How do you play 4 Spades

[Hanoi5]

[hv=pc=n&s=sakt84hj95dat5cqt&n=sj95hk6dkqj9cj873&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1sp1np2dp4sppp]266|200[/hv]

 

They lead a small diamond, East plays the 8. Your plan?

[BunnyGo]

Well...we can't afford to lose a spade. I see no reason not to play for the finesse. Assuming I can pick up the spades for 0 losers then I'm in decent shape. I'll play on clubs, preserving entries in diamonds to the third and maybe fourth club. If they never break hearts, all the better. If they do, I just have to guess based on cards played where the honors are.

[CSGibson]

I find the diamond lead interesting into the diamond bidder. If it was a neutral lead, I would expect a trump lead, or a lead in hearts or clubs. My guess is that RHO has both minor suit aces, and probably the Q of spades, or a stiff diamond.

 

If we assume the Q of spades is off-sides and RHO has the ace of hearts, I see a couple of different possible lines: Cash the AK of spades and hope the Q drops, or that the diamonds are 3-3 or 4-2 with the length with the Q. You get to ditch a club on the last round of diamonds. The problem with that line is that you will lose the lead to the ace of hearts preparing for a heart ruff, and if the length is with the Q, then they can pull your last trump in dummy and prevent your heart ruff.

 

If you don't think the diamonds are 5-1, you can improve your chances by leading a heart from hand to start, clearing the way for the heart ruff. If they don't switch to a club (and why should they if they win the ace? It could easily be wrong), and you don't suffer a diamond ruff, you can take the same play, but be assured of a heart ruff also.

 

In all, I think the inferences form the diamond lead are enough that I am going to not touch trump, and play for imperfect defense.

[wclass___]

Why is this a problem?

 

run ♠J.. or whatever you think is the percentage line in ♠ considering that ♦ could be 5-1..

 

btw, 4♠ .... very aggressive?!

[SteveMoe]

Win the ♦K and play the ♠J.

Yes, the ♦ rate to be 5-1 (and in a tough game they could split either way).

We do not have time to deal with 2♣losers and 2 ♥ losers so we need the finesse.

If we play on ♥s as suggested there is a big risk a ruff happens at trick 3 and 5 (Give ♥AQ to East). Normally the opening leader doesn't play for a ruff when holding the trump Qxx. They wait for their natural trick.

Given the imminent risk of a ♦ ruff, I cannot try plans requiring they get the lead one or 2 times.

I do think playing ♣ before ♥ adds chances - we might be able to pitch 2 ♥s from hand on long ♣ in dummy.

[ColdCrayon]

I agree with Steve Moe, but I'd try to throw one of the club losers on the long diamond after drawing trump.

 

You can make the hand if you can stop them from ruffing a diamond, but stopping them from ruffing a diamond means not allowing them the lead until you've stripped at least east of trumps.

 

Oh, lastly, instead of playing the jack of spades, I'd play the nine and let it run - it you play the jack and west has the queen he'll obviously cash it and, if I'm reading the hand right, run another diamond. If you finesse the nine there's a chance he might hold up. Then you can play the ace, and if they both follow suit, you're home; if they don't, you know who has the missing trumps.

[Finch]

I would win the DK in dummy and take a spade finesse. If this loses I'll go off. If it holds and I'll draw trumps and start on clubs; when they give me the heart guess I'll probably play East for the ace because of his trick 1 suit pref signal (if East has already turned up with the ace of clubs by then I'll have a rethink).