13 October 2010

All the way: II

This is the second part of a two part entry, if you haven't yet read the first it is here, do so now so that you can think about the problem before I give it all away.

Here's the hand again for convenience now with the other two hands filled in so you can see what kind of demons you're fighting. How did your line go?



S8 2
HJ 5 4 2
D9 4
CJ T 8 7 6
SA Q J 9 5
H-
DJ 6 2
CA K 9 5 4
DIR
ST
HA 9 8 6
DA K Q 8 3
CQ 3 2
SK 7 6 4 3
HK Q T 7 3
DT 7 5
C-


Did you ruff the opening heart, and play a club to the Queen intending to ruff another heart before over taking the diamond etc... Did you do what I did and simply ruff the heart and draw trumps allowing for 4-1 trumps and if clubs break 4 - 1 falling back to the spade finesse?

The contract is, on a heart lead possible on this layout, there are lots of reachable end positions but they all come down to automatic or double squeezes. Both defenders must gaurd hearts, one clubs and the other spades; when you play diamonds (either directly or by ruffing spades) the defence ends up with no winners and a furious debate as to who could have held on to what to prevent the mastery you just inflicted

I'll leave the decision as to the "best line" open but if you'd like to put forward a well reasoned suggestion I'll print it.

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