An Opportunity Missed


K Q 10
3 2
7 6 4 3 2
7 5 2
------ A 8 3
A 8 4 K Q J 9 7 6 5
Q 9 A 10 8
A K Q J 9 8 4 3 ------
J 9 8 7 6 5 4 2
10
K J 5 Vulnerability: None
10 6 Opening lead: Q of clubs

*
West North East South
1 Pass 1 3
4 Pass 4 * 4
5 Pass 5 Dbl
Redbl 6 7 Pass
Pass 7 Dbl All pass
>/td>* Alerted

N-S had the highest ranking suit here and took the bid, though they wouldn't have had any control in the highest denomination, where E-W couldn't reaped the highest score possible, barring a double. And to the E-W woes, the opening leader came forth with the most cockamamie opening lead I've ever seen. Why the Q, for heaven's sake? Why put your partner at a guess? You're supposed to make everything clear to your partner for the most effective defense.
Look what E-W could've done: two top club leads, as East discards diamonds, top down. A lead to the A of diamonds, back to the A of hearts, a diamond lead for East to ruff, followed eventually by the A of spades. That's six tricks for a 1400 score, not beating any pair in grand slam, of course, but beating any pair in little slam, not to mention any on defense who played, well, like this pair did.
Am I not reasoning from hindsight? Wait a minute, now. This is a pair that he just made a seven bid. Are you sure that defense could have been found only through hindsight? For starters, West should certainly lay down the A of cclubs. That's certainly not hindsight. He now knows that he has one more club winner coming -- and that his partner has sluffed two diamonds, the 10 followed by the 8. That's a come-on. East wins a diamond lead with the A, and there being only one suit left where his partner could get the lead, East tries a heart. The defense then gets a ruff, in addition to the A of trump.
Well, suit yourself. But I don't think that's asking any greater insight than even moderately above average players are expected to manifest.
Oh! The score. N-S got a 93% score for their minus 800, meaning that the defenders got a 7%.