Missed opportunity

The USBF is holding the team trials to see who will represent the U.S. next year in the world championships to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Lynn Baker team has already claimed one of the spots and the Glasson team is playing the Mancuso team for the right to be the second squad to represent the U.S.

The Glasson team missed a chance to make a game pickup with spectacular play on this deal (rotated):

                ♠ J 6 3
                ♥ A 10 8 6 2
                ♦ A K Q 6
                ♣ A
♠ Q 10 9 8 7                  ♠ A K 4 2
♥ Q J 3                       ♥ 9 7
♦ 8 5 4 3 2                   ♦ 10 9 7
♣ ---                         ♣ Q 10 7 5
                ♠ 5
                ♥ K 5 4
                ♦ J
                ♣ K J 9 8 6 4 3 2

North opened 1♥ and South bid 2♣. North rebid 2♦, and South supported with 2♥. North cuebid 3♣ and South jumped to 5♣, ending the auction.

West led the ♠10 to the ace. East continued with the ♠K, South ruffed and led the ♣4 to dummy's ace. Bad news -- East had all four trumps. Declarer led the ♦6 to her jack and the contract could no longer be made.

Let's see what happens if she played for a trump coup. At trick four, she can lead the ♠J and ruff it. Then she can follow by playing the ♦J to dummy's king to cash the queen, discarding a heart. Her next play should be the ♦A, ruffing (an ace) for maximum style points.

Declarer can next play the ♥K and another heart to the ♥A.

Here is the position at this point:

                ♠ ---
                ♥ 10 8 6
                ♦ 6
                ♣ ---
♠ Q 9                     ♠ 4
♥ Q                       ♥ ---
♦ 8                       ♦ ---
♣ ---                     ♣ Q 10 7
                ♠ ---
                ♥ ---
                ♦ ---
                ♣ K J 9 8

Declarer can lead either red suit from dummy and ruff as East discards the low spade. Finally, South can exit with the ♣9 to East's 10, but her ♣K J will be placed over East's ♣Q 7.

Have you noticed anything? The defense had to help you by leading a spade at trick two for you to ruff. If, instead, East exited with any heart or diamond or a low club (not the queen or 10), Deep Finesse says the contract cannot be made. If you were East, would you have found that?

Here is the BBO Handview of what actually happened: