3NT play problem, IMPs

[l milne]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt975hkj5dak9ct2&n=skhq642d73cakj854&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1sp2cp3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

1♠ showed 5+, 2♣ showed 5+ (often good) ♣ and GF, 3NT showed 5332 specifically.

 

LHO leads the 4♦ (4th best from length), RHO plays the Jack.

 

Your play

[MrAce]

Letme think loud here...♦ 4 says west has either 4 or 5 ♦, not 6. Ducking ♦ now less atractive to me since west can't have 6 card ♦. Lets assume ♦ are 5-3, we ducked and took 2nd ♦, played 2♥ and if they duck both we`are in a situation where we can not take ♣ finesse without first cashing the ♦, or we will say bye bye to our ♦ trick and defense has enuf to defeat as 1♦ that was ducked, 2♠,1♥ and 1♣. (asuming we cant make 6♣ tricks, or it wld be cold)

 

So it will all come down to ♣s i think. Playing ♣s too early will also cause some serious discard problems in hand. And best way to play for 6 tricks in ♣ is to cash A or K first since we do not have ♣ T in dummy but hand.

This also is another problem with lack of entries to use ♣s if finesse fails.

 

I take first ♦, play ♥K,

 

a-if they take it and play ♦, i can play the % game in ♣ since i have entry, ♣ to A,♥to J and ♣ finesse

 

b- if they duck it i will play small ♥ to the Q (they have to take this or i play ♣ to T . If they take the ♥ Q and play another ♦, i will again cash ♣A, ♥ to J and ♣ finesse and go down a lot :lol:

 

Defense has AQ♠♥A and ♣ if finesse not working anyway in addition to first ♦ being ducked.

 

I maybe totally dreaming and cant see something in front of my eye at 3 am here.

 

Also it is important to unblock ♣T in case east drops Q.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt975hkj5dak9ct2&n=skhq642d73cakj854&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1sp2cp3nppp]266|200|

1♠ showed 5+, 2♣ showed 5+ (often good) ♣ and GF,

3NT showed 5332 specifically.

LHO leads the 4♦ (4th best from length), RHO plays the Jack.

Your play[/hv]

LHO seems to have found the best lead. You have three top losers in the majors. You need to set up ♥ tricks, so, normally, you can't afford a ♣ loser. There is a slight danger of squeezing your own hand on the run of the clubs, so you may as well win the opening lead. Hence my guess is an unimaginatve ♦A, ♥K, ♥J.

1. If an opponent takes ♥A then win the ♦ return and lead ♣2 for the finesse. This gives you the tiny extra chance that LHO has singleton ♣Q.
2. If opponents mistakenly allow both ♥K and ♥J to win, then lead ♣T and, if it is covered, duck because you need only five club tricks.

[MrAce]

LHO seems to have found the best lead. You have three top losers in the majors. You need to set up ♥ tricks, so, normally, you can't afford a ♣ loser. There is a slight danger of squeezing your own hand on the run of the clubs, so you may as well win the opening lead. Hence my guess is an unimaginatve ♦A, ♥K, ♥J.

1. If an opponent takes ♥A then win the ♦ return and lead ♣2 for the finesse. This gives you the tiny extra chance that LHO has singleton ♣Q.
2. If opponents mistakenly allow both ♥K and ♥J to win, then lead ♣T and, if it is covered, duck because you need only five club tricks.

 

Yes KJ ♥ is also good, actually better. It may fail when opponents take 2nd ♥ and play 3rd ♥ if west has stiff Q, but so will fail my line. We both can handle East stiff Q by simply unblocking the T whether we play ♣ from hand to dummy or cash A from dummy, if we do not have entry available.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt975hkj5dak9ct2&n=skhq642d73cakj854&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1sp2cp3nppp]266|200|

1♠ showed 5+, 2♣ showed 5+ (often good) ♣ and GF,

3NT showed 5332 specifically.

LHO leads the 4♦ (4th best from length), RHO plays the Jack.

Your play[/hv]

An alternative line

Advance ♣T at trick two, running it unless covered.

(This pins a singleton ♣9 with RHO if LHO has ♣Qxxx).

Then play ♥KJ.

You make 3♥, 4♣, and 2♦ when LHO has ♣Q9xxx but ♥ split.

You keep some squeeze-strip chances when an opponent has four clubs but hearts split.