AQTxx vs 8x

[kgr]

Following D suit combination happened Yesterday during club evening.

 

Dummy: AQT64

Leader: 82

Opening lead by LHO: 3 (not playing 4th best, simple attitude...or singleton)

 

Contract is 3NT and dummy has bid D (bidding was something like 1C-1D-1H-1S-1NT-3NT).

You have enough entries in both hands and you play MP's and want to make the max. number of tricks in the D suit.

I saw 2 players play the Q from dummy. The T certainly looks better to me and maybe it is even better to play low to also finesse on the 9?

---------

If it matters, full hand was something like:

J98x

xx

AQT64

AQx

 --- 

Q7x

AKQx

82

Kxx

[kenberg]

Me, I'll go up with the ace and lead the spade x from the board. I see seven top tricks. I need two more. I don't think they are coming from the diamond suit. I think lho is 4-4-1-4 or maybe even 5-4-1-3. If the latter, the lead of the small spade from the board might produce the stiff A, K, or T. If the former, rho might hold KT or AT. If it goes small on my right, my Q loses, and a heart comes thrugh, I lead another spade x from my hand towards the J98. If it goes low-low-ten, I am probably going set. If it goes low -low-low I am making my contract since I still have the transportation to come to my hand, lead onother spade, regain the lead, get to the board, cash the spade, and get back to my hand.

 

 

Suppose, instead, I play a lower diamond, say a spot. The 9 wins and there is a heart shift. If I view the hand correctly, I want the first spade to come from the dummy. So I go over to the board with a club and lead the spade x. It goes low-Q-K and another heart comes back. I lead my low spade and it goes low-low-low so I have a good position except for the transportation. I need to get back to my hand to lead another spade. But that will be my last time in hand so I need to cash my last heart. But then I establish the fourth heart. Uh oh.

 

This may be wrong, but I really don't think lho has led a diamond from strength. This auction usually indicates either five diamonds or strong diamonds, and often both. The opps have two top spades anytime they want them, and I doubt I am building up a diamond trick w/o first losing at least a couple, if ever. So I am not making overtricks here. I am looking for nine.