Why not try this one as a play-or-defend problem? Would you back declarer or the defense in this four-heart contract?
When the deal was played in a casual but high-standard game, West led a club to East’s ace. Back came the club jack, covered and ruffed, which seemed like a good start for the defense. West got out with a spade to declarer’s ace, after which South was in control. He used dummy’s two trump entries to ruff spades, then cashed his remaining club winner and crossed back over to dummy with a club ruff to ruff a third spade. In so doing, he established dummy’s long spade as his 10th trick, with the diamond ace to reach it.
West would have done better to shift to a trump at trick three, prematurely removing an entry from dummy. Declarer cannot then set up and enjoy the spade. So, did you put your money on the defense?
Declarer actually has a counter to the most accurate defense. He can win West’s trump lead, cash the spade ace, cross to dummy in hearts and then lead the spade seven, discarding a diamond if East plays small. West is then endplayed, either to lead away from the diamond king or to play back a spade, which effectively hands declarer his extra entry to establish that suit. Putting the spade king on the seven is no better — declarer ruffs, cashes the club queen, ruffs a club and then plays another spade, discarding a diamond. Once again, West is endplayed to open up diamonds or set up the spade.