MrAce, on 2012-December-08, 11:36, said:
Can't you guys see a way to make this 4♠ when diamonds 3-1 KQ off side, 4-1 spade break and K of club off side ?
That is not the issue:
If the layout is
You should ruff your heart and run the
♦J when East does not split. Continue diamonds! West can ruff but is end-played
If West returns a heart ruff in dummy (discard a club) and run the jack of trumps.
If the layout is
You should ruff your heart and play the
♦J and put up the ace when East does not cover!
Best defense is for East to ruff partner's diamond trick and switch to clubs.
Declarer has then to guess the spade queen.
But I now see that cashing a trump early is not a good idea and leads to defeat on repeated heart leads when trumps split 4-1.
On the first layout West might lead his singleton and maybe he wouldn't. He has 4 trumps.
However, East will probably split in diamonds.
So the second layout is more likely when no diamond honor appears.
Rainer Herrmann