[croquetfan]

I was lucky to get home here. See if you can do better than East.

I can't get the cards played to display

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west led ♣7 to 4 - Q - A

South cashed ♦Q, all following, then A♥, followed by ♠2 to 3 - K and East's Ace. Now what?

[The_Badger]

I believe it is the world class American player Matt Granovetter who said in winning Bols Bridge Tip about defence "Picture the Original Shape"

Partner has led from three to an honour (ten) in ♣s, I believe, so that makes declarer's shape 3-1-7-2 or 4-1-6-2 on the bidding and play so far. He has losing ♠ amongst his cards except if he can discard them on dummy's established ♥s. From where I'm sitting as East if you return a ♥ you are setting up the ♥ for declarer while he still has enough entries to establish them so I'm returning ♣Q

[Cyberyeti]

The_Badger, on 2017-November-06, 02:10, said:

I believe it is the world class American player Matt Granovetter who said in winning Bols Bridge Tip about defence "Picture the Original Shape"

Partner has led from three to an honour (ten) in ♣s, I believe, so that makes declarer's shape 3-1-7-2 or 4-1-6-2 on the bidding and play so far. He has losing ♠ amongst his cards except if he can discard them on dummy's established ♥s. From where I'm sitting as East if you return a ♥ you are setting up the ♥ for declarer while he still has enough entries to establish them so I'm returning ♣Q

Depends what leads he's playing, could be 87x in clubs, but yes 3 is likely, critically it doesn't look like partner has 4.

If you duck the first spade isn't declarer just stuffed.

You have to do this if he has 10xx, A, AQJxxxx, Ax and ruffs a club then a heart before playing the spade, it's slightly less obvious the way he's done it.

[The_Badger]

Cyberyeti, on 2017-November-06, 05:34, said:

Depends what leads he's playing, could be 87x in clubs, but yes 3 is likely, critically it doesn't look like partner has 4.

If you duck the first spade isn't declarer just stuffed.

You have to do this if he has 10xx, A, AQJxxxx, Ax and ruffs a club then a heart before playing the spade, it's slightly less obvious the way he's done it.

Nice additional analysis about the ♠ duck, Cyberyeti, if declarer plays the way you stated, but (looking at this quickly) isn't declarer home if he instead wins ♣A, plays ♥A and then plays on ♠s instead of drawing a round of trumps?

[mcphee]

I would not win the Ace of S. If that lets it make I am surprised.

[croquetfan]

Absolutely right, well done. The only thing to do after taking the A♠ is to call the cops, as the crime has already been committed.

My hand was
♠ T 7 2
♥ A
♦ AQJT7643
♣ A

The only defence is to duck the ♠

[Cyberyeti]

croquetfan, on 2017-November-07, 02:45, said:

Absolutely right, well done. The only thing to do after taking the A♠ is to call the cops, as the crime has already been committed.

My hand was
♠ T 7 2
♥ A
♦ AQJT7643
♣ A

The only defence is to duck the ♠

I think I'll get a new partner unless you're going to tell me we lead the 7 from 1087x, and if that is our systemic lead you should tell us in the OP.