[nullve]

Board 4 from last weekend's Weekend event - Survivor (2 of 2):

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First four tricks:

1. (♠4)-♠3-(♠7)-♠J
2. ♥A-(♥8)-♥2-(♥6)
3. ♥3-(♥J)-♥5-(♦2)
4. (♥7)-♥9-(♣2)-♥4

What is your line and why? (It's matchpoints and East-West are GiBs)

Hint:

Spoiler

Guess the approximate EW cards and solve the resulting "chess puzzle".

( I could have posted this (and November hand) in the Expert-Class Bridge Forum or Interesting Bridge Hands Forum, but...)

[Tramticket]

My best guess:

Spoiler

West seems to have either a 4414 or 4423 (if playing five-card majors / strong no trump) shape. (I am discounting the possibility that East holds all seven missing diamonds - he would have bid surely?). There is just about room for East to hold the ♦K. But if that is the case, why didn't West play a diamond through dummy's QX rather than the heart exit?

If West has the king of diamonds, then we can generate a diamond trick by leading towards the queen of diamonds. We can now "see" two spades, four hearts, two diamonds and one club. However the entries appear to be a bit tricky (if we cross back to the ace of clubs to the lead the diamond, we won't have an entry to enjoy the ♦A.

I am cashing one more heart, to remove west's exit card, then I am playing the queen of spades. West must give us the entry with the K♠ or play away from a minor-suit king.

[johnu]

Tramticket, on 2018-November-19, 07:29, said:

My best guess:

Spoiler

West seems to have either a 4414 or 4423 (if playing five-card majors / strong no trump) shape. (I am discounting the possibility that East holds all seven missing diamonds - he would have bid surely?). There is just about room for East to hold the ♦K. But if that is the case, why didn't West play a diamond through dummy's QX rather than the heart exit?

If West has the king of diamonds, then we can generate a diamond trick by leading towards the queen of diamonds. We can now "see" two spades, four hearts, two diamonds and one club. However the entries appear to be a bit tricky (if we cross back to the ace of clubs to the lead the diamond, we won't have an entry to enjoy the ♦A.

I am cashing one more heart, to remove west's exit card, then I am playing the queen of spades. West must give us the entry with the K♠ or play away from a minor-suit king.

There are no other replies, so in reply to the spoiler

Spoiler

West probably wouldn't switch to a diamond if East had the king because GIB doesn't play double dummy and wouldn't know East has the king.

If declarer cashes 1 more heart and play ♠Q, suppose West wins and plays a 3rd spade, clearing spades. Presumably declarer plays a diamond to the queen. West goes up king and if spades are 4-4, plays a spade to partner and a club comes back through your AQ. Diamonds are blocked so you have to finesse. If that loses, you have to lose 2 spades, a heart, a diamond, and a club.

Declarer has to cash both remaining hearts, then west has to come down to 7 cards after 5 hearts and a spade are played. Probably 2 spades, 2 diamonds, and 3 clubs. If only 1 spade (♠A), a spade will endplay West. If only 1 diamond, you can drop a singleton ♦K. If only 2 clubs, you can play ♣A and small club to set up ♣Q.

(declarer comes down to ♠K2 ♦A8 ♣AQ4)

Then you play a spade. West can win and play another spade, but declarer can play ♦A and a diamond for a club return into AQ. If west ducks, you can cross to ♣A and endplay west with a spade.

You do have to read the cards based on the bidding and the opening lead.