[helene_t]

King of hearts lead.

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Weakish field, most playing English or Scottish Acol with standard leads and carding, but many different discard conventions are in use.

Partner has only played for one year. Very talented and enthusiast, but she didn't realize that I had promised five spades.

I found this one difficult. I managed to grab 11 tricks but not sure if I found the right line.

[whereagles]

What's so difficult about this one? With opps bidding so tamely on a 10 card fit, spades are bound to break 3-2 and you just need to ruff a diamond with the jack. Then cash AK of trumps and play on diamonds.

[Zelandakh]

I am more interested in the bidding on this one. If 1S should show 5 here then North has presumably denied 3 spades. Does the non-alert suggest to South that North really holds 3 spades and thus suggest 4S over other alternatives given the J9xxx suit?

[han]

1S showing 5 does not need to be alerted in any jurisdiction that I know off.

[mikeh]

I think the hand is more complex than does whereagles.

I do agree with his view that the bidding suggests (but does not in my view guarantee) that the suits split well for us.

I see no reason, however, to base my entire line on that view. It cannot hurt to cash one high spade before embarking on diamonds. I doubt that average to weak opps would drop the spade Q from Qx, on the first round, so if the Q appears, I will assume 4-1 trump and therefore abandon the idea of establishing diamonds and, instead, play on clubs, reasonably confident, from the auction and the lead, that the club A is on my right. This play (of the top spade) adds only a small amount to our chances, but attention to detail pays off over one's career even if it is usually irrelevant.

Having written that smug platitude, no doubt I will shortly learn that there is a better line available

[MrAce]

mikeh, on 2011-November-01, 16:05, said:

..... so if the Q appears, I will assume 4-1 trump and therefore abandon the idea of establishing diamonds and, instead, play on clubs, reasonably confident, from the auction and the lead, that the club A is on my right. This play (of the top spade) adds only a small amount to our chances, but attention to detail pays off over one's career even if it is usually irrelevant.

If we are going to assume ♠Q is from stiff, why do we have to decide in ♣ suit ? I mean if we are going to figure hints from bidding i think it is extremely unlikely that they will both have a stiff and not bid 4 with 10 card fit.

How about ducking the first ♥K and when we see ♠ Q drop, NOT abonden the ♦ suit.

-Take 2nd ♥ return (or whatever they play) discarding a ♣ from dummy.
-Cash ♠A and if nothing drops go back to 3-2 ♠, but if Q drops (especially from west but it doesnt matter even from east)
-AK♦ and ruff ♦, small or high doesnt matter. If overruffed you have a claim regardless of who has which ♣ honors, if West refuses overruff then (if east has 4 ♠ we are problem free)
- Spade to K and run ♦ and make regardless of who has ♣ honors.

This line also works if ♦ were 4-1 ( if 4-1 West has 4 of them or i wld think West wld lead his stiff) and ♠ were 2-3 , with East holding 3♠ or Qx ♠.

EDIT : The line i suggest loses an overtrick if someone with 3♦ has Qx ♠ but making this 4♠ will still bring good mp i believe if the field is weak as OP said.

[Fluffy]

ruff a diamond high, discard on ♥Q etc.