wynsten

I just started a topic "Robot Defence" which wasn't particularly about leads, but if you look at the hand I posted, the Robot lead is inexplicable (bidding is 2nt - 3nt; With KJxx spades and Axxxx diamonds robot leads top of xx hearts).

This hand What is the rationale for East playing ♦J? Double dummy it makes no difference, but Declarer doesn't have xray eyes. Pitching Jack just gives declarers who chose this line of play an extra trick they don't deserve. Ideally defending Robots should play double dummy defence, but when multiple lines are possible, simple bridge (lead top of sequence, otherwise lowest card that works).

For what it is worth, the triple strip squeeze is automatic - it would work as easily against East if the hands were interchanged. Organizing a spade ruff looks attractive, but I doubt that it works, otherwise why did the composer give us the spade and diamond Queens. wynsten

Good point. I guess we can't place him with all those HCP. Pity. I liked the ending.

I'm playing low at trick one (to cater for singleton Queen), then drawing trumps (they gotta split 3-2 or I'm sunk) and running trumps, pitching two diamonds from dummy. Even so, five hearts, four clubs and two aces is only eleven tricks, and the spade finess is not working. If East gets in with the club Ace, he will lead spades through me and kill any endplay (or squeeze, because I need the spade Ace as an entry). So the club Ace must be with West. When West wins the club Ace and returns a club I am dead in water unless he also has the diamond King, in which case West is squeezed in diamonds and spades by dummy's fifth club. UNLESS West has four clubs to his Ace (in which case Ace and another, East ruffing, would have set me, but I guess he didn't think of it), and holds off the first three rounds to deny me that fifth club. Since West overcalled in spades his partner can't have more than three (and please not jack third), so we come to the following ending with lead in dummy (having just taken the club King): West must have retained at least two spades, or I have all the remaining tricks. He must have retained two diamonds, or else I cash two diamonds, and then end play him in spades with his club Ace. [hv=pc=n&s=saqt5hdcq&w=skjhdkxca&n=s4hdaqc42&e=sxxxhdxxc]399|300[/hv] Now a club finishes West who must either concede two diamonds, a club and a spade or four spades(!), dummy never making his diamond Ace or the fifth club. If this isn't the solution, it ought to be! wynsten