Envision Trouble

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: