[Mbodell]

Playing IMPs in a team game both tables ended up in 6nt on a diamond lead. One table claimed on the opening lead for 12 tricks. The other table tried to swindle the overtrick with an early heart play. Can you find a line that is much better than 50% to take all 13 tricks on the diamond lead (trick 1 goes low diamond, low diamond, ♦T, ♦Q).

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[nigel_k]

I won't give the answer but the most important thing at IMPs is that you claim at trick one (stating the conditions under which you will take all 13 tricks) rather than play all the cards out.

[JLOGIC]

nigel_k, on 2011-February-22, 02:23, said:

I won't give the answer but the most important thing at IMPs is that you claim at trick one (stating the conditions under which you will take all 13 tricks) rather than play all the cards out.

Lol, good luck trying this against non expert opps. It is good for showing off but it will just slow the game down.

[Trumpace]

nigel_k, on 2011-February-22, 02:23, said:

I won't give the answer but the most important thing at IMPs is that you claim at trick one (stating the conditions under which you will take all 13 tricks) rather than play all the cards out.

Actually it will probably take longer to work out the conditions than to play it out. Doesn't the hand play itself? You only have to watch for a couple of cards to show up.

[Fluffy]

there is a vienna coup to be done, so just claiming won't work

[nigel_k]

Actually you have the ♠A for re-entry so can do it without the Vienna coup. But it would be better to cash ♠A early in case there is a stiff jack, then the Vienna coup becomes necessary.

Playing it out won't be fast because they have to find a lot of discards and don't know it is just for an overtrick.

[Mbodell]

For anyone who maybe couldn't read between the lines of the advanced poster's answers the trick is to order your winners in the right order and win all 13 tricks when ever the long spades are with either the heart A or the diamond K (or if the diamond K is doubleton or if one person has the J98 tight of spades, or to pick up on nigel_k's point that I missed too is if the spade J is singleton).

So the winners you cash are:

♦Q
♠A (claim 13 if J falls)
♦A (claim 13 if K falls)
♣AK
♣Q and the rest of the clubs from the board pitching all non-spades from your hand

The last 3 cards will be
♠T ♥Q ♦J

opposite
♠KQ7

If neither the heart A or diamond K has been discarded run spades from the top.

Your chances of all 13 tricks are quite good against even double dummy discards (and possibly even better if someone needs to decide between keeping the J-fourth of hearts and the 8-fourth of spades they might pick wrong). At the table on defense I was briefly torn between telling the person that claimed 12 that they get 13 tricks (the heart A was with the long spades), but realized that if he just cashed winners starting with spades and diamonds he'd of course only get 12 tricks and with no stated line I'd accept the 12 trick claim.

Bonus question, assuming double dummy defense after the given opening lead with what percentage of the time will the above line win all 13 tricks?