6NT

[Lazboui]

[hv=d=s&n=skqxxhjxxdqxxcqxx&s=saxxhak8dakxxcajt]133|200|Scoring: IMP

West leads the ♥10.[/hv]

 

What's your plan to take the more chance to make 6NT?

[Halo]

Looks like an adventure.

 

I'm not playing for the lead from from QT.., so I win with the King of hearts.

 

I'd really like to know how many club tricks I am making, so spade to the Queen and club Queen (club queen only feels wrong if this is an undeclared double dummy.. maybe).

 

So next move?

[inquiry]

I agree, it is unlikely WEST lead from QT of hearts. There are a number of options on this hand, ranging from endplay to squeezes.

 

First, the obvious... you have 3♠, 2♥, 3♦ and 2♣ tricks for 10. A successful ♣ hook will give you 11. Two losers set the door for a vulnerable stopper squeeze. Typical ending will be you find one opponent has 4 cards in diamonds or spades. You cash all your winners, that person has to keep two hearts plus the long card in diamonds or spades. You throw them in with the non-heart suit, and take the winning play when he is forced to lead a heart.

 

A typical ending (after club hook wins) would be something like this...neither spades nor diamonds breaking....

 

[hv=n=shjxdxc&w=sjh9xdc&e=shqxdjc&s=sxhaxdc]399|300|You throw either one in for a forced lead of a heart, which you will guess right. IF WEST stiffs his heart nine, you can lead teh heart jack, if EAST stiffs the heart queen, you can cash the second top heart, so they are both actually forced to keep two hearts.[/hv]

 

So that is sort-of fun. What if the club hook loses? Whoops, you are down to 10 tricks, so no endplay will work. Now you need a little more luck. One option is Spades or Diamonds have to split 3-3 (if both you are home), and the player with the four cards in the "other" side suit has to end up being the only one guarding hearts. Alternatively, you could try for a three suit repeating squeeze. That will not work when WEST had 4♠, 4♦, because if you transfer the heart meance to his hand (cover or lead heart jack later), he can establish your spade threat in dummy, and the squeeze will not repeat, as he can throw the same red card you do on the last spade. Alternatively, if you play EAST for 4-4 in the two suits, he establish the diamond threat, and then discard his heart or his spade like dummy when you cash your good diamond.

 

So the correct play is clear (low heart from dummy) and play to hook the club. For fun (since if the hook wins we make), assume club loses, and back comes a non-heart. Now you need to try one of the spade/diamond suits, and get a feel for who has the stopper in that suit. The one caveat, you may need to keep entries fluid, as you might have to kill the heart entry to your hand (by leading the jack of hearts) to establish the 8 as a threat against WEST's nine if he has long in the suit that doesn't split 3-3. That might be too much, so it is probably best to hope EAST has the four spades or four diamonds, and the other suit split 3-3.