[lamford]

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My partner showed unjustified belief in my declarer play and we reached a poor slam here. I was pleased to be playing face-to-face again so did not complain. West led a neutral heart, sorry.

How can I best combine my chances?

[Cyberyeti]

What lead ?

[Winstonm]

lamford, on 2021-August-12, 04:21, said:

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How can I best combine my chances?

1. Hope they never lead
2. Find a new partner

[DavidKok]

If they lead for example a neutral heart I don't see much better than crossing in spades, club to the queen, duck a club. That way if clubs break 3-3 with Kxx onside and spades break 3-3 you made your contract, and there's always the Chinese finesse in diamonds. If the spades are 4-2 or worse you never get to 12 legitimate tricks (unless you can scoop a singleton honour in diamonds). Are you trying to induce a defensive error?

[Winstonm]

Following David's example, with a neutral heart lead it appears to me the best chance is for 3-3 spades with the club finesse onside. That still only comes to 11 tricks so diamonds or clubs will need to produce the extra trick. Ducking a club seems poor as then east can play diamonds putting you to an early commitment. I think I would win the heart and lead the diamond Q. If that loses to the King, I will win the the return, cash heart winners then all the spades (assuming 3-3). This would squeeze west if he has Kxxx of clubs along with KJx of diamonds. It will squeeze east if that hand has left the Jx of diamonds and any 4 or 5 clubs minus the king.

Plus, I always can fall back on taking a second diamond finesse if the squeeze positions appear to be failing.

[nullve]

lamford, on 2021-August-12, 04:21, said:

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My partner showed unjustified belief in my declarer play and we reached a poor slam here. I was pleased to be playing face-to-face again so did not complain. How can I best combine my chances?

Partial line:

On a heart lead:
1. ♥Q
2. ♣2
Assuming opps win the trick cheaply (although RHO will sometimes rise with the K even when it's wrong DD) and continue hearts:
3. ♥K
4. ♠A
5. ♣Q
Assuming the Q wins the trick:
6. ♣A, pitching a diamond in hand
If clubs are 3-3, then
7. ♦A (Vienna coup)
8. ♥A
9.,10. ♣53, pitching a low spade and the remaining diamond in hand
If clubs are not 3-3, then, assuming spades are 3-3 (which they now have to be):
7.-10. ♠KQ54, pitching a club and two diamonds in dummy
11. ♥A

Edit: Some of the pitching was absurd. Hopefully corrected now.

This post has been edited by nullve: 2021-August-12, 12:21

[lamford]

I crossed to the top spade and hooked the club successfully. Now if clubs broke but spade did not, I might still make as I can squeeze East if he has the king of diamonds and the fourth spade. Also if I duck a club now and they don't break but spades do, I might squeeze East with the fourth club and KJx of diamonds. The winning line was to not duck a club, but to cash the spades and then guess the diamonds. Or to run the queen of diamonds after the club finesse works. Seemed all very close to me.

[lamford]

I crossed to the top spade and hooked the club successfully. Now if clubs broke but spade did not, I might still make as I can squeeze East if he has the king of diamonds and the fourth spade. Also if I duck a club now and they don't break but spades do, I might squeeze East with the fourth club and KJx of diamonds. The winning line was to not duck a club, but to cash the spades and then guess the diamonds. Or to run the queen of diamonds after the club finesse works. Seemed all very close to me.