[pescetom]

MP

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In East you are playing 6NT, opponents silent.
Lead ♦5, plan your play?

[akwoo]

How good is the field? How many do I expect to be in 6N?

If something like half the field (or more) is expected to be in 6N, I win trick 1 and take the spade finesse - either way I have a red squeeze.

If not, I duck the first trick to rectify the count to increase my squeeze chances.

[mikeh]

While the small diamond lead worries me, I don’t think it matters much. I duck and win the inevitable spade switch. Pop the ace, run the clubs ending in dummy and play the top diamonds.

I like my chances.

I am making if either red suit comes home. I squeeze North if he started with the spade K and 4+ hearts.

I am making if either opp started with 4 or more in both reds

Even better, I don’t have to guess the end position.

[mike777]

Option 1.
AD
Finesse spade if loses then
Win KD return, pitch spade
AC
AS, pitch D
Run clubs ending in West
QD

[pescetom]

 akwoo, on 2026-October-24, 20:58, said:

How good is the field? How many do I expect to be in 6N?

The local field is 8 tables not good, but it's a national simultaneous tournament albeit one of the less popular ones so you can compete with over a hundred pairs of all levels on your same line.

About half will be in 6NT at either level, only a courageous few in a grand (one pair at local level).

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2026-October-25, 03:30, said:

The local field is 7 tables not good, but it's a national simultaneous tournament albeit one of the less popular ones so you can compete with over a hundred pairs of all levels on your same line.

About half will be in 6NT at either level, only a courageous few in a grand.

Speaking of Italian national events
There seems to be an uproar over a recent cheating allegation by a very well known player. He received a minor punishment which sounds outrageous. Comments?