[nige1]

Another declarer-play problem
(based on a hand from the Spring 4s).
LHO's 1♣ opener could be short.
RHO's 3♣ bid is natural and non-forcing.
Against 4♠, LHO leads ♣ K, 2, Q, 4
LHO continues ♣7, A, 8, 5.
Dummy leads ♠2, K, A, 6.
Hit Next for the first 3 tricks.
Plan the play .

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[Cyberyeti]

If LHO is playing true cards, you can play this almost double dummy.

I'd need to check exactly what LHO's 1♣ can be, but if it's a doubleton (as it appears from the lead) only in a 4432 in a strong NT context and if he had ♦KQJ he might have led one, so W will have something like Qxxx, Kxxx, KJx, Kx.

So I hook the heart at trick 4 and then duck a heart at trick 5 confident E can't win this and W doesn't have a club left. I can't cash the A♦ first or I get tapped out in diamonds. W has to give me access to dummy either in spades, diamonds or by ruffing the 4th heart to cash the ace later to discard my club..

[nige1]

(based on a deal from the Spring 4s).
LHO's 1♣ opener could be short.
RHO's 3♣ bid is natural and non-forcing.
Against 4♠, LHO leads ♣ K, 2, Q, 4
LHO continues ♣7, A, 8, 5.
Dummy leads ♠2, K, A, 6.
Hit Next for the first 3 tricks.
Plan the play

I assume 1♦ by LHO would have shown a more shapely hand.
In our match, both declarers were defeated by ♦ forces as predicted by Cyberyeti. but there are several winning lines.
e.g. after ♠A, finesse ♥J, ♠J (LHO ducks) ♠T, LHO wins and exits in ♠s to dummy's ♠9. Then ♥A, ♥.

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