#11 Neither Vulnerable
East   South   West   North
 1♥          1♠        Pass      4♠
AP
 
                                                North
                                                ♠ K J 8 5 3
                                                ♥ 8 2
                                                ♦ A J 9
                                                ♣ K Q J
                        West                                      East
                       ♠                                            ♠ ——
                       ♥ A                                        ♥ K Q J 9 7 5
                       ♦                                            ♦ Q 7 5 4
                       ♣                                            ♣ A 6 2
                                                South (you)
                                                ♠ A Q 10 6 2
                                                ♥ 10 4
                                                ♦ K 8 6
                                                ♣ 10 7 3
 
West leads the ♥A. Continues with the ♥6 to East’s ♥J. East cashes the ♣A and exits the ♣6. What is South’s plan?
 
As South, your side has 24 HCP and they have 16. East opened and should have at least 12 of the 16 HCP. West led the ♥A. Therefore, East has all of the rest of the points and the diamond finesse is not going to work! When the AJ9 is facing the Kxx or the KJ9 is facing the Axx and the Queen is known to lie over the jack, lead the jack intending to let it ride. If the jack is covered, win and lead low to the nine. If the queen and the 10 are split, the nice takes the trick.
 
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