Play 4S

[Finch]

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=s10752h863dj7ck1083&s=sak843haj4dk9862c]133|200|Scoring: IMP

1♠ P 3♠ P

4♠ P P P[/hv]

 

3♠ pre-emptive

LHO, who is not a particularly strong player, leads the Queen of spades.

Plan the play (in due course you will discover that he has QJ doubleton, as you probably require)

[whereagles]

LHO's lead seems to indicate other leads were even less attractive. I'm playing him for at least the ♦A and a heart honor.

 

I'll play a low diamond from hand, inserting the 7 if LHO ducks, and take it on from there.

[Echognome]

I play a 2nd top spade (they are 2-2 phew).

 

Then I duck a ♥. I need an entry to dummy to play for the ♦A onside.

 

If LHO wins and plays a clubs I hop K and hope the A is onside.

-If it wins I chuck a heart and am pretty safe now. I lead a diamond up from dummy and play the K, but I can afford to lose 2 diamonds.

-If it loses I ruff. Cross in spades and lead a ♦ up. I now need Axx or AQx onside.

If LHO wins and plays a diamond, then I'm happy. I should make on most layouts.

If RHO wins and plays a diamond, I hop K.

-If it loses I need them not to return a heart or I'm down. I will also need 3-3 ♦.

-If it wins, I simply play another diamond.

If RHO wins and plays a club I ruff and play A and another heart.

If either opponent wins and plays a heart, then win my A and exit a heart.

In this last contingency, things will be similar to above. however if they give me a ruff and discard I will throw a diamond from dummy and ruff in hand and then lead a small diamond.

[Guest Jlall]

I'm sure in real life I'd win and lead a diamond to the jack. This has some technical merit as well as a lot of non-technical merit.

[Codo]

I would win too and lead a diamond. I don´t know whether it is clear to put in the Jack and not the 7. I would try the seven against a non experienced opponent quite often. He had taken his queen if he had had it.

 

Agaisnst competent opps, I would prefer the jack.

[dake50]

Hope to establish 2D to drop 2H for 2H ruffs.

[pclayton]

♦ to J. If my read on my LHO is right, my LHO will have a difficult time finding the ♥ switch after winning the ♦Q holding say ♥Kxx(xx).

[mikeh]

Given that lho is 'not a particularly strong player' (the English have quite a nice way of saying that one is incompetent.... and I can say this, having once been English and an occasional user of the style), I'd go with a low ♦ towards the J, and either rising or ducking depending on the action of my lho. If he plays low with no apparent thought, insert the 7.

 

Against a good opp, low to the J.

 

Nobody has discussed the play in the ♥ suit when the ♦ play loses to either the Q or the 10. If LHO wins the Q and leads a ♥, we are going to need some luck, either in the ♥ suit (KQ onside) or in the ♦ suit (LHO has to hold the A)

 

If RHO wins the first ♦ trick with the 10 or the Q, and switches to a low ♥ (or the 10), you need to win, playing for ♥ to be 2=5 with LHO Hx and now play on ♦s, to sever the communication. If he has done this from KQxx, he deserves his great result.

[Halo]

Diamond towards the Jack and play the seven if mo show. Luckily I don't play opponents who anticipate me finessing the seven, so they take their Queen - are they incompetent?