[DavidKok]

You play matchpoints, 15-17 NT, 5cM, 1♦ 4(+), 1♣ 2(+) but only 2 if 4=4=3=2 out of notrump range. 2♣ always strong, 2♦ multi (contains a weak two in either major, 22-23 NT and semiforcing one-suiters) and 2M Muiderberg (5cM, 4(+)cm), 2/1 GF with a semiforcing 1NT.

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2♣* =

• Weak both majors (at least 5-4), or
  
• Intermediate (8-12) both minors, at least 5-5, or
  
• Strong single-suited major

West leads the ♠4-3-A-5. East returns ♠2-K-7-8. The opponents lead first/third/fifth. Plan the play (or object to the play thus far).

[mikeh]

I’d be grilling E-W on their leading and carding because I’m a bit confused by the post and the description of the play. Subject to knowing what they’d say….do they lead original 5th best back? Over here we’d lead original 4th best most of the time but I’m inferring (tentatively) that east has AQxxx in spades and west Jxx…with Qxx he should unblock.

So I’d play heart king, heart to the ace. If west shows out on the first round, then east is likely 5=5. If on the second round, 5=4.

In either case I exit a spade. If west wins, east is isolated (for now) while if east wins, and runs his spades, west is hopefully squeezed (I’ll stiff the diamond ace when he cashes spades, then win the shift in hand and cash the hearts, reducing to Qx Ax in the minors in dummy and A Kxx in hand. LHO can’t guard both minors)

Until and unless my tentative picture is obviously false, I’m playing west for 5 clubs and the diamond king or four clubs headed by QJ and the diamond king.

If east does have 5 spades and elects not to squeeze his partner, I’ll eventually play diamond Ace and low towards the queen, having stripped west of his third spade.

If their explanation of their carding suggests I’m mistaken, I’ll reconsider but suspect I don’t have a lot of choice…only if west could have QJ9xxx in spades(!) can I consider playing east for the minors and stepping him before sticking him in with clubs to lead away from Kx in diamonds.

[DavidKok]

Well done, that is the best line. I failed to find this at the table and went one off.

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[kgr]

I think it is clear for East to play SQ iso SA at 1st trick? (It does help here)

[mikeh]

 kgr, on 2023-March-30, 06:54, said:

I think it is clear for East to play SQ iso SA at 1st trick? (It does help here)

I agree, as a general principle, that east should insert the Queen, but it doesn’t make much difference. One still has to guess which hand type east has but the majors seems most likely so declarer wins trick one and plays a spade towards the ten.

If west wins, he can’t play a minor and a spade just gets us back to my original line. A heart merely delays the inevitable.

If west ducks, we play the ten, forcing the ace and now the spade suit is dead

[Cyberyeti]

 mikeh, on 2023-March-30, 07:52, said:

I agree, as a general principle, that east should insert the Queen, but it doesn’t make much difference. One still has to guess which hand type east has but the majors seems most likely so declarer wins trick one and plays a spade towards the ten.

If west wins, he can’t play a minor and a spade just gets us back to my original line. A heart merely delays the inevitable.

If west ducks, we play the ten, forcing the ace and now the spade suit is dead

E has to insert the 9 at trick 1 to defeat this (ducking may work too), and this is not too hard to visualise, what do you think partner has led the lowest remaining spade from ?

[mikeh]

 Cyberyeti, on 2023-March-30, 08:47, said:

E has to insert the 9 at trick 1 to defeat this (ducking may work too), and this is not too hard to visualise, what do you think partner has led the lowest remaining spade from ?

Or west could lead the Jack. Now east has two entries and can lead a diamond while preserving communication

[Cyberyeti]

 mikeh, on 2023-March-30, 10:12, said:

Or west could lead the Jack. Now east has two entries and can lead a diamond while preserving communication

That will work on this hand but less well on other holdings (say N has K, S has Q10x and partner has ♦A instead of ♠Q and the minor Js)