best line in a tricky 3NT?

[rbforster]

[hv=d=s&n=sjxxhaqdqtcajtxxx&s=skqxht9xxdaj987cq]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

After the auction 1♦-2♣(GF)-2NT-3NT, you get a 4th best diamond lead. The dummy's card holds the first trick.

 

Is there any way to guarentee the contract? What's your line of play? Assume the K♥ is offside or most paths leads to 9 tricks.

[temp3600]

I like this line : diamond lead to the T, overtaken with the J. Run the CQ. Then small spade to the J, and play on clubs.

[Finch]

Diamond lead? What drugs are the opponents on to lead a diamond at trick 1?

That's got that out of my system, now let's play the hand. I'm fairly certain we can't guarentee the contract single dummy, because RHO might have K98xx in clubs when he won't duck the first club.

 

How about this:

 

Overtake the D10 with the DJ.

Run the CQ. If clubs are 3-3 or 4-2, this will probably be a winner. If RHO wins the club from Kx we have loads of tricks.

Now play on diamonds, discarding clubs from dummy.

LHO will win at some point. If he doesn't switch to a heart we have 9 tricks by playing on spades, so he plays a heart, queen, king. Again, they have to play a heart back which we win with the ace in dummy.

Now play a spade to the king. If that's a winner we cash diamonds then play the 10 of hearts from hand and hope we generate a 9th trick from somewhere.

 

We can easily go off, if the HK is wrong, and the CK is wrong and the HJ is with the CK.

[Finch]

Maybe I prefer this small spade to the jack line after the CQ holds.

If LHO goes in with the ace and plays a heart through you are in the same trouble as in my line but I guess they probably won't do that....

If RHO wins the SJ and plays another spade you win and set up diamonds. LHO wins and plays a heart through but you have 9 tricks now.