This hand is from a team game where it is much more important to bid close games for the declarer and also more important for the defender to defeat these contracts. Over tricks are not nearly as important as they are at matchpoint competition.
When you can see all four hands it is fairly obvious that the opening lead should be the ace of spades followed by a small spade. But when declarer has opened the bidding with a two no trump call, he is more likely to hold the king of spades than your partner is, so a diamond or a club is going to be the first choice of most defenders.
The ten on clubs was a "friendly" lead but the declarer failed to take advantage of it. East played the queen and declarer won the ace. A small heart was led toward the queen. West played the ten and the queen won the trick.
This was probably not the hand to play trumps right away. Three rounds of diamonds would allow declarer to pitch a spade from the dummy. When both defenders followed to all three rounds, a fourth diamond would allow declarer to discard the second spade from dummy. Even though one of the defenders would ruff this trick, the contract would be ice cold.
The declarer did not see this option and instead played on trumps. When the queen of hearts held she had a second chance to start diamonds and pitch spades but instead, played a second heart toward her king. This went to the ace. West knows he has a second trump trick but is still not sure what to do. After a very short pause for thought (on not) he led the nine of clubs in the hope that partner had played the queen to trick one from the king-queen small. This was not the case and declarer won this trick and played on diamonds, pitching both of North's spades.
West was able to score his last high trump but the vulnerable game made five for a good score of +650.
When West was in with the ace of hearts he should play the jack of hearts so that East can point him in the right direction. East should discard the jack of spades, showing a card in that suit. West can now play the ace of spades followed by a low spade to East's king for a fine result of -100.
At the companion table, South played three no trump which
failed after the lead of a small spade. The defenders managed to
take four spade tricks and the ace of hearts.
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