Envision Trouble

Dlr: West ♠ 7 4 3
Vul: E-W A 3
A 8 6 4
♣ K 9 7 3
♠ K 10 6 ♠ —
K Q J 9 7 6 10 8 5 4
J 2 10 9 5 3
♣ Q 10 ♣ A J 8 6 4
♠ A Q J 9 8 5 2
2
K Q 7
♣ 5 2
West North East South
1 Pass 4 4♠
All Pass

This deal came up in a teams match and, after identical auctions, both West players led the K. At the first table, declarer took the trick with the A and played a trump. After East discarded an encouraging club, declarer rose with the ♠A and continued with the ♠Q. West took this with the ♠K and shifted to the ♣Q. Declarer called for dummy’s ♣K, but East won with the ♣A and cashed the ♣J. A third round of clubs gave declarer no winning option: West would make his ♠10 for the setting trick.
At the other table, the declarer took the first trick with the A and continued with the 3 at trick two, discarding a club from hand. West won and shifted to clubs, but this time declarer was able to ruff the second round of the suit. Declarer cashed the ♠A at trick five and continued with the ♠Q. West took his king of trumps and exited with a diamond. Declarer won the trick in hand and played the ♠J to draw West’s remaining trump. Declarer claimed 10 tricks: six spades, one heart and three diamonds. The full deal:

Dlr: West ♠ 7 4 3
Vul: E-W A 3
A 8 6 4
♣ K 9 7 3
♠ K 10 6 ♠ —
K Q J 9 7 6 10 8 5 4
J 2 10 9 5 3
♣ Q 10 ♣ A J 8 6 4
♠ A Q J 9 8 5 2
2
K Q 7
♣ 5 2

 

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