[eagles123]

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contract = 4H by south

K♦ lead from west... apparently it can be made, I can't see it?

Thanks,

Eagles

[Cyberyeti]

Win A, small heart. W plays say K♥ and returns a ♦, ruff on the table, spade to A and another to W's K. what can W do ? another diamond ?

Ruff on the table, Q♠ discarding a club, 3 rounds of clubs.

You have 2 spades, 2 ruffs, A♦, 3 clubs in the bank so you are 8-2 on the trick front.

The ending is that dummy has ♠xx and ♥J, W has ♥Q102, you have ♥A65 now a small heart towards the J guarantees you 2 tricks.

There are alternatives, but it's going to be this sort of thing.

[Hanoi5]

I was thinking of ♦A, ruff, three clubs and another ♦ ruffed, spades to the Ace and the last club, so far we have 7 tricks and no matter what west does we're getting two more in addition to the ♥A.

[eagles123]

thanks Cyberyeti and Hanoi, seems so obvious now!!!!

as a side, what is the best way to play the Heart suit (non double dummy, i.e. forget this hand just looking at how to play that suit the best way?
Thanks,

Eagles

[CamHenry]

eagles123, on 2013-July-30, 15:44, said:

thanks Cyberyeti and Hanoi, seems so obvious now!!!!

as a side, what is the best way to play the Heart suit (non double dummy, i.e. forget this hand just looking at how to play that suit the best way?
Thanks,

Eagles

I recommend looking at http://www.bridgehan...mbination_5.htm (and the similar pages). These show the best way to play different combinations for different numbers of tricks; obviously you can't take it to the table with you but you can study it offline.

You have J987 facing A654. A lot depends on how many tricks you need. If you need 4, it'll take a fairly classic defensive error (e.g. LHO leading highest from Hxxx, dropping his partner's singleton honour). Alternatively, if they're trumps, you can try scoring them on ruffs.

If you need three tricks, my instinct says to play low towards the J at trick 1. This works if LHO inserts an honour (which most defenders will from Kx, Qx, Qxx, HTx, etc.). You then have to decide whether to drop a now-singleton high honour or a now-singleton T; obviously you win if either oppo plays the T. If LHO plays small, I'd insert the 9 as this gains over the J whenever LHO holds the T.

If you need two tricks, I think playing small towards the J987 is also correct, for much the same reasons.

[manudude03]

If you need 3 tricks, play small to the 9 and then run the jack if LHO ducks, catering for HT on your left (more likely than KQ doubleton where winning the ace the second round is better, or singleton honor on the right where winning the ace first time is correct). If you need 2 tricks, lead twice towards the J987, guaranteeing 2 tricks as long as you don't lose to singleton 10.