 diamonds and the club K he will have been squeezed.