Plan Play after 1S-2S; 4S

[Fred.]

Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points

SAYC Bidding with EW silent:

S N
1S 2S
4S

Opening lead club T:

A95
76
543
K9542

KT432
AQ92
AK9
A

What is your plan?

Fred.

[Robert Chance]

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

The instinctive line (and the line I would follow at matchpoints) is to win in hand, cross to the ace of trumps and cash the king of clubs discarding a diamond, following with the heart finesse if the club stands up.

The problem with this is that West might ruff the king of clubs (West presumably has two clubs at most, given the lead), and you are off on many distributions now - eg if West holds QJxx KJxx Qxxx T.

The alternative of crossing to the ace of trumps and taking an immediate heart finesse is also flawed - give East (say) QJx Tx Jxx QJxxx and you never get to cash the king of clubs (and can only ruff one heart).

So the best line at imps is probably to play the ace of hearts at trick 2 and follow with the nine of hearts at trick 3 (this might disrupt the defenders' communications in certain circumstances). The ensuing lines are too complex to analyse in a single post, but the plan is to ruff the third round of hearts with the nine of trumps.

If EW play count signals at trick one, East shows an odd number and I reckon East is the sort of player who is likely to give a true signal in this situation, I might follow the pairs line anyway (although I might regret this if East turns out to have a singleton heart).

[Sandy Barnes]

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

First question: Is 4S a normal contract? If yes, play for the max number of tricks. Spade to dummy, hook a heart.

[Player]

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

I am not going to play a weird line just because a problem has been posted here. S to dummy, hook the heart. Hope to later discard a D on the club K.

[p***@infi.net]

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

I suppose I'll try for four spades, a heart, two diamonds, and two clubs, with either the heart finesse or a heart ruff providing trick ten. Only obvious losers are a trump and perhaps a heart, so :CA, SA, CK pitching D9, H6 to Q.

[p***@infi.net]

Post by p***@infi.net

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

I suppose I'll try for four spades, a heart, two diamonds, and two clubs, with either the heart finesse or a heart ruff providing trick ten. Only obvious losers are a trump and perhaps a heart, so :CA, SA, CK pitching D9, H6 to Q.

I see that Ron is planning to take the club pitch later; unless hearts are 6-2 we should be able to ruff back to dummy so we can wait on the CK which may help keep control of the hand.

[Fred.]

Post by Fred.
Dealer South
Vulnerability None
Match Points
S N
1S 2S
4S
A95
76
543
K9542
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A
What is your plan?
Fred.

Thanks. As it turns out most lines will take
11 tricks. The whole hand was:

A95
76
543
K9542
QJ8 76
K8543 JT
T8 QJ763
T87 QJ62
KT432
AQ92
AK9
A

I took Ron's line. As your can see
the hearts *did* split 5-2 and I let
out a large sigh to relief when I found
I still had an entry to dummy.

It still isn't clear to me whether cashing
the club king at first opportunity or
delaying it is the better play. I was
hoping someone had a clearer view of things.

Fred.