Buty2008

It is hard to describe hand but it is not a great riddle for partner if you bid 5♥ after 5♦. Partner should understand that you see at most 2 losers in the combined hands no matter if contract is in ♦ (fitted suit) or ♥ with no sign of support. If his hand has at least one of red aces should bid 6.

Your play missed the chance to find Qx in spades in any of opponents hand. At trick 4 small spade to dummy's A and duck a spade from dummy could reveal spade Q at trick 5. If so 10 tricks are secured and club return can be taken by dummy's A. 4th winners in diamonds and spades are a potential squeeze for 11th trick. If not, there is one more chance that south win trick 5 an chance to play for 3-3 in both majors is still there.

In Axx vs Kxxx (declarer vs dummy) the standard safe play to check opponents split (3-3 or 4-2) is to use blank trick (x from both hands) before using A, K and see if last x is the last in the suit. No risk to give a trick if opponents have 4-2 split in the suit. So just play x-x from in both suits than use AK to check the split in opponents hands. I suppose the hand has no problem to win the lead, play x to x in one suit, win next trick, play x to x in 2nd 4-3 suit and win next trick - you have 2 losers and time to check both 4-3 suits. The only risk is that opponents may develop a winner to be played at trick 5. I am not expert at table but I read a lot and solved problems, so I hope my post here answer pretty well to the question. The real hand has some problems. The 9 tricks are based on LHO having DQ - 4 in D with finesse, + 5 top cards in the other 3 suits. SJ make proper to test H split but a club return next release a trick (or more) for opponents. Would be nice that small to small trick in heart to be given to LHO (if lead was not in clubs will have a reason to refrain to do it now). Spades can give 3 tricks not only for 3-3. If opponents have Qx vs T9xx proper play is A,K,2 to J and standard play fails. It is not just math for two 4-3 suits to be in opponents hands 3-3 or 4-2.

I learned this game long time ago. Basic rule second in trick play low. Rule of 11: 11-4 (value of lead card)-4 (dummy's & declarer's higher cards number)= 3 higher cards in RHO give no useful info. I stick to 2nd play low: If A or J comes out from RHO I have 2 tricks in suit. If I use the Q to cover a smaller card I will play any finesse from hand to dummy to let RHO return the suit. Worse case if LHO get to lead again low in the same suit. Then I need to guess if A or J are in LHO hand. To play 10 is based on premise that 4 is lead from a suit with an honor (A or J): If RHO play small I have 2 tricks in suit. If RHO play J I win with Q, than I play small to dummy's K. If RHO play A I have 2 tricks in suit. It seem 10 is better but exist the case LHO has lead from 4 small cards suit. RHO with AJx, cover 10 with J, and dummy's K with ace and is able to play his 3rd card to give LHO 2 more tricks in suit. That is really bad. Here come the need to know how high is NT contract. In a 1NT contract declarer has no long suit to play its winners and get more clues about what values are in LHO or RHO hands & no other winners in dummy to play low toward that. In a higher NT contract is supposed declarer & dummy have a number of straight winners that can be played to force LHO or RHO to drop a card from leading suit, making things clear.