I messed this.

[frouu]

[hv=v=e&n=sxxhajt97dxxcaqtx&s=sakjtxhxxdqjxcj98]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

THis should be easy, but I messed this and I still don't know what the best play is...this could be helpful for B/I. You're in 3NT.

West leads ♦7, east wins ♦K, returns a diamond to west's ♦A, west exits with a diamond. Your plan? Thanks!

[Hanoi5]

You started to mess it up by reaching 3NT. The contract is far from cold. There are many ways to play it. I would probably try the black suits finesses, but that's about it.

[mtvesuvius]

I'm going to play for 5-3♦... If they are 4-4 I fall back on the ♠ finesse, where I think that it's best to finesse the ♣ (dropping the 10) now and await developments. If the ♣ finesse wins, I'll take my ♣ and play a ♠ to the Jack If the ♣ finesse loses, with another ♦ I am assuming east would lead it, but a devious east may not, and switch to a ♠, but I'll do the same thing I suppose. It almost seems best to cash AK♠.

 

If they are 5-3, then it's definitely best to try to get a ♥ trick, so I'll play the J♣ dropping the Ten and the play the 9♣ (if it wins) and take a double ♥ finesse, losing only when every honor is offside.

 

If ♦ were 5-3 though, why didn't west duck? So I suppose they are 4-4... Ow, my head.

[Old York]

It may help to examine the play to the first 3 tricks

West led ♦7, but which card did East return? And why did West win trick 2?

With no entry card, West should let your Queen win

Did West exit with a card lower than ♦7 at trick 3?

 

I think that West has ♠Q (at least), so I would run the ♣9, repeating the finesse when it wins, Then cash ♠AK

If East returned a low Diamond and followed suit to trick 3, then lead ♠Jack

 

Playing on Hearts may look safe (75%), but West should play the King or Queen and give you a difficult guess

The hand is definitely not "easy", and I don't think you "messed this"

 

Tony

[oldman5757]

Run the ♣ 9 and then the J. If RHO wins either of these and returns a ♦, we need 4 ♠ tricks. Cross and finesse.

 

If RHO wins the 1st or 2d ♣, and doesn't return a ♦, win a ♠ return in hand, and lead a ♥, playing for split honors. If LHO pops an honor, win it and force out the remaining honor. If RHO returns a ♣ after winning the K, take the ♠ finesse.

 

If the ♣ J wins, abandon them, and play for split ♥ honors, either by finessing 2x, or by forcing out the remaining honor if LHO pops with one. This is fine if ♦'s were 4-4, and only loses if they were 5-3 and LHO started with both ♥ honors.

 

It's occurred to me that maybe ♦ were 3-5 to begin with, but if so, I think I'm beat! I'm not sure how deep this analysis is, but I think it's how I'd play ATT. :lol: