[kellonius]

This is a hand from a recent club game; I suggested an interesting defensive variation, and I'm curious what you would play.

You are declaring 2NT, none vulnerable, opponents silent.

Dummy: ♠AKJx ♥Kxx ♦Kxxx ♣xx
Your Hand: ♠xxx ♥xx ♦Txx ♣AQxxx

LHO leads the JH; what do you play if RHO overtakes with the HA and continues the HQ.


(Full hand below).


RHO holds: Qxx AQx AQJxx KJ
LHO holds: xxx JT8xx x Txxx

Did I tempt you to win the K♥? It is obvious from my seat on the auction that partner has no entries.

[jeffford76]

It's more tempting if you play the queen the first time.

[mikeh]

jeffford76, on 2014-January-17, 13:25, said:

It's more tempting if you play the queen the first time.

I think you misread the problem: the OP was RHO, and if he had played the Q at trick 1, it would win and now he can only play A and another.

Playing the A then the Q was, in the context, a good, imaginative play. It shouldn't work, since declarer gains nothing from winning the K early, but it doesn't cost and sometimes declarers go wrong.

Btw, N-S bid extremely badly to reach 2N.

[c_corgi]

It is a good effort. Declarer is likely to be fooled into thinking that LHO has ♥JT8xxx and an outside entry. Unfortunately if that is the case he should still duck the 2nd round, so there is no legitimate gain. Playing Ace then Queen does give declarer the chance to make a mistake and that is always a good idea.

[jeffford76]

mikeh, on 2014-January-17, 13:43, said:

I think you misread the problem

Indeed - I thought Kxx was in declarer's hand.