TWO4BRIDGE, on 2012-August-17, 17:25, said:
Try as I may, I can't get the defense to 5 tricks .
As long as the ♠ split 3-3 and Declarer keeps leading them, the 9th trick will be dummy's 4th ♠.
[ (Declarer ) Ducking the opening ♣lead seems like a "compression play" -- compressing 2 tricks into 1 ].
As long as the ♠ split 3-3 and Declarer keeps leading them, the 9th trick will be dummy's 4th ♠.
[ (Declarer ) Ducking the opening ♣lead seems like a "compression play" -- compressing 2 tricks into 1 ].
That's true, but it leads to a forced end play. Club ducked, club returned (otherwise we keep an entry), heart hook, diamond (must duck), heart finesse, heart AK diamond. West must win and can cash a long heart but gives us entry to the diamonds.