Cyberyeti, on 2020-August-06, 04:17, said:
As the cards lie, but potentially embarrassing (give one hand ♦Jx and the 3 spades).
I confess that I just gave a quick response to the double-dummy position, but I think you can always guarantee 4 tricks after W follows to
♦Q and you overtake.
If E has followed to this
♦ (leaving the possibility that it retains
♦J) then either:
- you decide to play W for that card, as before (♠K, ♦), or
- you accept 4 tricks by playing another ♦ without cashing ♠K. If E wins this, then a ♠ return gives you all of dummy, so E returns its only ♣. (At the start of the 6-card position, E held the 3 remaining ♠s because of the 2♠ call, so 2♦s means singleton ♣. Presumably E will have pitched a ♠ on ♥Q.) If you duck this, then either E holds the trick and must play a ♠ or W overtakes and is endplayed in ♣s. Covering minimally works too.
If W doesn't follow to
♦Q you're guaranteed 5 tricks by overtaking and playing another
♦, as E can't have a
♣.
Nigel, I don't see how a possible squeeze on E needs to come into your picture. After
♥,
♦,
♠,
♦ with W on lead there are only 2 cards left: a
♦ return gives the rest to dummy, and a
♣'s into S's AJ.
Paul had already lost the
♠ and
♦ Aces, so needed 5 tricks for his contract.
Pilowsky "13 people made 3NT+1 for 430 and 70%. I found 4♥-2 but it is makeable with a nice (imo) ending. Here's the hand."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you, Pilowski Death defying 1st round ♥ finesse