[gwnn]

At least one of these two hands are simple but I can't make up my mind any more about either.

1.

Scoring: IMP

S opened the bidding 1♦ and N rebid 6NT over the 1NT rebid

---

T1 ♠ lead, Q, holds
T2 ♥ to K, nothing appears
T3 ♠ to J, holds

2.

Scoring: IMP

S opened the bidding 1♦ and N rebid 6NT over the 1NT rebid

---

W passed initially, then you get to 6♣.

T1 ♥K lead, spade discard, ♥A
T2 ♣K, left hand opp discards a positive heart.

[andrei]

2.

why play K♣ at trick 2?

at trick 2 ruff a ♥, cross on A♠, ruff another ♥ (since W didnt open 2♥ he probably does not have 6 of them), AK♦ with ♠ pitch, ♠ ruff, ♥ ruff, leaving this position:

♠Q
♦Qxxx


♥10
♣KQJ8

now play ♦Q and with at least one diamond still outstanding we are cold for 4 more tricks.

all it's needed is ♦ 4-2 or better, and we might survive ♦5-1 with singleton in E if hearts break 4-4

[ArtK78]

First hand - second spade finesse is an error.

You need to have 11 tricks for a squeeze to produce a twelfth trick. So assuming the spade finesse is working is a given. But you cannot afford to take the second spade finesse early as it will leave you with nothing to pitch on the run of the hearts (if they are 3-3).

So, rather than play a spade at trick 3, play a low diamond. This gives you several possibilities:

If LHO goes up, you can play RHO for the other honor.

If LHO ducks and RHO wins the trick, you can hope that the other honor will drop from LHO's hand in the next 2 rounds of the suit.

You are looking to be able to establish an extra red suit trick and then squeeze one of the opponents in the other red suit and clubs. But you need to be able to have a card to pitch on the run of the hearts (if they run). That card must be a spade, as you cannot afford to pitch a diamond or a club.

After you duck a diamond, the play should not be difficult if you can guess the lie of the diamond suit.

[gwnn]

I didn't type in slam no.1 properly. S's diamonds were AKQx. Sorry.

[poohbear]

first hand. heart to the King is a clear error. It takes out your entry to Diamonds when Jx is falling. Crossing in the suit you have 3 entries in seems way better than in the suit you have 1 entry in just as a matter of technique. The fact that the spade finesse won at trick one doesnt mean it will win again so need to take it at trick 3. When it does win again there are multiple ways to play. Cashing a second diamond seems clear. If the Jack falls , claim . 2 ways to go now. One is pass the Jack of clubs. If it gets covered just duck . Now you are set up for a red suit Squeeze or to get a count of the hand to make a better guess in Hearts ( no guarantee). Second line: cash the ace of spades A of clubs 2 rounds of hearts ( unblocking the 9 ( as well as in line one) If nothing good in Hearts guess which hand you want to endplay with the 4th red card if and cash accordingly ( this based on what you think the spade count is) . if you get something good in hearts then you have to decide whether to finesse hearts or endplay. Line 2 feels better to me
second hand
i would ruff the first trick. cross to a club and ruff another heart with the ace cross to a spade . Draw trumps. If trumps 3-2 claim. If trumps 4-1 I need 3-3 Diamonds or the long trump hand to have xxxx in diamonds. So if trumps are 5-0 I see that and I can now cash the ace of clubs. and hope to run diamonds. Assuming they are 3-3 ( or the hand with 5 trumps has xxxx and I claim) I play a 4th diamond. RHO must ruff . I now have 11 top tricks ( 5C 1S 1H 3D and a ruff in dummy) and i finish trumps and attempt to endplay LHO in the 4 card ending . My hand. Ax A10
Very interesting hands
Thanks