[manudude03]

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West plays 5D doubled on the ♠6 lead (playing standard 2/4 leads with top of doubleton). Plan the play.

[nige1]

manudude03, on 2014-January-08, 18:32, said:

West plays 5D doubled on the ♠6 lead (playing standard 2/4 leads with top of doubleton). Plan the play.

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After a protracted perusal of these hands, I still haven't a clue how to play them. At the table, however, you must eventually do something. To get the ball rolling, I'll play RHO for a miraculous ♠K, ♥A, ♣K and four trumps. So ♠A, ♥. RHO wins ♥A and returns a ♥, ruffed in dummy. Now ♠J covered and ruffed, ♣A, ♠T discarding a ♣, ♣Q covered and ruffed, pinning LHO's ♣J, ♦A (drawing LHO's trump, ♣T discarding a ♥, ♣9...

[nige1]

manudude03, on 2014-January-08, 18:32, said:

West plays 5D doubled on the ♠6 lead (playing standard 2/4 leads with top of doubleton). Plan the play.

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After protracted perusal of these hands, I still haven't a clue how to play them. At the table, however, you must eventually do something. To get the ball rolling, I'll play RHO for a miraculous ♠K, ♥A, ♣K and four trumps. So ♠A, ♥9. RHO wins ♥A and returns a ♥, ruffed in dummy. Now, ♠J covered and ruffed, ♣A, ♠T discarding a ♣, ♣Q covered and ruffed, pinning LHO's ♣J. ♦A (drawing LHO's trump), ♣T discarding a ♥, ♣9...

[rhm]

It seems to me unrealistic from the bidding and opening lead that RHO has the ♥A
To give the contract a chance assume LHO has the ♥A and the ♣K.
This means RHO will have the ♠K and good diamonds, at least ♦QT8x for his double

So win and take the ruffing finesse in spades and next the club finesse.

The layout could be:

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T1;♠A
T2:♠J, assume covered and ruffed, but it does not matter.
T3:club to ♣Q
T4:♠T, heart discard
T5:♠7 ruffed
T6:♣A
T7:♣ ruff or overruff, (assume overruff, it does not matter)
T8: ♥K (!)

This is the 5 card ending if South ruffed in on trick 7 with North to lead:

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There is no way the defense can get more than a second trick now.

The suggested line also works when North has a small trump instead of a small club, but the contract can be defeated if North has only three spades and a small diamond.

Rainer Herrmann

[manudude03]

I was thinking of something along the lines of Rainer's line here. Unfortunately I hadn't realised I needed the club finesse, but it didn't matter since it was offside anyway.

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And no, I was not expecting North to have 5 spades lol.

[nige1]

manudude03, on 2014-January-12, 10:30, said:

I was thinking of something along the lines of Rainer's line here. Unfortunately I hadn't realised I needed the club finesse, but it didn't matter since it was offside anyway. And no, I was not expecting North to have 5 spades lol.

Thank you for the interesting problems, manudude03.
mikeH found a successful defence to 4♠ in one of your later problems

On this deal, my line in 5♦X goes one down
To see the pretty ending, hit Next

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[manudude03]

nige1, on 2014-January-12, 12:21, said:

Thank you for the interesting problems, manudude03.
mikeH found a successful defence to 4♠ in one of your later problems

On this deal, my line in 5♦X goes one down
To see the pretty ending, hit Next

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That's pretty neat, I went one down myself on a double endplay. Pips played may be a little different, but the gist of it was right.

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