[Chamaco]

North
AJTxx- void -Txxx- KQ9x

South
xx- KQ9xx-AKJxx-A

MP Pairs (I forgot vulnerability)

After an uncontested auction, South is declarer in 6♦.
West leads the ♣7.

What is the best play at Matchpoints ?

I did the following:
1- AK of trumps (2-2 break)
2- Now I have to decide how to play spades. If they break 3-3, I can discard one spade on dummy ♣K, ruff one spade, back to dummy with a ♥ruff, another ♠ ruff, and the last dummy trump is the vital entry to the good spades.
However, if spades break 4-2, entries to dummy will not be enough, and I may lose 2♥ tricks.

Therefore I decided to play safe: I conceded a spade trick (low to dummy's ♠J), in order to ensure this line even vs a 4-2 break, more likely than 3-3 break.
Actually, as I write now, I see that this line would be vulnerable to a ♥ return, removing anyway an entry to dummy, so I should probably have played spade to the Ace and a spade, as a safety play ?

So here are the questions:
Q1- is the safety play I devised correct ?
Q2- if so, is it advisable to adopt it in MP pairs play ?

[inquiry]

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I will not comment on your line of play in general (you may want to ruff a ♥ at trick two), but after cashing AK of ♦ and finding 2-2 split, you have a 100% line available. Lead the ♥K and if not covered, throw away a ♠. Even if this loses you win 1♠+1♥+2♥ruff+5♦+3♣... and if the king is covered, and you ruff, you are also back into the game, now with 12 sure tricks, and several chances of a 13th.

So this would be a safer play.

At MP, I would take the ♥hook... if WEST covers, ruff, then look for the 13th trick after 12 are sure.

ben

[Trpltrbl]

First thing you should do is making the contract since not many pairs will be in it in MP's. After you find out trump are 2-2 run the K of ♥, if covered you ruff and go home get 12 tricks, maybe even 13. But I will just play to make 12 tricks without touching trump by x-cruff. I am happy to score my 85+% score, don't need 100% all the time to win.

Mike