Partner raises to 3NT. The 6 is led. What line of play gives you the best odds?
Choose One:
Win in dummy and play a heart.
Win in either hand (you can always cross in clubs if you wish to be in South) and play a diamond to the queen (with or without taking a few clubs first).
Other
Answer: 1 -
Win in dummy and play a heart.
You start with 7 top tricks (2 spades, 1 diamond and 4 clubs).
Playing hearts first gives you a 75% chance for at least 9 tricks. If East has the A you will get 2 heart tricks to get to 9. Even if West has the A, you will have set up a heart as your 8th trick and then a winning diamond finesse will give you your 9th. If either East has the A or West has the K, you get 9 tricks. This is a 3 out of 4 scenario; you win if East has the A, West has the K, or both of those. You lose only if West has the A and East has the K.
Taking a diamond finesse is only 50%. You win if West has the K. You go down if East has it (he returns a spade and it is too late to develop a heart trick).
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