Timing in this 3NT ?

[Chamaco]

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=sk532hkxdaqxct9xx&s=sj98hajxdxxxcakxx]133|200|Scoring: MP

Playing 3NT, opps were silent.

 

Small heart lead[/hv]

 

You receive a small heart lead, East plays the Q, covered by the Ace.

 

ADDITIONAL INFO: No length implications available from the lead.

 

This is matchpoints, no the matter is not ensuring the contract, but playing for most overtricks.

 

Do you:

a. develop the 3rd club first ?

b. Play on spades first ? If so, how ?

(I ran the 9, losing to east's T; I thought it is was not worth to waste a dummy entry to lead low to the 9 from dummy)

[whereagles]

Hum.. not sure how I'd play it. I might try setting up the clubs and see what happens.

[Chamaco]

Hum.. not sure how I'd play it. I might try setting up the clubs and see what happens.

Doesn't playing on spades keep open squeeze possibilities over the possible Qxx/ Jxx/QJx holder in clubs ?

[whereagles]

I don't think this is the sort of hand where you should be looking for a squeeze. I could be wrong though.. :)

[inquiry]

Clubs offers the likleyhood of setting up one trick. Spades offer the likely hood of setting up two tricks. IF I was in dummy after trick one, I would play a spade to the 9, if EAST has the ten, I will gain two spade tricks. Now I have 2S, 2C, 3H, possibility of long club and possibility of diamond hook. Back comes heart, another spade, and I can still play on clubs and or diamonds. If the spade 9 loses to the ten, then I fall back on straight foward club establishment concept for 3C, 3H, and with a spade or a diamond depending upon what I discover in the other play as to who might have what (from bidding and distributional clues).

 

But I am not in the dummy at the end of trick one. And to cross to dummy to try the spade play of low to the 9 will remove one or the other of my necessary red suit stoppers I will need (I have two in each red siut) to set up and establish long spades given I have two sure spade losers.

 

So the question become can I affort to start spades from my hand, say by leading the 9 and letting it "float". This approach can gain two spade tricks if West has spade ten singlton, doubleton, or tripleton. This is clearly not as good as EAST having spade ten to any legnth, but we have some restricted choice info here. West lacked AKQJ of hearts and lacked a sequence in hearts headed by T9...for his opening lead. This actually suggest the likelyhood that a) West is not long in spades, and :) he might have choose heart to avoid leading way from a spade honor (A or Q). At least I think the likelyhood of WEST being long is spades is reduced so if he has the ten, it will be with shortness.

 

So I guess I still go with a spade lead, the 9 and it "float". There is a second reason for going after spades. Since WEST has started with a heart from a yucky suit, it is safe to assume a heart is not lead at all the tables. A black suit lead at the other tables will have alread put you behind. So agreesively going after spades here is a reasonable idea. Also, I am worried about entries to my hand after the heart king is removed from dummy so I do not cash even one club at this time.

 

Ben

[luke warm]

ben is probably right, and i'd go with a spade to the 8 if i was in dummy also... but here, i think i'd lead a high club then a low one toward the board... i'll eventually (maybe) get to try the spades from dummy, if i'm not down by then :)