Bid and play problem from Chicago Mixed BAM

[awm]

You hold the following hand:

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=saxxhaqjxxdkjxctx]133|100|Scoring: BAM[/hv]

 

LHO opens 2♦, partner bids 3♣, RHO bids 4♠. Your call?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At the table, the bid was 5♥ and everyone passed. Now there's a play problem. The lead is the ♠Q:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sxhxxxdqxcakqjxxx&s=saxxhaqjxxdkjxctx]133|200|Scoring: BAM[/hv]

 

Assume all the "x" cards are really small. Plan the play. What do you think the contract may be at the other table (keep in mind it's BAM)?

[Codo]

I play the ace of Heart and the queen, intending to cut down opps ruffs as much as possible. If this loose to the king in wests hand and he gives pd a spade ruff, well bad luck, bad played....

 

I don´t know about the contract at the other table, could be anything between 4 Spade X, 5 Club and 6 NT....

 

I had bid 6 NT and had to pray, that the Heart finesse comes in...

[jdeegan]

:rolleyes: I hope the hearts split 3-2 or 2-3 so I can lose only one heart and one diamond then run the clubs. Given the auction, the odds of a 3-2 heart split should be slightly better than normal - nearly 80%. I don't want to get stuck in dummy with no easy way to get to my hand to pull the third round of trumps, so I'd begin with the heart jack from my hand at trick two.

 

For what it's worth, I would have doubled 4♠. Partner will either pass or bid 5♣. 4♠ doubled could go down as few as one or as many as three depending on the location of the ♥ K and the club split. 5♣ ought to make 11 or 12 tricks most of the time. So, I like this contract very much and feel lucky to have found partner with a stiff spade and three hearts.