[bridgeboy]

Scoring: IMP

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You end up in 4H (no opps bidding)

West leads the Q of D. (East follows with the 9 : opps play std carding) How do you play?

(S finesse works if you take it)

Thanks all!

[cinvent77]

I'm not a good declarer, so no guarantees, but here's what I think:

Declarer cannot afford two trump loser, so the hearts must split 3-2. RHO probably has a doubleton diamonds, so I don't try to ruff two diamonds right away. But then I don't see a way to ruff two diamonds. So I'm always going to lose a heart and a diamond, plus a club. I need to keep the club losers to one. This is only possible if LHO has ♠K and ♣A.

So my plan is: grab ♦A, then immediately play low club to king. Playing two rounds of hearts is too much for then LHO may be able to lead a third heart, killing the diamond ruff.

I'd like to hear the thoughts of better declarers.

[temp3600]

One straightforward line is to play East for three hearts withouth both the Q and 10, and West for the ♣A. With that heart holding, East can overruff dummy only once, and if he does, it is with their natural trump trick.

♦AK, diamond ruffed with the J. Let's say East overruffs with the Q and returns a trump. I take with the A and ruff the last diamond with the 9. Now ♠A, spade ruff, draw trumps with the K, and small club to the K for the tenth trick.

[Rebound]

This may be way off, but I'd suggest the following:
Win ♦, cash AK of ♥, take the ♠ finesse, cash A, pitching a ♦, ♦ return from dummy. From there it depends on what the opponents do, I think.