[jillybean]

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UDCA, King asks for count, what do you lead on trick 5

[AL78]

Partner is marked with 17-19 HCP and I've seen six of them so far. The singleton diamond suggests to me partner has led from ♥KQxxx and if I understand the signalling correctly has signalled encouragement for clubs and discouragement for spades so is probably 3514. I think I would cash the ♥T so partner knows where that is/was and continue with the ♣J. I am anticipating partner has club honors over declarer and wants a club through whilst we are in for possibly the only time before cashing winning hearts, otherwise if we just continue with hearts there is a risk partner will be endplayed in the black suits.

[akwoo]

AL78, on 2023-May-20, 15:16, said:

Partner is marked with 17-19 HCP and I've seen six of them so far. The singleton diamond suggests to me partner has led from ♥KQxxx and if I understand the signalling correctly has signalled encouragement for clubs and discouragement for spades so is probably 3514. I think I would cash the ♥T so partner knows where that is/was and continue with the ♣J. I am anticipating partner has club honors over declarer and wants a club through whilst we are in for possibly the only time before cashing winning hearts, otherwise if we just continue with hearts there is a risk partner will be endplayed in the black suits.

I agree with your analysis of the situation. However, I want to know what's known about opener's propensity to open 1N with a 5 card major.

If partner knows opener can't have a 5 card major, then you are already marked with the TH, so you should just lead JC and preserve partner's heart exit. (Note you won't stay on lead if you lead TH!)

There's actually an ethical question about whether you can ask in this situation.

(But, assuming the analysis is correct, and I think it is, I'm wondering why partner didn't lead their singleton diamond.)

[jillybean]

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Here's the full hand, what can I do better?

[LBengtsson]

jillybean, on 2023-May-20, 21:28, said:

Here's the full hand, what can I do better?

It is a difficult hand to either defend or play, and a 1NT contract, especially doubled (redoubled), is interesting for both sets of players as it can be on a knife edge. I feel your partner's lead of the ♥K does not feel right with 4414 shape, but that is easy to say seeing all four hands. I would be leading a ♠ to try to set up (extra) tricks in the four card suit that is not well covered. Leading the ♥K "to have a look at dummy" is not sitting well with me, but what I would do at the table I cannot say.

As I say, a tough hand to defend. If west had found the inspired play of the ♦Q pinning the ♦J at trick 2 that would have made it more interesting Lots of endplay possibilities given the opps. shape.

[shyams]

I am not sure I would be able to defend this perfectly either.

However, there is a clue available to North. On the second round of heart, partner played the ♥9. This means the heart intermediaries are such that West still has a stopper even if South is on lead & switches to heart.

Consequently, I think it is correct for North to chuck the ♥4 and keep holding the ♠8. This should defeat the contract, shouldn't it?

[akwoo]

Partner has a full count of the hand and should duck the KC. Now dummy is cut off and, after hearts are cleared, partner can lead a low spade, endplaying declarer into leading from Kx.

[jillybean]

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More on this hand. Partner's King♥ lead presumably from AK asks for count.
On seeing dummy, do you still give count or do you give suit preference? (for those not playing obvious shift)