A pretty defence

[lamford]

[hv=pc=n&n=sthk965dakj3cakj8&e=sk54haqjt743dqcq5&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1h2sp4sppp]266|200[/hv]

IMPs. Your partner leads the 2 of hearts against South's 4S contract and dummy plays low. Prospects do not look that bright. What is your plan?

[The_Badger]

Best deleted. (Writing rubbish - as usual some might say.)

[Cyberyeti]

Hope that partner has Jxx in ♠ and cash 2♥ as East and then lead a third ♥.

 

How do you intend to play a third heart ? Neither declarer nor partner has a second one, you have 7, dummy has 4.

 

2 possibilities.

Hope S has ♠QJ 7th and play a diamond.

Hope partner has ♠ Q9x and play a heart

[nige1]

Your partner leads the 2 of hearts against South's 4S contract and dummy plays low. Prospects do not look that bright. What is your plan?

[hv=pc=n&w=SA2H2D76542C76432&n=sthk965dakj3cakj8&e=sk54haqjt743dqcq5&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1h2sp4sppp]300|300|

You might switch to ♦Q, hoping for a ♦ ruff.[/hv]

[wank]

if partner's got the ace of spades there's no rush to play a diamond. you can win the ks next and switch. partner should be able to signal on 2nd heart if anything productive is happening there.

[lamford]

if partner's got the ace of spades there's no rush to play a diamond. you can win the ks next and switch. partner should be able to signal on 2nd heart if anything productive is happening there.

If partner has the ace of spades, it is surely going off. And there does not seem to be any defence when partner has even J9x of spades. What about the in-between holdings?

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&w=SQ82H2D6542C76432&n=sthk965dakj3cakj8&e=sk54haqjt743dqcq5&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1h2sp4sppp]300|300| After winning ♥Q

♥ continuation defeats the contract when partner has ♠Ax or ♠Q9x or better.

♦Q switch works when partner has ♠Ax or ♠Q8x or better -- provided that you cover dummy's ♠T.

(In the latter case, you continue ♥s, later, to promote partner's ♠8).[/hv]

[Cyberyeti]

if partner's got the ace of spades there's no rush to play a diamond. you can win the ks next and switch. partner should be able to signal on 2nd heart if anything productive is happening there.

 

Depends on scoring, playing K on first spade can be disastrous if partner has various holdings, J9 being a classic.

[lamford]

Depends on scoring, playing K on first spade can be disastrous if partner has various holdings, J9 being a classic.

It was IMPs, clarified now. I think it is always right to switch to a diamond, necessary when partner has Q8x, and still beating the contract when partner has Q9x and Ax(x). He had Q8x, and a heart return would not have worked.

[lamford]

[hv=pc=n&w=SQ82H2D6542C76432&n=sthk965dakj3cakj8&e=sk54haqjt743dqcq5&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1h2sp4sppp]300|300| After winning ♥Q

♥ continuation defeats the contract when partner has ♠Ax or ♠Q9x or better.

♦Q switch works when partner has ♠Ax or ♠Q8x or better -- provided that you cover dummy's ♠T.

(In the latter case, you continue ♥s, later, to promote partner's ♠8).[/hv]

This was the layout, as far as relevant, and a diamond switch was needed. A diamond still works when partner has Ax or Q9x, and covering the ♠T can only cost the overtrick, unless partner has a singleton ace of spades, but then South would have overcalled 3S or 4S.