[Tramticket]

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Contract: 6♠ by North
No opposition Bidding
Lead: 2♦
Scoring: IMPs converted to VPs

(1) Do you want to be in this slam?
(2) What line do you take?

[nige1]

Tramticket, on 2017-June-12, 05:56, said:

Contract: 6♠ by North
No opposition Bidding
Lead: 2♦
Scoring: IMPs converted to VPs
(1) Do you want to be in this slam?
(2) What line do you take?

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Comunications are awkward, especially if defenders lead trumps, so you probably want to avoid this slam.
I don't know what's the best line but feel that it's better to set up ♣s, rather than to ruff 3 red losers in hand.

A guess: Win ♦K. Cash ♣KA. Unless ♣Q drops, (over) ruff a ♣.
(If East follows to the 3rd ♣, then ruff high).
Lead a ♥ (Assume that it is won by defenders).
Win the return (with ♦A say).
If ♣s are 4-2 then ruff another ♣ high;
Discard a ♦ on ♥K,
Draw trumps (If you had to ruff both ♣s high, then finesse ♠9).
Cash ♣ (s)

[MrAce]

I probably would start ♦K and try a ♥ to Q (towards close hand). If Q wins I try if spades split. If spades are 4-1 it is kinda long for my energy at this moment to type all of it. Not sure if this is the right line though but that's what I would do at the table in limited time.

[The_Badger]

MrAce, on 2017-June-12, 07:25, said:

I probably would start ♦K and try a ♥ to Q (towards close hand). If Q wins I try if spades split. If spades are 4-1 it is kinda long for my energy at this moment to type all of it. Not sure if this is the right line though but that's what I would do at the table in limited time.

Agree with Timo (MrAce). Surprisingly disagree mildly with nige1's statement - just a personal opinion - "so you probably want to avoid this slam" The hand is all aces and kings and top trumps. I'm not even looking at lines where the trumps are 4-1 (28%) but lines where trumps are 3-2 (68%). I cannot see many good partnerships keeping out of slam with the 2 hands. To me, it is a percentage slam where various lines to make it exist.

[Winstonm]

Interesting hand.

I also win the diamond K and immediately play a heart to the Q. I will assume this is a loser and a diamond is returned. Winning, I play a spade to the K, Cash the heart K, pitching a diamond, then play the spade Q. If the spades are breaking 3-2, I don't have the entries so I have to figure out the club situation now. I think I will lead the 9 and run it, as if this works I can cash K, cross in trumps, and ruff out the clubs and still get back to dummy with a heart ruff. With 4-1 spades I'll make the same play.

I think this is a slam a lot of good players might reach but it is better to avoid - change the club J to Q and it becomes good.

[Tramticket]

Thanks all.

I started ok - winning in dummy and playing a small heart towards my queen. West took about 30 seconds before eventually going up with his ace.

He returned a diamond and I tried for the spade split - good news, they both followed suit to two rounds. I cashed the king of clubs, discarding a diamond, drew a third round and started on clubs - King, ace and then a ruffing finesse. West of course, took even more than 30 seconds to produce the queen.

With hind-sight. I think I should delay drawing trumps - playing on clubs immediately after trying to the first heart.