Hand of the week

Dealer: East Vuln: N/S

♠	10 9 8
♥	10 8
♦	7 5 2
♣	K J 7 3 2

♠	5 4 3
♥	A Q 6 5
♦	A J 3
♣	10 9 4

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	2
♥	K J 9 7 3 2
♦	K 10 9 6
♣	8 6

♠	A K Q J 7 6
♥	4
♦	Q 8 4
♣	A Q 5

W	N	E	S
		2♥	4♠
End

You should lead the ♥A, partner's bid suit but what next?

Partner has opened 2♥ vulnerable and cannot just have good Hearts. Partner is more likely to have the Diamond King than the Club Ace and with so many clubs on the table the club suit doesn't look particularly forthcoming for tricks,

What do you make of partner's ♥9 at trick 1? That seems to be a suit preference signal confirming a Diamond switch.

So if you decide to play partner for the ♦King, how are you going to now get three more tricks. In order to get the next three tricks you are going to have to underlead your Diamond Ace over to partner's King. Partner doesn't quite believe what is happening but follows your defence and plays back a second Diamond and now you make two more Diamond tricks killing off declarer's Diamond Queen with a finesse by you and partner, the defenders, in Diamonds. This is indeed a very brave defence and people might even think you and partner might be seeing one another's hands.........