[Phil]

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Matchpoints if it matters.

Thinking that declarer has something in hearts, and wishing to perhaps get partner in to lead a trump, you start with a low club. Declarer wins with the King (dropping the 2 from hand), partner playing the 9 (discouraging). Declarer leads a spade to hand and tanks, and finally pops King.

You win and...?

Edited spots.

[goingoren]

2 of diamonds?

[WellSpyder]

I'm not sure I would accept "game try" as an explanation. Is it the only game try available? If not, how does it differ from the alternatives?

[PhilKing]

Which club did declarer play at trick one? If it was the six, partner has played his lowest club ....

If pard has x AKxx Qxxx QJT9 it seems like he should help us out here. Natural signals generally take precedence over SP at trick one, so he should play the queen just to say clubs are under control. That will stop me playing a disastrous diamond.

If he has x AKxx QJT9x JT9, he can play the jack, telling me clubs are running and encouraging the cash out.

And if pard has x Axxx Kxxxx QJ9, where we need to switch to a diamond, then yes - he will play the nine by default. So that's what I will do. Edit this is wrong. Diamond switch is not necessary. I'm struggling for a rational hand (I can think of one where pard has a nine count) where a diamond switch is necessary to beat it, but it seems that's what partner wants.

All three scenarios indicate that declarer was having a laugh in the bidding, but that's how some people roll these days.

Scrap all of the aboe on the basis that OP was not correct.

[WesleyC]

My first advice regards the way you've formatted the problem. Especially on a subtle hand like this, it's much better to simply provide all the information rather than just the information you think is important. One of the missing spot cards might provide vital info.

From your explanation (and given the missing clubs) I assume the first round of clubs went, ♣K, ♣9, ♣6 and you play high to encourage, and partner followed small to the first spade? In which case partner is pretty much marked with ♣QJ9 (or possibly ♣JT9).

Given how much bidding there was (and how few HCP are outstanding) it also feels extremely likely that South has a 6c spade suit.

Based on these assumptions, it's hard to come up with a layout where it is wrong to play a heart. If partner has a diamond trick it's unlikely to go away, and I will always be able to switch to a diamond to break up potential endplay when i'm in with the ♠A.

[Phil]

double

[Phil]

Sorry. Actual spots were T43 /K876. Declarer played the 2. Will repair.

[WesleyC]

Your signalling agreements are 9's to discourage?

[Aardv]

What are our opening lead agreements? What are our signalling agreements?

If we play reverse attitude here, it seems obvious to play partner for x AKxx QJxxx J95, declarer KJxxxx xx Kx AQx, and switch to a heart. (I'd have led one at trick one.)

[Phil]

WesleyC, on 2015-May-13, 06:35, said:

My first advice regards the way you've formatted the problem. Especially on a subtle hand like this, it's much better to simply provide all the information rather than just the information you think is important. One of the missing spot cards might provide vital info.

From your explanation (and given the missing clubs) I assume the first round of clubs went, ♣K, ♣9, ♣6 and you play high to encourage, and partner followed small to the first spade? In which case partner is pretty much marked with ♣QJ9 (or possibly ♣JT9).

Given how much bidding there was (and how few HCP are outstanding) it also feels extremely likely that South has a 6c spade suit.

Based on these assumptions, it's hard to come up with a layout where it is wrong to play a heart. If partner has a diamond trick it's unlikely to go away, and I will always be able to switch to a diamond to break up potential endplay when i'm in with the ♠A.

Yes, for sure.

[Phil]

WesleyC, on 2015-May-13, 09:04, said:

Your signalling agreements are 9's to discourage?

Yes?

[fourdad]

Seems to me you believed the ops 3♥ bid rather than your partners X.
I would lead the Q♥ to begin with.

[echo25]

fourdad, on 2015-May-14, 03:28, said:

Seems to me you believed the ops 3♥ bid rather than your partners X.
I would lead the Q♥ to begin with.

I agree.

[zillahandp]

Sems to me you have two tricks, if p has ah decs hts can only go on long clubs so no rush knock out ad to set up d trick and when in with as you have either two hts or one in each red suit depending on how p plays to your d switch

[zillahandp]

When in with a spade (qs) not Ace