Hand of the week

Dealer: West

Vuln: None

♠	9 8 4
♥	A 10 7
♦	K Q 10 9 8
♣	Q 7

♠	A Q 10 5 2
♥	8 4 2
♦	4
♣	J 10 8 6

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	K 6 3
♥	K 6
♦	A 7 6 2
♣	9 5 4 3

♠	J 7
♥	Q J 9 5 3
♦	J 5 3
♣	A K 2

	11
7		10
	12

W	N	E	S
Pass	Pass	Pass	1♥
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♥
End

2♣ is Drury checking on the third in Hand Opener

You should lead the ♥4 and and hope partner can grab the lead and give you a ruff before declarer has had a chance too draw trumps.

East wins the first trick with the Ace and fires back the ♦7- What do you make of that?. Partner is trying to give you a Suit Preference signal and by looking at the dummy it seems like his highest one and he is trying to tell you he has a top Spades.

In order to defeat the contract you will need 6 tricks and they will have to come from another ruff. So trust partner and underlead you Spade AQ and get a lovely surprise when partner wins with the King and gives you a second ruff. You now cash your top Spade and when the trump finesse fails, for declarer, the defence has taken 6 tricks and defeated this contract by one - The defence has won 2 Spades. 1 Diamond, 2 Diamond ruffs and a trump and you and partner are certainly on the same wavelength.