An interesting play hand from a teaching session on Sat. You’re in 4H with Qx AK109x Axxx QJ after LHO has overcalled 1S and had a single raise. Lead is SA, S to K then a 3rd spade. Plan the play at teams and pairs.
Iain
Bob LiptonApril 13th, 2026 at 3:31 pm
I demonstrate my brilliance by looking at the dummy.
Bob
Iain CLIMIEApril 13th, 2026 at 4:11 pm
Sorry, truncated. xxx Qx Jxx AK10xx
Jeff SerandosApril 14th, 2026 at 3:36 am
Hi Iain,
Mind-bending hand. I don’t think you can beat a 5-1 heart split on any reasonable line. Based on the bidding, maybe play East for the JH, trump trick three, run the ten at trick four. If that holds, you are very nearly home. Another round of trumps to the queen, cross in clubs, draw the rest of the trumps and overtake the second club on the board. If the finesse succeeds, I think you make your contract as long as clubs are not 6-0 and hearts are not 5-1.
f the finesse fails, take the return in hand (unless it is a spade, discard diamond and trump on the board, cross in clubs, draw trumps and now you can discard two more diamonds on the clubs).
On other returns, take in hand and lead hearts from the top so you can draw them all (hopefully!), overtake the last club from hand on the board and hope clubs are also no worse than 4-2 so you can discard all diamond losers. So, if the finesse fails, you make as long as neither clubs or hearts are worse than 4-2. Assuming all of that is right.
As for putting the contract in more danger to maximize tricks – I always get that wrong, so I will leave it to someone else (but I’d love to see the line).
Cheers,
Jeff
Iain ClimieApril 14th, 2026 at 7:47 am
HI Jeff,
Bang on (running the H10) as you don’t actually mind if East has HJx or HJxx as long as cubs aren’t 5-1. The alternative line (to be considered at pairs) is to bash down HQ, K and Ace hoping for trumps 3-3 or 4-2 with doubleton J. If the HJ is still out (draw the last turmp if it isn;t) then play CQ, overtake CJ and hope the player with the last heart has 4C. One amusing scenario would be that East has 3-4-1-5 with HJxxx when you run 4 club winners, ruff the last club in hand as East follows, cash the DA and see East ruff West’s winning D at T13. Always funny.
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Bridge-related
Hi Folks,
An interesting play hand from a teaching session on Sat. You’re in 4H with Qx AK109x Axxx QJ after LHO has overcalled 1S and had a single raise. Lead is SA, S to K then a 3rd spade. Plan the play at teams and pairs.
Iain
I demonstrate my brilliance by looking at the dummy.
Bob
Sorry, truncated. xxx Qx Jxx AK10xx
Hi Iain,
Mind-bending hand. I don’t think you can beat a 5-1 heart split on any reasonable line. Based on the bidding, maybe play East for the JH, trump trick three, run the ten at trick four. If that holds, you are very nearly home. Another round of trumps to the queen, cross in clubs, draw the rest of the trumps and overtake the second club on the board. If the finesse succeeds, I think you make your contract as long as clubs are not 6-0 and hearts are not 5-1.
f the finesse fails, take the return in hand (unless it is a spade, discard diamond and trump on the board, cross in clubs, draw trumps and now you can discard two more diamonds on the clubs).
On other returns, take in hand and lead hearts from the top so you can draw them all (hopefully!), overtake the last club from hand on the board and hope clubs are also no worse than 4-2 so you can discard all diamond losers. So, if the finesse fails, you make as long as neither clubs or hearts are worse than 4-2. Assuming all of that is right.
As for putting the contract in more danger to maximize tricks – I always get that wrong, so I will leave it to someone else (but I’d love to see the line).
Cheers,
Jeff
HI Jeff,
Bang on (running the H10) as you don’t actually mind if East has HJx or HJxx as long as cubs aren’t 5-1. The alternative line (to be considered at pairs) is to bash down HQ, K and Ace hoping for trumps 3-3 or 4-2 with doubleton J. If the HJ is still out (draw the last turmp if it isn;t) then play CQ, overtake CJ and hope the player with the last heart has 4C. One amusing scenario would be that East has 3-4-1-5 with HJxxx when you run 4 club winners, ruff the last club in hand as East follows, cash the DA and see East ruff West’s winning D at T13. Always funny.
Regards,
Iain