Posted 2006-February-08, 13:18
Pass over a 5♦ opening forcing by agreement? Remind me to change my pre-empt style against you.
I would have led the ace of hearts at trick one, which would at least have speeded the play up.
Having avoided the ace of hearts lead, the 10 of spades from West at trick 1 must surely have been count, as with the AK in dummy no need to give attitude.
I don't think it is possible to get this right 100% of the time.
There are two possible hands for declarer where his play after winning the DA matters: when declarer has Jxx spades and partner Q10 doubleton (he has to cash out) and the actual layout (stay passive). The only indication is that if declarer is 3280 he could always have made by crossing to the second spade and discarding a heart on the CQ at once, so you only need to cash out if he is 3370. Against that, you only cost the contract playing a heart when declarer is missing the H10 in a 2380 hand (although he might misguess then).
Perhaps East should have ducked the first diamond, and West would have petered in trumps to show preference for spades? That's all a bit deep to me.
Bidding went:
5♦ X All pass