Quartic Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 [hv=p&b=27&w=skq84hatd97caqt75&n=h3&e=sa76hj7dakqc96432&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p1cp1dp1sp2h(4th%20suit%20GF)p2np3cp4cp4dp4hp4np5sp6cppp&p=h3h7hk&k=w]399|300[/hv] You arrive in 6♣ and get the 3♥ lead to South's King. Which is the best line? Win the Ace, play 3 rounds of Diamonds, throwing a Heart. Then finesse the Club Ten.Win the Ace, play 3 rounds of Diamonds, throwing a Heart. Then finesse the Club Queen.Win the Ace, cash the Club Ace (drawing a 2nd round if the King drops), then cash the Diamonds throwing a Heart.Some other line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwery_hi Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 Line 3 looks safest to me. I'm unable to come up with a layout in which cashing the club ace before playing diamonds gives away the contract, but the reverse is not true. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 LINE 3, all the time at imps. At matchpoints, I have some sympathy for line 2 because leading a heart from what appears to be Qxxx or Qxxxx might not happen at the other tables in slam, so at these tables, declarer can try the club finesse before playing on diamonds. So banging the club Ace could lose the board on hands with a diamond or spade opening lead if the club king is onside doubleton. On the other hand, this is a great slam, that I would have to decide if the field would find it. If I decide the field would find it, I would play line 2. I think most games I play in, the field would not find the slam, so I will play the safer line 3 even in most matchpoint games. I would never consider line 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnasher Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I'm unable to come up with a layout in which cashing the club ace before playing diamonds gives away the contract.It costs when South is 2=3 in the minors. It gains on most of the layouts where either player is 2=1 or 1=1 in the minors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartic Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 It was a weak field (no one else bid it) playing matchpoints. Unfortunately partner didn't think of any of the lines here, and took the club finesse immediately for one off when the K was offside. The full hand: [hv=p&b=27&s=st3hk86542djt65cj&w=skq84hatd97caqt75&n=sj952hq93d8432ck8&e=sa76hj7dakqc96432&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p1cp1dp1sp2hp2np3cp4cp4dp4hp4np5sp6cppp&p=h3h7hkhad7d2dad5c2cjcqckhqhjh2ht&c=11]399|300[/hv] As you see, any of the lines work as the cards lie. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmnka447 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 At matchpoints, unless the slam is a dead certainty to be bid and played at every table, taking the safest line is probably best. Line 3 is the one to play. It eliminates someone ruffing the 3rd ♦ trick with a singleton ♦ J or ♦ 8. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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