A Very Pretty Hand

[rogerclee]

Reading old bridge articles, I came upon a really pretty hand. See if you can figure it out, I did not.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s97542h852da7ca32&n=sakqhak3dkqj3cjt8&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=2hppdp3sp4hp5cp6sppp]266|200[/hv]

LHO leads the 4 of hearts. You win and cash two rounds of spades, RHO pitching a heart on the second spade.

 

 

You are cold if LHO is 4144. Can you make if he's 4153?

 

[jschafer]

I will try to make 5♠ tricks, 2♥ tricks, 4♦ tricks and a ♣ for 12 in total. I'll play the A♣ and 4 ♦s discarding ♣s. Then I will ruff a ♣ and play a ♥ to dummy. If LHO ruffs I draw trumps and make. If he doesn't I make my heart trick and get another ♣ ruff. I will go down if LHO discards a ♣ on the second ♥ trick and he is 4153 (except if he has KQ♣ obviously).

[phil_20686]

I will try to make 5♠ tricks, 2♥ tricks, 4♦ tricks and a ♣ for 12 in total. I'll play the A♣ and 4 ♦s discarding ♣s. Then I will ruff a ♣ and play a ♥ to dummy. If LHO ruffs I draw trumps and make. If he doesn't I make my heart trick and get another ♣ ruff. I will go down if LHO discards a ♣ on the second ♥ trick and he is 4153 (except if he has KQ♣ obviously).

 

if lho is 4-1-5-3 I can obviously make it double dummy by only drawing one round of trump and then ruffing both my clubs before cashing the diamonds and playing a heart up. This also works vs 4144. If spades are 3-2 I would go off if rho can ruff higher than I can as a heart return would be ruffed. It might be the right play if you moved one of the top trumps to the south hand. Obviously its out with teh play as given.

 

Thus we are reduced to the possible squeeze lines. I think you can make it when lho has either the KQx clubs, or 9xx clubs. 9xx clubs requires you to run the J of clubs at this point, if rho covers from KQxx you can achieve the same result as jschafer, reducing to the position

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s9h32dc&w=sjhdtc9&n=sha4dc8&e=shqjdc2]399|300[/hv]

[rogerclee]

Yes, that's right phil_20686, well done.

 

The correct sequence is to cash two spades seeing the break, and then 3 rounds of diamonds to see what happens. If RHO follows to all 3 rounds, then playing LHO for 4144 is indicated. On the actual hand, RHO pitches on the 3rd round, so LHO shows up with 4153, and it is percentage to play him for 9xx of clubs.

 

Now you advance the club jack and see east cover, so you win the ace, cross back in spades, and play the club ten. RHO must cover, and now LHO with the master club has no profitable pitch when you play a heart up.

[phil_20686]

Yes, that's right phil_20686, well done.

 

The correct sequence is to cash two spades seeing the break, and then 3 rounds of diamonds to see what happens. If RHO follows to all 3 rounds, then playing LHO for 4144 is indicated. On the actual hand, RHO pitches on the 3rd round, so LHO shows up with 4153, and it is percentage to play him for 9xx of clubs.

 

Now you advance the club jack and see east cover, so you win the ace, cross back in spades, and play the club ten. RHO must cover, and now LHO with the master club has no profitable pitch when you play a heart up.

 

Not sure that I would everr have the courage to run the J of clubs if RHo ducks.

[jschafer]

The two lines are pretty close though (14% vs 17% if I entered it right on suitplay). ♠x ♥QJT976 ♦xx ♣KQxx looks like a 3♥ bid to me in this seat and vul. Whereas a ♣lead from KQ would be far less tempting after a ♣ cuebid on your right and a ♥ cuebid on your left. Having said that, I didn't think of running the Jack and it is a pretty neat way to play it.

[quiddity]

Now you advance the club jack and see east cover, so you win the ace, cross back in spades, discard the last club on the diamond, and play the club ten. RHO must cover, and now LHO with the master club has no profitable pitch when you play a heart up.

 

FYP. I like the repeated club plays (first finesse with the ace, second finesse with the void). Thanks for sharing the hand!