[sathyab]

Clearing Diamonds after one high heart is a really good play. I think the crux of the hand is to realize very early on that you can't make it if your LHO has heart length unless he holds three without the Q and playing for Qx in either hand is not high probability so you're not giving up too much, as there're so many other interesting combinations that your line caters for otherwise.

The most difficult play however is what to do if RHO wins the QofD and returns a heart. Winning high in hand preserves the chances of making when LHO had T9 or Q9 of hearts, but gives up on 4-1 break. RHO's Diamond discard is consistent with either 4-4 in reds or 5-3. But RHO has to find the heart shift to give you a headache. Nice hand.

[pclayton]

karlson, on Mar 7 2007, 10:58 AM, said:

It looks to me like after the spade hook wins and righty shows up with the hearts you're just cold, regardless of diamond Q location, by playing a 3rd heart. If he returns a diamond, put in the J, then play the DA (leaving a tenace on the board whether lefty covered or not), and play a fourth heart. Righty is endplayed to give you the rest of the tricks. If he returns a spade, just set up the heart to get 3s+3h+2d+1c. No?

This doesn't work if RHO (correctly) cashes the 4th heart before exiting the ♦.

[inquiry]

cherdano, on Mar 6 2007, 07:45 PM, said:

Ben, I see no advantage of your "running" the ♥J compared to just playing hearts from the top. If RHO has Qxx, LHO won't get in anyway, and if RHO or LHO has Qx, you certainly wish you had started from the top.

You are probably right. This hand is a problem (duh) associated with entries to north to make avoidance plays in hearts. If LHO has any three hearts I am happy. If he has Qx, of course, banging AK turns out to be ok, because you do have rentries to south in the side suits. So upon reflection (your pointing it out), I would start heart to dummy and if that wins, follow the same strategy if QTor9 shows up from RHO.

An oh by the way. When on my line earlier, after I lead out the JACK and RHO covers, I will not make 5 heart tricks, because I am ducking. Phil says he will make win five tricks (well, I would too if EAST play discloses the heart queen without playing it).