[manudude03]

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MPs scoring, weak field. You get the 5 of hearts lead that goes to the 4-J-K. Sure, you can just take 9 tricks, but it is matchpoints scoring. Plan the play.

[nige1]

manudude03, on 2016-June-20, 18:02, said:

MPs scoring, weak field. You get the 5 of hearts lead that goes to the 4-J-K. Sure, you can just take 9 tricks, but it is matchpoints scoring. Plan the play.

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Spoiler

I guess you won ♥K, ♦AQKJx, ♠AK and exited in ♥s?

[Tramticket]

I'm a simple player. I run the diamonds and watch the discards. Maybe I can throw West in if he pitches a heart?

[billw55]

Not seeing what else can I do besides run the diamonds. Maybe someone pitches a spade from Jxx or Txx and I can run what is left of the suit? More realistically, if west both pitches a heart and shows out of spades on the AK, maybe I can put him in for a club lead and possible overtrick. Risky though, east could still turn up with the ♥Q. Perhaps cashing the top spades is not necessary, or only the ace; something good still could happen.

Anyway, clearly a "run the suit and see what happens" situation.

[Winstonm]

As long a LHO holds at least 3 spades and the club K then he must pitch hearts on the diamond leads. Assuming a normal-ish 3523 distribution, He will have to pitch 1 club and 2 hearts, leaving him with Qxx, AQ, -, Kx. Exit with a heart.

The key card on the hand is the 10 of hearts, which prevents LHO from unblocking an honor. Of course, he could have resolved all those problems with the lead of the heart Q.

[kenberg]

Typos( some anyway) corrected:
There are only a few points I cannot see, so I assume (not with certainty) W has the club king for his bid. I also assume that some pairs will be in 4S. How will that go? Let's assume that W overcalle in hearts, 1H or 2H, at the other tables.


Case 1, E has Jxx of hearts. Most likely he leads a small heart to E's AQ. Perhaps he leads the J. With NT bid on his left and N insisting on spades, there is something to be said for the J, but it won't matter, The J will be covered if led. Either way, W starts by taking the AQ. Now what? If spades are 3-2, then, placing the club K with W, declarer is home with ten tricks. W leads whatever, declarer plays AK and another spade, and claims. on the other hand, if spades are 4-1, then 4S goes down. If we play off the diamonds and spades, we know which it is.

Case 2: E has QJx of hearts. He leads the Q. This is worse, but 4S still has a play. Low-low-low. If another heart is played to the K and Ace, we are in great shape. Suppose a club shift. Could happen. Declarer goes up with the Ace, plays AK of spades. Suppose they are 3-2. Now he plays diamonds. If someone, presumably E has three spades and thre diamonds we are still home free. A club is pitched on the fourth D as E ruffs in. Ten tricks.

If spades are 3-2 then it looks if 4S is a pretty good contract. Probably I then have to try for ten in NT, but I don't like it. I'll cross that bridge after I take my diamonds and top spades. If spades are 4-1 then I settle for nine tricks, beating all those in 4S.

Note: A throw-in will not go well if, after I play the heart, five diamonds and two spades, E has Qx of hearts, Q of spades, and a couple of clubs, W holding three hearts and Kx of clubs. Heart to the Q, top spade W pitching a club guard, heart through, down 1.
It's tricky. By this time I know if E held three diamonds. If so, I doubt they can beat 4S when E also started with 3 spades. So maybe I must risk it.

[Cyberyeti]

Well if spades are 4-1 9 tricks may be absolutely fine.

Clearly run the diamonds next then cash 2 spades.

[manudude03]

West had QJx AQxxx Jxx Kx and pitched 2 hearts on the diamonds while East threw a spade, 2 hearts and a club which made the endplay rather trivial to find. They even exited the king of clubs so I didn't even have to guess that.