[paulg]

Scoring: MP

Opposition silent throughout

NB 1♥
4♣ 4♥
All pass

Lead: ♥10

---

You duck the opening lead completely as East plays the ♥8.

West switches to the ♣4.

Do you agree with the duck, and what do you do now?

Paul

[Limey_p]

I totally agree with duck at trick 1.

Since it is matchpoints I try to make 5:
ruff trick 2
A♥
K♦
A♦
more diamonds etc

and if the hand is friendly I'll never need the spade finesse - the trump lead is a weak suggestion that the finesse is off.

[paulg]

I'll make it a little easier for everyone - West looks like the type of player who would continue trumps if she had another one.

Now plan the play.

Paul

[Limey_p]

With trumps 1-4, I'd still use essentially the same line, only without cashing the ♥A ... but now I need righty to hold 2 or more ♦s, or he can force me to take the spade hook.

AP

[Codo]

I will ruff and play diamonds. hoping that the first two rounds will survive.
If rho ruffs and return a spade, I will take the ace, ruff a club play another Diamond, planning to discard my loosing spade whatever rho will do.
This should make 10 tricks.

If Diamonds are 4-1 and rho ruffs the second D and returns a Spade, I need to finesse without much confidence that it will work.

But I never have opponents, which will lead a stiff trump and "look like the type of player who would continue trumps if she had another one."

So, at the table, I had cashed the Ace of H and failed to make it.

[paulg]

The slight wrinkle with this hand is that ruffing the second trick works when East has three diamonds. However if he has two diamonds then you must win the club ace and then play diamonds, otherwise you will be an entry short - this line also works when he has three.

I misplayed it by ruffing the second trick, but luckily East did hold three diamonds.

Paul