[pescetom]

An interesting hand from a recent national sim (not rotated because I get a sore head handling the replies).

MP

---

N is a usually sound player although not adverse to risk.

You are one of the few pairs to reach 6♣ (would you have done the same?).

N leads ♠A (S plays 7) and continues ♠9.

How do you plan to make the remaining tricks?

[Cyberyeti]

I play the K, ♦A, ♥AK pitching a diamond in case N is 5-6 in the majors and S can pitch one of his 2 hearts on the third spade, and then crossruff diamonds and spades.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2022-June-28, 15:50, said:

I play the K, ♦A, ♥AK pitching a diamond in case N is 5-6 in the majors and S can pitch one of his 2 hearts on the third spade, and then crossruff diamonds and spades.

That's what I told my intermediate partner after he proudly brought home the slam by NOT playing the K, having deduced that N probably has the Q to justify Landy vulnerable with scrappy hearts Which is reasonable and the J did hold, but was an unnecessary risk.

It's not rocket science but not blindlingly obvious either, so I thought it worth posting.

After playing the K I think I would cash ♣K before ♦A to check how trumps lie (and perhaps drop a stiff T in N), although that may not be a good idea for some reason.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2022-June-29, 09:42, said:

After playing the K I think I would cash ♣K before ♦A to check how trumps lie (and perhaps drop a stiff T in N), although that may not be a good idea for some reason.

Now you can't ruff 2 spades if trumps are 4-0 with S

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2022-June-29, 12:35, said:

Now you can't ruff 2 spades if trumps are 4-0 with S

True, so was not a great instinct, something like an X-ray that might cause the cancer it was meant to detect

But the idea was to replan if trumps are 4-0 and interestingly you can still make: ruff one spade, cash trumps A, cross to diamonds A and run the remaining trumps which squeezes N holding ♠Q ♥Hxx.