[kgr]

Scoring: MP

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1NT-2♦
2♥-2NT
4♥
 
West leads ♠8 (they lead small promises so this can be from 8x, 8xx, 8xxx) and East plays the ♠J.
I found this a difficult hand. Should I throw ♦'s or ♣'s on ♠'s; start with playing trump, ...?
What is your plan?

Note about Heart:

Spoiler

(I you play a ♥ to the J then it holds)

[Free]

I'd start with a simple ♥ finesse (play low to the Q)

[kgr]

I also started with small to ♥Q. It holds.

[Fluffy]

♥A next if 3-2 we are almost home, if not then try ♣ finese next

[Free]

I think it's best to play ♥A after ♥Q won the trick.

[gnasher]

After ♥Q, ♥A with the king not dropping, we still need another trick from somewhere. I can't see anything better than to throw the clubs on the spades and then take two finesses in diamonds.

[kgr]

Fluffy, on Sep 8 2010, 11:28 AM, said:

♥A next if 3-2 we are almost home, if not then try ♣ finese next

(Quoting this answer to note that it is MP's. So +1 can be important)
I took ♠A, followed by the ♥-finesse and ♥A. ♥'s were 3-2; LHO has ♥Kxx (and didn't drop the K under the A )
...
From here I didn't have an idea what to do an probably did play it bad.
I crossed to ♠ and did run ♦ for RHO ♦J. RHO returned ♣J and I took the ♣A??

[hanp]

gnasher, on Sep 8 2010, 06:50 AM, said:

After ♥Q, ♥A with the king not dropping, we still need another trick from somewhere. I can't see anything better than to throw the clubs on the spades and then take two finesses in diamonds.

Andy, why would you take two finesses in diamonds instead of throwing a club and a diamond and take both a club and a diamond finesse? It seems to me that LHO is very unlikely to have QJ of diamonds after the spade lead, so the double diamond finesse is less likely. Of course we don't have to choose until we see how many spades LHO has.

[pooltuna]

Free, on Sep 8 2010, 03:35 AM, said:

I'd start with a simple ♥ finesse (play low to the Q)

that is my gut reaction as well

[gnasher]

hanp, on Sep 8 2010, 03:29 PM, said:

Andy, why would you take two finesses in diamonds instead of throwing a club and a diamond and take both a club and a diamond finesse? It seems to me that LHO is very unlikely to have QJ of diamonds after the spade lead, so the double diamond finesse is less likely.

That's a good point. On the other hand:
- Finessing diamonds twice gives me the extra chance of ♦Ax onside
- The spade lead also suggests that ♣K is offside.

It seems quite a close decision.

[pooltuna]

gnasher, on Sep 8 2010, 06:50 AM, said:

After ♥Q, ♥A with the king not dropping, we still need another trick from somewhere. I can't see anything better than to throw the clubs on the spades and then take two finesses in diamonds.

well this looks like the best line IMV but not sure if it is best MP line

[kgr]

hanp, on Sep 8 2010, 04:29 PM, said:

Of course we don't have to choose until we see how many spades LHO has.

LHO had 4c♠

[Fluffy]

kgr, on Sep 8 2010, 02:24 PM, said:

Fluffy, on Sep 8 2010, 11:28 AM, said:

♥A next if 3-2 we are almost home, if not then try ♣ finese next

(Quoting this answer to note that it is MP's. So +1 can be important)
I took ♠A, followed by the ♥-finesse and ♥A. ♥'s were 3-2; LHO has ♥Kxx (and didn't drop the K under the A )
...
From here I didn't have an idea what to do an probably did play it bad.
I crossed to ♠ and did run ♦ for RHO ♦J. RHO returned ♣J and I took the ♣A??

You have to play at least the third spade before, you can't afford to win ♣A now and see third spade rufffed before you can ditch both clubs.

Being matchpoints it is tempting to just play club finese before ♥A and ruff a club in hand, I think I like this line more than the ♥A one.

But once ♥A is played you must run 3 spades next, the 4th is probably ok as well the decide between what gnasher and hanp are suggesting wich I have no idea wich one is best.

At the point you are I'd play ♣A and both spades, but as said before if LHO has 2 spades this will be very bad.

[rhm]

Play a ♥ to the queen.
If it holds play a ♣ to the queen
If it holds cash ♣A.
Play ♥ to the ace.
If the ♥K does not drop ruff a club and cash ♠ discarding ♦
If all follow to 3 rounds of ♠ you make 11 tricks if trumps break and otherwise 10
If the ♥K drops draw trumps and discard a ♦ and a ♣ on the ♠s. Finally try the ♦ finesse for 11 or 12 tricks

If the ♣ finesse fails and a low ♦ comes back, play the king.
If both minor suit finesses fail you are down.
But if the ♦ finesse wins you can cash the ace of trumps and try to get rid of all your ♦s before someone can ruff in. You might again make 11 tricks if trumps break by ruffing a ♣ later.

Rainer Herrmann