[nige1]

Harry Smith's Lockdown Teams.
Deal switched to make South declarer.
Against South's 4♠ contract, West leads ♥J to East's ♥A.
East returns ♥8 and West follows with ♥6.

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[AL78]

You can afford two more losers, and it looks like there is a safety play in spades and clubs to minimise the chance of more than one loser when either suit breaks badly. Some of the Bridgemaster deals operate along this theme and I confess I don't know the optimal play in the black suits. Is it small to the king, small back to the nine? It looks like there is potentially an elimination and throw in to force the defence to open up the clubs.

[shyams]

I was thinking along the same lines as AL78. I must also confess that I would probably get this wrong at the table because I would be unsure of the best line of play.

I agree that the safest line in trumps is what AL78 wrote. Low to King, then low towards declarer intending to insert the 9 if East follows (or win and play towards dummy if East shows out).

However, the problem is when West started with ♠Qxxx and East started with ♣Qxxx. Then I will not be able to ruff a diamond in dummy without creating two trump losers and I will then need clubs to come in with one loser. Based on the opening lead, it looks like West was short in hearts (otherwise the Jack surely looks a weird card to lead)

So I think I will play the dangerous line by cashing the ♠A and finessing West for the ♠Q. I lose when East began with ♠Qx ♥Axxxxx ♦xxx(or xx) ♣Qx(or Qxx)

[AL78]

 shyams, on 2021-January-26, 04:16, said:

I was thinking along the same lines as AL78. I must also confess that I would probably get this wrong at the table because I would be unsure of the best line of play.

I agree that the safest line in trumps is what AL78 wrote. Low to King, then low towards declarer intending to insert the 9 if East follows (or win and play towards dummy if East shows out).

However, the problem is when West started with ♠Qxxx and East started with ♣Qxxx. Then I will not be able to ruff a diamond in dummy without creating two trump losers and I will then need clubs to come in with one loser. Based on the opening lead, it looks like West was short in hearts (otherwise the Jack surely looks a weird card to lead)

So I think I will play the dangerous line by cashing the ♠A and finessing West for the ♠Q. I lose when East began with ♠Qx ♥Axxxxx ♦xxx(or xx) ♣Qx(or Qxx)

I don't think you need to ruff a diamond. If you can play both black suits for one loser you have six black suit tricks, two hearts and two diamonds which is enough. I think whilst tackling the trumps you want to initially avoid East getting in, otherwise there is a risk if you take the finesse, East wins holding Qx and pushes a heart through for a ruff which promotes West's Txx, hence I am thinking play spades through East toward West who can't do any damage on winning I don't think.

[nige1]

 AL78, on 2021-January-26, 08:02, said:

I don't think you need to ruff a diamond. If you can play both black suits for one loser you have six black suit tricks, two hearts and two diamonds which is enough. I think whilst tackling the trumps you want to initially avoid East getting in, otherwise there is a risk if you take the finesse, East wins holding Qx and pushes a heart through for a ruff which promotes West's Txx, hence I am thinking play spades through East toward West who can't do any damage on winning I don't think.

Agree with AL79.
The sure-trick safety-play against all 4-1 ♠ breaks, is

• Cash ♠K.
• Lead another ♠ and, if RHO follows suit, then cover his card.
• But, if RHO shows out, then win ♠A and lead another.

If you lose only 1 ♠, then you can ensure the contract by means of the same safety play in ♣s (i.e. starting with ♣A)
Unfortunately RHO showed out on ♠K. Against the 5-0 break, I had 2 ♠ losers and could no longer afford the safety play in ♣. I failed to drop ♣Q off-side

[AL78]

I would have sympathy for any partner who went off on a 5-0 trump break and a failing finesse.

[nige1]

In the other room, the auction was as on the left.
Declarer made 4♠X, by dropping ♣Q

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