[Hanoi5]

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You get to 7 spades, what's the best line?

[manudude03]

First, I wait to see what the opening lead was. Hopefully it wasn't a heart . I will probably play ♦AK, ♣AK, ruff diamond high.
If the ♦Q has dropped, cash 2 trumps in dummy and either a third spade or club ruff depending on trump break.
If it hasn't dropped, ruff a club, ruff a diamond, 2 trumps ending in hand to either take the heart finesse if trumps 3-1 (or the diamond still isn't good) or cash the diamond if trumps 2-2.

[mfa1010]

Right, we have to start with ♦AK so that we know how many diamond tricks we have when we start ruffing out the suit. From there it is simple. We might need a heart finesse at the end if we are a trick short.

[aguahombre]

 manudude03, on 2011-July-08, 09:14, said:

First, I wait to see what the opening lead was. Hopefully it wasn't a heart .

There are styles where South might be declarer in a Spade contract, so this is not an insane observation. Mama-Papa 2C-2S would eliminate the Dude's concern (and ours).

[manudude03]

I assumed south was declarer (perhaps 1C-1H-1S bleh?) maybe it's a culture thing, but I prefer to look at the cards how I'd see them at the table

[Hanoi5]

I'd prefer to be South and get a heart lead than North and get a diamond lead. South is declarer.

Anyway, with a club lead I thought I'd try trumps, if they're 2-2 diamonds can be established unless Qxxx or worse. If trumps are 3-1 you can get to this ending:

♠x
♥xx
♦x
♣---

♠---
♥J
♦AKJ
♣---

and lead the last spade tossing the ♥J unless it's good and then... well diamonds depending on the discards and whatever. I guess you'd also get to this ending if a heart was led.

But the dude's line sounds nice, I just thought I wanted to keep diamonds untouched before knowing about trumps though.

[mfa1010]

Hanoi, why would we want to play for that ending? It only takes care of a show up squeeze that we don't even know if operated. In reality we are as good as down to a finesse in diamonds. I think it is much better to give us the chance to ruff out the ♦Q doubleton or third and then resort to a heart finesse if unsuccesful. Having two horses gives much better overall chances.

[Hanoi5]

 mfa1010, on 2011-July-08, 16:38, said:

Hanoi, why would we want to play for that ending? It only takes care of a show up squeeze that we don't even know if operated. In reality we are as good as down to a finesse in diamonds. I think it is much better to give us the chance to ruff out the ♦Q doubleton or third and then resort to a heart finesse if unsuccesful. Having two horses gives much better overall chances.

Really?

I have almost the same horses actually. After playing ♣AK and ♠KQ I'll know if spades are breaking and then I can play diamonds and win against Qxx or better.

If trumps don't break I'll ruff the club loser, play the ♥Q which could be covered (!) or hesitated upon.

And if nothing like that happens I win in dummy run trumps and get to the ending mentioned above.

[manudude03]

Hanoi, if trumps are 2-2, you can even pick up ♦Qxxx if you start diamonds early. Show-up squeezes really only work if the other threat is marked.

[cloa513]

 Hanoi5, on 2011-July-08, 09:05, said:

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You get to 7 spades, what's the best line?

If South is declarer, I don't see how precision newbies could have got it wrong-sided.