[eagles123]

Matchpoints:

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Lead is 9 of Hearts, how best to play?

Spoiler

I went wrong on this one, won the lead with A (fearing singleton), played D overaking with the queen which lost to N King. 2 H returned won by South's K, another Heart (maybe at this point I should ruff high?) but I chose to chuck a losing club. Club to South's Ace followed by another heart (tried to ruff with 9 thought it was my best shot but N had Q)... so 1 down losing KD, spade ruff, QS, AC and KH.

maybe i'd have been better to duck the lead or ruff high early or play diamonds differently... My thought was I needed to dispose of a couple of Diamond losers so just prayed the K was onside, but maybe there was a more sensible route lol.

advice welcome!!

The full hand:

Spoiler

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Thanks,

Eagles

[mgoetze]

First of all, even if North does have a singleton heart, that would also make it quite probable that he has 3 or more trumps, and thus any ruff would cost him a trump trick. So there's really no reason to be scared of a ruff and at matchpoints then absolutely mandatory to play the ♥Q on trick one.

Secondly, if you're playing for the ♦K in South, you might as well run the ♦J, there is not much to be gained by overtaking with the Q.

[eagles123]

Thanks mgoetze very useful. I can see that I should play QH at trick one that does make sense now. The reason I played Diamonds that way is because I thought I had a heart loser, a spade loser and 2 club losers so if I played the J even if it held the trick how would I play Diamonds for no losers with only trumps as entry to hand.

J diamond low low low
spade to the ace
ace diamond
diamond ruff
then how do i get rid of the last losing diamond? ruff a Heart high? that could then give defense an extra spade trick if they have say QJx in north?

whereas if I overtake J with Q i don't have that problem if the K is with south?

Thanks,

Eagles