Another interesting hand.
These Dare hands, like many hands, often have a number of features. On this hand, for example, when the
J is covered, E could take his A and shift to his stiff
spot. E then takes the AQ and leads another, killing the ruff. Now what? The defense has to be careful. As W plays his spades, E has to discard two hearts. If instead he discards a
or a
the hand can then still be made (maybe a bit double dummy but possible). Possibly it could be made even if E discards hearts at T3 and 4 but I don't see how. See Note below about why E cannot pitch either a
or a
as W plays his spades.
So: Suppose you don't cover the J. E cannot hop up with the A, since then you get two
tricks to pitch red losers on. W cannot start spades so you will be able to get your ruff, and you can establish a club for later. For example, if W continues with a heart at T2 you hop up, you run the
K, ruffing if covered, pitching a
if not. You then take your heart ruff. If you had to ruff that
at T3, now you cash the remaining high club pitching the
.
I am assuming here that while the lead of the
J was stipulated, the duck by E was not.
These Dare hands are interesting both for the play and the defense.
The promised "Note below" : Assume
JQA at T1, a shift to a
, so AQ and x of
at T2,3,4. E must pitch twice. If E pitches a
it is easy. S plays the
tops, pitches a
from his hand on the high
, and ruffs a
establishing a
trick. If E pitches a
it's a little trickier. Cash the high diamonds ending on the board, cash the high club throwing a
from had, ruff a
, yes a
, back to hand. Since we are assuming E pitched a
earlier, he is now out of clubs. W only had two
to start with so he is now out of
. We now run a double squeeze centered on hearts.
Start cashing trump
With one trump left the position is
Dummy
A2
6
5
Hand
3
K64
You lead the last trump and W must come down to three cards. Since he must hold the
he pitches a
. Now he no longer guards hearts. After he pitches the heart, you pitch a
from dummy. Now E has a problem. He has to save a
, so he pitches a heart. Now you cash hearts.
So E must pitch two hearts at T3,4. After that, it is true that only W guards hearts and only E guards diamonds, suggesting a double squeeze centered on
. But the
entry left town at T1 and I see no way to get around that as long as the defense is careful.
