[Cyberyeti]

The auction and the nuances of it are important.

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I'd have opened the N hand which we have to systemically open 1N, but partner passed it.

Opps 1♠ bid is Acol in a weak NT context, either he has 5 spades, or if he only has 4, he has at least 15 of the 16 remaining points and <4 hearts.

Opening lead is 10♠, opps are weak players who don't signal so no inferences can be drawn from which small spade E plays (in fact the 4), you win one of your high spades. Now what ?

[LBengtsson]

The next card I would play as South would be the ♣4. You have to try to sneak a trick quickly before the opps. have a count (even if they are weaker opps.)

[Cyberyeti]

LBengtsson, on 2022-October-15, 12:01, said:

The next card I would play as South would be the ♣4. You have to try to sneak a trick quickly before the opps. have a count (even if they are weaker opps.)

There are plenty of legitimate lines that don't require sneaking a trick. You can play E for any of the following:

AKxx, AQ(x), Qxx(x), xx(x) where a heart to the 9 does the job, I believe this works against AKxxx, Axx, Qxx(x), (J/x)x also

AKxxx, AQ10, x, Jxxx where taking the diamond finesse and cashing the other 2 winners causes insuperable discard issues, he can discard a heart, but what else ?

AKxx, AQ10, Qx, Jxxx where since he must have ♦Q if balanced, you can simply drop ♦Q if you decide he has this shape

You can also cross to ♦K and play a spade, then decide what to do when you know how many spades E has.

[LBengtsson]

Cyberyeti, on 2022-October-15, 13:02, said:

There are plenty of legitimate lines that don't require sneaking a trick. You can play E for any of the following:

AKxx, AQ(x), Qxx(x), xx(x) where a heart to the 9 does the job, I believe this works against AKxxx, Axx, Qxx(x), (J/x)x also

AKxxx, AQ10, x, Jxxx where taking the diamond finesse and cashing the other 2 winners causes insuperable discard issues, he can discard a heart, but what else ?

AKxx, AQ10, Qx, Jxxx where since he must have ♦Q if balanced, you can simply drop ♦Q if you decide he has this shape

You can also cross to ♦K and play a spade, then decide what to do when you know how many spades E has.

I agree with all this. Maybe I should have clarified that I only looked at this quickly (before going to a diner) and put my two cents worth down for what it's worth. Next time better to give it more thought...

[mikeh]

I think it’s pretty much a guess…that there’s no ‘correct’ answer but that there is at least one answer that ‘works’

I toyed with a heart to the Jack, but even weak defenders can usually beat this even with the queen onside, especially if RHO has 5 spades

A diamond play is a sure fire way to 9 winners if we find Qx(x) onside or drop the Queen offside. Since LHO holding the queen means that RHO has AKxxx in spades and LHO a stiff, I doubt that LHO has short enough diamonds…but if one finesse wins, I can cash the AK and maybe RHO has some issues…with say AKxxx AQ xx Jxxx even one discard is going to be problematic

So that’s my guess. I’m not claiming that it’s demonstrably better than all other choices

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2022-October-16, 09:45, said:

I think it’s pretty much a guess…that there’s no ‘correct’ answer but that there is at least one answer that ‘works’

I toyed with a heart to the Jack, but even weak defenders can usually beat this even with the queen onside, especially if RHO has 5 spades

A diamond play is a sure fire way to 9 winners if we find Qx(x) onside or drop the Queen offside. Since LHO holding the queen means that RHO has AKxxx in spades and LHO a stiff, I doubt that LHO has short enough diamonds…but if one finesse wins, I can cash the AK and maybe RHO has some issues…with say AKxxx AQ xx Jxxx even one discard is going to be problematic

So that’s my guess. I’m not claiming that it’s demonstrably better than all other choices

This was my thought after, but not what I did at the table, I don't think there was a winning line as the cards sat, double dummy analysis suggets there wasn't, btw, heart to the J can work without a misdefence, it demands
E to hold A10. I'm not sure if it works if W has 10, Q10xxx, xx, Jxxxx, possibly not in abstract but may make W switch to the ♣J which may be beyond him.

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