Tough defensive problem

[kenrexford]

Matchpoints problem.

 

[hv=n=sxxxxhqxxd9xxxcxx&w=sjxxhjxdkj10ca109xx]266|200|[/hv]

 

I have no clear recollection of the dummy holdings in the majors, so I made a wild ass guess. These suits are not that important.

 

The contract is by South, notrump. South opened 2NT, or opened 2♣ before rebidding 2NT, or something like that. He has a big balanced hand of some variety, anyway. The end contract is 2NT.

 

On opening lead, you started with the 10 of clubs, forgetting that you play Rusinow. But, let's assume for purposes of a real question that you made the proper lead the 9.

 

Declarer wins the King, partner playing some pip of possible significance but not clearly readable. This seems to be an attitude situation, so count is probably unclear.

 

Declarer next plays the diamond Ace, on which you play the 10 as a possible Reverse Smith read. Partner follows.

 

For trick three, Declarer plays the diamond Queen, which you win. Partner pitches, which means that he was unable to give a Reverse Smith Echo. However, he plays a low card in hearts (standard signals).

 

Now, it seems that there are several options here.

 

Option #1. You could play the club Ace and out a club. Declarer does not seem to have 5♦/4♣, as this would be too weird. So, he likely has two or three clubs. If Declarer has just two clubs, then the suit runs for us at this point. If Declarer has KQJ in clubs, no harm done. Simply win the diamond later and cash the established winners. But, if Declarer started with KQx, you might have been able to get a club Jack from partner and scoop the suit for four tricks to Declarer's one instead of a 3-2 ratio.

 

Option #2. You could play a small club immediately, which makes no sense at all.

 

Option #3. You could switch to spade because of the low heart, hoping partner to have an entry in spades to lead through clubs, which works wonders if partner has Jxx in clubs. But, if Declarer wins the spade switch, you may have a decision to make when you are back in with the diamond Jack.

 

Option #4. You could cash another diamond to get a message.

 

Option #5. You could win and switch to a heart.

 

First, what do you do at this point?

 

Suppose that you opt for winning and cashing another diamond to hget a clearer message. Partner would in that event play a low spade (standard signals). Now what?

 

Suppose that you opt to switch to spades and partner contributes the Queen, won by Declarer with the Ace. Now, when you win the second diamond, partner discourages (plays a low pip) spades. Now what?

[MFA]

'Some unreadable pip', I suppose this just means the middle one of the three small ones we are missing!? Declarer can't have ♣KQJ then since partner would not play middle from three.

 

Partner is marked with some strength (can't we be told how much, please?). Therefore I will not give declarer a second club trick but instead try to get partner in to lead through the ♣KQx.

 

I will shift to spades at trick 3 and continue spades (J) even if partner pitches a small spade on his second discard.

 

With standard signals, partner would not discard his 5th heart first from ♠Qxxx, ♥KTxxx I hope.