a guess?

[affe82]

At imps, no-one vulnerable:

 

You end up in 4spades (never mind you'd rather bid 3nt, play is more interesting this way. I was just a kibber) after an undisturbed auction:

 

1club: 16+, any. 1nt: nat, gf

2spades 3diamonds

3hearts 3spades

4spades

 

Opps play 1st, 3rd, 5th leads.

 

Dummy:

 

9xx

xx

AQTxx

AQx

 

Decl

 

AKQTx

AQTx

9x

Jx

 

Lead is club T.

Assume spade switch if RHO is allowed to win. Assume best defence.

 

Q1: what is the best line? Is there one?

Q2: under the assumption that RHO holds the club K can a strong case be made for a) giving it to him to trick one or b) denying this by intervention with A?

[mikeh]

I'll begin by addressing Q2: I see no reason to assume that RHO holds the club K. Clubs are unbid, and NS didn;t even try for 3N, so I would expect a club lead anytime they didn't lead a spade.

 

As for the line.....I would simply win the spade, cross in clubs and play a heart to the K.

 

If it wins, I am in very good shape....I'd cross in diamonds, ditch the diamond on a club (if rho ruffs in, I overruff....and then play heart A and a heart, intending to ruff low if the K hasn't appeared and to ruff high (9) if it has. I get 10 tricks on most layouts and sometimes 11.

 

If LHO wins the heart K, what does he return? A diamond? I rise the A to take my pitch on the club and then play a heart to the A and ruff a heart with the 9, ruff a diamond, cash a trump. If trump are 3-2, claim ten tricks (11 if the heart J fell), and if not, exit the heart....if LHO wins, claim...if rho wins and LHO held Jxxx in spades, I am down. Tant pis.

 

if he returns a spade, win in hand, cross to dummy in diamonds, take the pitch and proceed as above.

 

I can't calculate the relative odds of this line....you certainly have many options in the red suits, but I generally don't like taking finesses when I don't have to...the simple heart finesse may well solve all the problems and, when it doesn't....I don't want to take any more losing finesses :D

[affe82]

Heart Q is taken by K and a diamond returned.

When going for the pitch on 3rd club LHO ruffs.

 

Seems a pretty standard hand at first, but I find all options alluring. But your conclusion is probably the way to go. Just interested if there is some superior combo play.

 

When I gave this to pd he played almost along your line and when 3rd club was ruffed he states: as I knew all along, I can always make. Now just have to get the cards right.

 

:)