[bd71]

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North leads a fourth-best 5♦ against 3N.

On the 3rd round of diamonds, is there a way that North should know to unblock the queen? That is, is there a way that South can show North that West does NOT hold J432 or T432?

Edit: North/South are silent during the auction.

[Cyberyeti]

Which one do you lead from xxxxx ? If the answer is second as it is from us, you played the 10 first time as either partner had the Q or it isn't dropping from declarer. If the answer is 4th:

Assuming you play MUD from 875, south should lead a small one after cashing AK not the J or 10, this means partner has to unblock, and you hope he plays another one, which he will do if W can't hold 5 diamonds (you didn't give the auction).

[Free]

If you lead 4th highest, then South should prevent the blockage by leading a small ♦ at some point. If declarer has the Q it won't drop anyway.

Another way is to make a difference between taking ♦A followed by ♦K, and the other way around. One of these could ask for a deblock.

[Mbodell]

If S plays K, A, T then it is quite likely for N to find the unblock. As the three cards from W would be (2, 3) in some order then 9 most likely. And if W had J and 9 he'd pretty much always cover the T since it is free. So unless it is a Grosvenor N can safely play the Q on the third round. It doesn't totally work because the 9 and 8 can be switched which wouldn't pick it up.

I agree it is possible that A, K, T asks for unblock, since normally K, A would be the order, but I don't think I have that agreement with anyone.

[han]

Playing the ace and then the king should wake up partner to unblock.

Of course if the lead guarantees that partner has the queen then there is no partner. If partner can have 9xxxx then you need to play high on the first two tricks and your partnership should be able to find the unblock anyway.

[jogs]

Mbodell, on 2011-August-29, 01:42, said:

If S plays K, A, T then it is quite likely for N to find the unblock. As the three cards from W would be (2, 3) in some order then 9 most likely. And if W had J and 9 he'd pretty much always cover the T since it is free. So unless it is a Grosvenor N can safely play the Q on the third round. It doesn't totally work because the 9 and 8 can be switched which wouldn't pick it up.

I agree it is possible that A, K, T asks for unblock, since normally K, A would be the order, but I don't think I have that agreement with anyone.

The queen is obvious. If West had J9xx of diamonds, West would have played the jack on the ten, not the nine.

[JLOGIC]

how do you know that declarer has the 9? if he had 8xx, that inference would not be available.

[inquiry]

bd71, on 2011-August-29, 00:12, said:

North leads a fourth-best 5♦ against 3N.

On the 3rd round of diamonds, is there a way that North should know to unblock the queen? That is, is there a way that South can show North that West does NOT hold J432 or T432?

Edit: North/South are silent during the auction.

See my rules for playing A from AK in the signalling question thread, it is the same thing others have said above. Play ace first then king to request partner unblock. This is the kind of hand that signal is designed and used for.

[jogs]

JLOGIC, on 2011-August-29, 12:15, said:

how do you know that declarer has the 9? if he had 8xx, that inference would not be available.

On this hand West has 9xx. Therefore the 9 is played on trick three.

The question should be, "what do they lead from three small?"
If West has Qxx, he always gets a trick. Maybe South should
play the ten on two.
Or is North leading the 5 from 98753? I usually lead the 9.

[phil_20686]

If your carding agreements are remotely reasonable, north will win the third round of diamonds and play back a diamond, as he has no other choice.

If you play 3/5 then north will know on the second round that you have two left. If you play 4th he knows on the first round that you have 4. The 5 cannot be form five small, so south can guess to play ace of diamonds and follow it with the J or ten in case declarer has Qxx and might try to block the suit. There are a million ways to get this right. Much harder if you play 4/2 but north led from Qxx.