Later that evening

[Evies Dad]

Later the evening we reached 5C.

I think there are more divergent lines to have to consider on this hand.

[hv=pc=n&s=shaqt972dt4caq965&n=sa5432hdakj32ct82&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1h1s2d2s3cp5cppp]266|200[/hv]

 

West leads QS

[Douglas43]

Will try for a cross ruff. SA, S ruff, HA, H ruff, S ruff, H ruff, DA, S ruff, DK, S ruff and AC would be 11 tricks. Then exhale.

[dokoko]

Douglas' line seems best - except for cashing ♠A early (retaining it may help if you switch to some other line).

 

So: ♠ ruff, ♥A, ♥ ruff and only now (if nothing unusual has happened) cash ♠A and follow Douglas' line.

 

You need West to have started with 2 or 3 diamonds and 3 or 4 hearts. The alternative line of using the diamond entries first needs West to have started with exactly 3 hearts and 2, 3 or 4 diamonds.

 

If West plays ♥K on the second round, you have to reconsider. Probably best then to run ♣10 at trick 4 and later give up a trick to ♥J. This will succeed if clubs are 3-2 (and you guess right if West started with KJ or Jx). You may play on similar lines if West plays ♥J on the second round but it's less clear in that case.

 

Note: West might trick you by playing ♥K at trick 3 from ♥KJxx, but I am willing to pay off to that.

 

If West plays both honors to the first two heart tricks, you should probably come to hand with a club to the ace and run heart winners through West.

[Evies Dad]

On the AH at trick 3 West does play the King - i.e. a singleton.

What you do after that will depend on what West does to your next low heart.

 

That is actually my main question - is it always better to cash the AH the first time you lead the suit - or ruff a low one first ?

The closest anyone got to 11 tricks was 10 tricks when they ruffed a small heart covered by the aforementioned King.

Now they don't ever score the AH.

[Douglas43]

On the AH at trick 3 West does play the King - i.e. a singleton.

What you do after that will depend on what West does to your next low heart.

 

That is actually my main question - is it always better to cash the AH the first time you lead the suit - or ruff a low one first ?

The closest anyone got to 11 tricks was 10 tricks when they ruffed a small heart covered by the aforementioned King.

Now they don't ever score the AH.

 

When establishing a suit there is sometimes a case for holding back top cards to avoid them being ruffed, and to make it less likely that you will suffer an over-ruff. But if trying for a cross-ruff, grab them first.