Card combination with entry contraint

[Chamaco]

What is the correct play for 4 tricks holding in hearts:

 

Q87xx .....(dummy)

ATx

 

The constraints are:

 

1) you are in dummy now

 

2) you have, as only extra entry to dummy (to cash hearts if they become good), KQx in a suit (you have xxx in hand in the same suit); if/when you lose the lead, defenders will play to remove your entry;

 

3) absolutely no info on defenders' hands (shape/hcp) based on bidding, lead and play;

 

Thanks anyone will reply ! :-)

 

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ADDENDUM: I forgot to mention it's a 3NT contract :-)

[Free]

Oops forgot it was beginner/intermediate...

 

 

small to the T I guess. If the K doesn't drop, cash ♠A and hope it drops then. If RHO plays the J, overtake with the Ace and let the T run. You can handle some hands where LHO has 4 ♠s, and abouth half the 3-2 splits I think.

 

[ochinko]

Since there's only one sure entry in dummy, I must unblock the suit, so I lead an x to the Ace, then T from hand which I let go unless it's covered by the Jack.

 

This loses in 5:0 and 0:5, but succeeds when the suit is 4:1 and RHO has a singleton K, J or 9, which ammounts to 3/5 * 14% = 8.5%.

 

When the suit is 3:2 this line fails in half of all the cases (too long to type them) for a net win of 17%. If I'm not mistaken somewhere, the result is the same when the suit is 2:3, which adds another 17%.

 

So, this line seems to succeed in 42.4%. Don't know if there's a better one. Finessing with the T on the first round seems pointless when you have to cash the Ace next anyway.

 

Petko

[sceptic]

well , no idea if it is correct, but I would play Q first ( if kxx or kjx) they will hold up any way (I think ), then play to the ace the hope you can get in with the low to 8

[luke warm]

i'd go with petko's line i guess.. low toward the ace, then it depends on what was played.. if nothing good (9 or J), i'd lead low toward the board

[Guest Jlall]

This is quite complex as you may have 2 entries to dummy if the ace is onside. Some options:

 

low to the ten: This wins on Kx, KJx, Jxx, xxx, J, K on right for 4 winners with no entry problem. The 9 is an issue though. If rho plays the 9 you will revert to playing the ace now, winning against K9, J9x, 9 but now losing to J9.

 

Ace and LOW to the Queen. This wins on Jxx, Jx, xxx, xx, J, K on right. The 9 will come into play however. If rho plays the NINE on the first round, you will now win against K9, J9x, 9 but now losing to J9. Also, it wins on K9x on your right IF the ace of the entry suit is onside.

 

Ace and TEN to the Queen. This is the same as ace and low to the queen but you will not pickup K9x when the ace of entry suit is onside.

 

So ace then low to the queen is clearly better than ace and ten to the queen. So comparing line 1 and line 2, everything cancels. You're left with xx vs KJx but that too cancels. The slight edge goes to ace and low first as it picks up K9x offside with the ace of the entry suit onside.

[Fluffy]

When you catch K9x offside, even if you have no entryback at least you would save an undertrick probably.