[VM1973]

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[jjbrr]

4♠ is justified, but South must have misclicked 3♠ when he intended to click "Pass"

[BunnyGo]

I think 4♠ is fine. I really hate 3♠, partner described his hand with the 1♠ bid. If he's not going to pass, he should double (bringing diamonds into the mix and showing tolerance for clubs). For that matter, I don't like how declarer played either, the play of the spade and heart suits was a bit spectacular.

[jmcw]

Given the auction I would bid 4♠ with the North cards expecting to make.

I don't care for the 3♠ by South, it should show a 6th ♠ IMO, I play the pass here as forcing so there is no danger of the auction dying in 3♥.

Looks like 4♠ may make! takes a ♣ lead and return then a ♥ underlead for the 2nd ruff to beat.

[G_R__E_G]

Follow the play - south plays the dummy just as well as he bids.

[Trumpace]

4S was perfectly fine.

The 3S bid was quite bad but the play was really atrocious!

Playing the spade A and spade to J is ~100% play for down two. You lose a trick to the SQ, while conveniently removing dummy's trump for defense to cash a heart!

Given the bidding and play South should probably make it (assuming IMPS).

LHO bid 2H and didn't have the CA. It is reasonable to play LHO for the SQ (though the singleton lead with Qxx spade might confuse matters a bit).

So after LHO wins the HA and switches to diamond, declarer should with the Diamond in _hand_ and bang down the AK of spades. When the Q drops, the T draws the rest and the DK serves as an entry to the good clubs. (You cater to Qxx or Qx with LHO)

You could also try to play RHO for the SQ, in which case you win the diamond shift in hand again, take a heart ruff and run the SJ. You can then come to hand with a diamond to draw the rest of trumps and get to dummy with the DK.

[VM1973]

Trumpace, on 2011-July-14, 14:21, said:

4S was perfectly fine.

The 3S bid was quite bad but the play was really atrocious!

Playing the spade A and spade to J is ~100% play for down two. You lose a trick to the SQ, while conveniently removing dummy's trump for defense to cash a heart!

Given the bidding and play South should probably make it (assuming IMPS).

LHO bid 2H and didn't have the CA. It is reasonable to play LHO for the SQ (though the singleton lead with Qxx spade might confuse matters a bit).

So after LHO wins the HA and switches to diamond, declarer should with the Diamond in _hand_ and bang down the AK of spades. When the Q drops, the T draws the rest and the DK serves as an entry to the good clubs. (You cater to Qxx or Qx with LHO)

You could also try to play RHO for the SQ, in which case you win the diamond shift in hand again, take a heart ruff and run the SJ. You can then come to hand with a diamond to draw the rest of trumps and get to dummy with the DK.

Well the defense was really no better as East should return the 5♣ suit preference calling for a heart back. Instead he led the low one for the ruff, which should have resulted in West returning a diamond but he didn't instead cashing the ♥A.

Against competent defenders it should go ♣A, club ruff, ♥K, club ruff.

5♣ is cold.

[Trumpace]

VM1973, on 2011-July-14, 14:46, said:

Well the defense was really no better as East should return the 5♣ suit preference calling for a heart back. Instead he led the low one for the ruff, which should have resulted in West returning a diamond but he didn't instead cashing the ♥A.

Against competent defenders it should go ♣A, club ruff, ♥K, club ruff.

5♣ is cold.

I believe jmcw already mentioned the heart underlead to beat 4S. The defense was not as crazy as the play, so "no better" is an overbid.

After the 3S bid, it would be hard to get to 5C, I suppose.