[lenze]

IMPS

S KQT5
H AQ
D K974
C AK6


S AJ96
H J53
D A5
C Q743

Opening lead Club 10 ( the opponents did not bid)
Best line of play at 6 spades?
I have my opinion. I'd like to hear your's

[Yzerman]

Quote

IMPS

S KQT5
H AQ
D K974
C AK6


S AJ96
H J53
D A5
C Q743

Opening lead Club 10 ( the opponents did not bid)
Best line of play at 6 spades?
I have my opinion. I'd like to hear your's

12 tricks - 4 trumps, 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, 3 clubs, and 1 diamond ruff

Win club lead with Ace, cash 2 high trumps, when trumps are 3/2 draw trumps and finesse heart (when heart finesse win now plays for 13). If trumps are 4/1, after second trump ensure that you are in hand that has AJ9x trumps and finesse heart, now ensuring the opps cant win heart and play spade to kill your diamond ruff (why only 2 trumps if trumps).

[lenze]

That is the line my partner took. Trumps were 4-1 in the west.
But if trumps are 4-1 and the heart finese loses, you could easily suffer a club ruff. I believe there is a better line of play

[Yzerman]

Play for 2 diamond ruffs and concede heart. Win CA, 2 rounds diamonds ruff diamond high, return to hand with trump, ruff diamond high, high trump from hand, heart to ace, draw trump and concede heart?

This certainly seems safe, this only loses when East start with singleton diamond (and you can still resort to heart finesse or club/heart squeeze).

I am not big into percentages, however this line is percentage of 6/1 missing 7 cards plus a little added for HK onside (can resort to 2 hearts for 12 tricks then).

The other line only loses when clubs 5/1 AND trumps 4/1 AND HK offside AND hand with HK have 1 spade/5 clubs. Perhaps someone can calculate that mess.

* I dont think any inference can be drawn from C10 lead missing QJ1098 unless the 9 appears in East.

[lenze]

Yzerman:
I agree with your second line. I would add one small change. At trick 2 I would lead a spade to the Ace to see if sapdes are 5-0. If they are, I may still be able to make the hand even if the heart finesse is wrong if the hand with 5 trumps has three hearts and 2 or 3 clubs

Any other opinions?

[inquiry]

The best line of play, of course depends upon what happens on the first round of SPADES. Of course, you win club in dummy and play a low spade to ACE as suggested.

It maybe that you end up refusing the heart hook, even if it is onside. If, for instance, East shows up with 5S and 1D. If he has 2C, then if the heart hook is working, the Club-heart squeeze on WEST (the hook would have worked as well). But if clubs are 3-3 (or if EAST has HKx and 4 clubs) not hooking is key. This is after the second diamond is ruffed.

Now then, if both follow to the first trump, yzerman's line seems good.

Ben