Play problem

[bridgeboy]

Hi all,

 

I think I've seen this hand in books before but cannot recall where....

 

 

imps,

 

Jxxx

K92

AKxx

Ax

 

 

-

AQ654

xx

KQxxxx

 

 

6H, top S lead. Plan the play.

 

Thanks all in advance!

[Finch]

You are probably screwed if hearts are 5-0.

I shall come back to clubs 5-0 later.

 

If one rounded suit is 3-2 you make simply by playing 3 top hearts then starting on clubs.

 

So what if both hearts and clubs are 4-1, both singletons not in the same hand?

Try playing clubs first:

 

Ace of clubs, club towards hand. If RHO started with a singleton club, he can't ruff this without making life easy for you, so he discards. You then ruff a club low in dummy. He can over-ruff, but as long as that's not a singleton trump you are fine. You can't afford to take any top trumps before the club ruff.

 

If LHO ruffs the second round of clubs and plays a spade, you ruff and play a club, over-ruffing if necessary.

 

So playing clubs before trumps gains every time they are both 4-1, and doesn't lose (except an overtrick) unless LHO is exactly 2-1 in the rounded suits.

 

If someone is 2-1 or 1-1 in the rounded suits you need to cash one top heart from dummy first, but then you get forced off if someone is 4-1.

 

So which is more likely? I guess 4-1, but I'd need to work it out.