hatchett

The winning line was to cash the ♣A and exit with a third round of ♣, since East holds the remaining ♥T8 and west is endplayed to take a ♥ or ♦ finesse for you. Which is the better line exiting ♥ or ♣? I'm not sure but there probably isn't much between the two lines, depending on how likely you think RHO will cover and LHO will unlock with various holdings etc. When you cash the ♣A, you get some info, if LHO plays the J, then you know ♣ are 2-3 and exit with the ♥9. If LHO follows with the remaining low ♣ and RHO with the K you have no information. Exiting with the third club makes whenever LHO has three clubs or trumps can now be picked up for one loser ie someone started with Hx ♥. The holding you lose to is when west started with KT8 ♥ and xx or Jxx ♣. Mikeh's line of exiting ♥ loses when RHO has QT8 ♥ (or the unlikely QT as he points out)

Maybe I have a blind spot but I thought, if you win the heart with the ace. Then what? If you continue the heart J, LHO ducks and you can't set up hearts if he started with 4+H. If you play a spade to the ace and then two rounds of trumps and LHO pitches a heart and a spade you don't know whether he started with 45 or 54 in the majors and have to guess the position.

To give a clue, the contract is cold without defensive error on the actual lie. The lie, is I think (but no gauarantees) the most likely and simplest one to allow you to make the contract.

I pitch a heart since I am assuming I have two spade tricks, but I agree it's more complex than I said. If clubs are 3-3 this line is cold (if LHO has spade K and Heart KQ) I play heart ten and duck the honor (LHO must split obviously). If LHO continues a heart I finesse, and ruff a heart. If hearts are 3-3/4-2 they are ruffed out. If hearts are 5-1. I cash the last trump to finish off west, he is 4513 and can't hold the position If he plays a spade, win A, heart finesse and ruff, and the same position is reached. If hearts are 6-0 I think the above might go off if RHO can hold the third round of spades.

On the first auction. I will play ♦s to be 1-7 and LHO to have ♠K, and ♥KQ. So rise ♦A. draw trumps, and play ♥T. This simple line requires can withstand more bad breaks than more complex lines ie 4-2 ♣, ♥6-0 and ♠5-1. On the second auction, I need to know more about my opponents, could RHO have 5♦s?, could LHO have a stiff ♦? etc, or does your small diamond mean diamonds could be 6-2?

You continue the ♥J, and it continue Q, A, K!. What now?

♠ seem to be 3-6

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sjhj62d9752ct9873&s=sa86ha9743daqcaq4]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] P P 2♠ X 3♠ P P X P 4♣ P 4♥ all P Spade lead to J, Q and A. You ruff a spade low. You view to continue with a ♣ to the Q that holds, and ruff another ♠ low. Play on.

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=sa86ha9743daqcaq4]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] P P 2♠ X 3S P P X P 4♣ P ? do you agree with your second double? Now what.

[hv=d=e&v=e&n=shqjtdk954c987532&s=saq974hak73da863c]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You arrive in 4♥ as South. The lead is ♦Q. You win the K and play a second ♦. Easts ruffs and plays a second ♥. Play on

Obvious double

Wish I could be guaranteed to go positive on a throw-in.

I agree with FrancesHinden. I would expect 4NT to be straight B/W in a pick-up and two suiters to begin with 4♣.

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=s954hq87d65ckq832&w=sakj6ha4daq72c764]266|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♥ X 2♥ P P X P 3♦ P P 3♥ all P You lead the ♠A and partner discourages with 2. What do you play next?

I assume partner would give count in ♥s at trick one, so we know whether declarer has a singleton or not.

If you lead ♥K and switch to a ♣. Then if declarer plays a diamond and North wins and plays a second round of ♦s declarer makes 9 tricks, by winning and playing a second round of hearts. He still has a spade entry to the hearts. It's the same if you switch to a trump at trick two. One possible way of holding it to seven tricks is to switch to a low spade at trick two. Then if declarer plays a diamond, north plays the A, cashes a heart honor and plays his other spade. South wins and plays another ♠ and then if north can overruff dummy's remaining ♦ with his other ♦, the contract is defeated by two. Also on the actual defence, if North wins the diamond A, and plays a ♠. South wins and plays two rounds of spades. This takes out the entry to the hearts, but is also dependent on North being able to overruff dummy's diamond, if declarer tries to ruff the third round of spades.

Isn't a spade lead and trump switch +300? ♠A, ♦A, ♦. Declarer plays a ♥. North wins and plays a second ♠, and South has two more tricks to cash, ♠Q and the ♥K.

6♦ Even when it's not making some of the time the opponents are going to save in 6♠ which they presumably think will be cheap.

Well I was playing with a very good player who found a double for +500, 3 off. Dummy had the expected AQ♣ and K♥ and I had some diamond honors. Declarer didn't have the entries to pick up ♠ despite knowing about the split.

3♠ It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

Agree with above. This is not close I have KQx in both of LHO suits. 3♥ is obvious.

I would bid 1NT, no one trap passes any more. Do they?

Did dummy have a ♥ hidden amongst its clubs?

Not many people Michaels when one of their five card suits is the one opened Rubbish. Mikeh repeating triple squeeze line involves cashing both club honors after drawing trumps!

A heart back would also leave you blocked up.