Imagine this came up at IMPs

[shyams]

This is Board 6 from the current week's Free Instant tournament.

 

Let us assume that the board came up at IMPs (although the tournament actually was MPs).

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sak95h954daq74cak&n=s642hk6dkt95c8654&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=p2np3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

The bidding is swift and West makes an insta-lead of the ♣J on which East will play the ♣2 and you win the trick.

 

The best line for 9 tricks?

[TylerE]

It seems to me there are basically two rational plays... either play 3 rounds of spades or just just take the !H hook immediately. Not sure which is superior.

[LBengtsson]

It seems to me there are basically two rational plays... either play 3 rounds of spades or just just take the !H hook immediately. Not sure which is superior.

 

I add to this small safety maneuver of using ♦s as entry and leading ♠s towards closed hand twice. not that it will make difference if suits break bad. so 50/50 ♥ hook may be last option.

[mikeh]

Once again we are asked to suggest a line of play while not being given the information we’d have at the table. What signals do they play? Sure looks like east has the club Queen, from the lead, but Ed know more if at the table.

 

The problems with going to dummy in diamonds include how we play the suit, which tells the opps quite a lot, and may allow for an informative signal....say east has two and can discourage a spade switch.

 

Our spades are borderline but the 9 makes it worth doing: picture east with QJx.

 

So diamond Ace, diamond to the king. If we need to hook east out of the Jack, now we only have one entry to test spades

[cherdano]

I don't understand playing on spades. You go down with spades 4-2 and the heart ace onside.

[shyams]

Once again we are asked to suggest a line of play while not being given the information we’d have at the table. What signals do they play? Sure looks like east has the club Queen, from the lead, but Ed know more if at the table.

Apologies. I did not add the information about the leads. West led from a solid-ish club suit (and yes the lead confirms East to hold the ♣Q). West might hold something like ♣J109(x)(x) OR ♣J10xxx.

[cherdano]

Apologies. I did not add the information about the leads. West led from a solid-ish club suit (and yes the lead confirms East to hold the ♣Q). West might hold something like ♣J109(x)(x) OR ♣J10xxx.

West certainly doesn't have JTxxx, as East can't play the 2 from ♣Q9 :)

Most would lead low from JTxx - actually a relevant layout, as this would mean clubs are blocked. If this layout was possible, playing on spades would be slightly less bad.

[shyams]

West certainly doesn't have JTxxx, as East can't play the 2 from ♣Q9 :)

 

True :) I posted that when still groggy from having just woken up.

[lamford]

I like leading the nine of spades from hand at trick two. West is unlikely to have four spades, having led a club, and if East has, say, QJT, Axxx xxx Qxx I am home. Three rounds of spades also works then, of course, but that is more committal. If West wins from Hxx, it might not be obvious to him to switch to a heart when that is needed, and he is unlikely to find that from Qxx or Jxx

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sak95h954daq74cak&n=s642hk6dkt95c8654&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=p2np3nppp]266|200|

Shyams 'This is Board 6 from the current week's Free Instant tournament. Let us assume that the board came up at IMPs (although the tournament actually was MPs).

+++++++++++++++++++

 

 

Cherdano's arguments are persuasive. With ♣A, cash some ♦s then lead towards ♥K[/hv]

[Douglas43]

At the table, I cashed four diamonds, East throwing a heart and spade, West a spade. I now played a spade to the Ace and ducked one, not realising that one had discarded from Qxx and the other from Jxx!. An embarrassed 53%.