[EricK]

The hands were approximately as follows (spot cards made up):

---

The contract is 4♥ by South.
Both opps are reasonable club players - BBO Advanced, let's say - RHO is more prone to flights of fancy than LHO if that's relevant.

The lead was a highish ♣ spot - likely to be from shortage by the look of it. I played small from dummy, RHO went in with the T, and I took the Ace.

I then took the ♦ finesse so as to try to get rid of my ♣ loser. Do you agree with this play?

The finesse lost, and a high ♣ was returned. LHO followed and the carding seemed to confirm the lead was a doubleton.

I won the ♣ in dummy, cashed 2 ♦ everyone following, and then led a high ♥ from dummy. Happy with that?

RHO played small, and LHO won with the Ace. She then had a little think, pulled a card out, put it back, had a little think and then pulled it out again and played it. It was a low ♠. What would you have played from dummy and why?

For whatever reason (and I can't really remember why I did it!) I played the Jack and RHO won with the Ace. He then played another High ♣. Assuming my reading of the ♣ situation was right (spoiler alert: It was), I figured, by vacant spaces, LHO was more likely to have the ♥T than RHO, so I ruffed high. Happy with that?

LHO discarded (I think a ♦), and when I played the ♥9, she followed with the last low ♥. Still going with my vacant spaces argument, I ran it, and it lost to ♥T. Should I have got this right, though? If so, what should my thought process have been?

LHO was something like ♠Qxxx ♥Ax ♦xxxxx ♣xx, and RHO ♠Axx ♥Tx ♦Kxx ♣QJTxx

[JLOGIC]

Definitely pop king of spades, if the jack loses to the ace you still need to guess the heart ten but if the king wins you are home. You basically played for 2 ~finesses instead of 1 by playing the jack.

Having played how you did, playing LHO for ATx is right on empty spaces, however there is an inference that LHO would duck the king of hearts with ATx since you would almost surely go down. You would have to play club ruff with the queen (allowing LHO a pitch), a spade up and guess it, then avoid getting uppercut in spades (if LHO was 3352 he got to pitch a spade so RHO can duck and win the next spade and beat you that way). You would basically be playing LHO for specifically 4342 with the SQ by playing like that.

[rhm]

JLOGIC, on 2013-November-20, 14:49, said:

Having played how you did, playing LHO for ATx is right on empty spaces, however there is an inference that LHO would duck the king of hearts with ATx since you would almost surely go down. You would have to play club ruff with the queen (allowing LHO a pitch), a spade up and guess it, then avoid getting uppercut in spades (if LHO was 3352 he got to pitch a spade so RHO can duck and win the next spade and beat you that way). You would basically be playing LHO for specifically 4342 with the SQ by playing like that.

I agree expert opponents might duck, but I doubt that advanced players are likely to duck with ♥ATx.
Anyway if you play LHO for the ♠A there is no need for any artistery. Just continue with another top heart from dummy.
(Or have I overlooked something?)

Rainer Herrmann

[fromageGB]

EricK, on 2013-November-20, 13:18, said:

RHO played small, and LHO won with the Ace. She then had a little think, pulled a card out, put it back, had a little think and then pulled it out again and played it. It was a low ♠. What would you have played from dummy and why?

I would have had a little think, reached towards the spades and hesitate without touching one, pull my hand back for another think, then call for the King.

Two reasons, I like a bit of fun, and the King because I have read jlogic's answer.

[EricK]

So basically, I should have gone down by misguessing the spades rather than going down by misguessing the hearts!

[gszes]

This may sound "odd" did you ever consider that lho when led a low spade was probably doing so from length
(ie 4 or 5 long)?
If that is indeed the case there seems to be little to no case for using vacant spaces on this hand.