Interesting and subtle

An interesting and subtle hand?

Leicestershire have an annual "George Taylor" sims and annually my partner and I swear "never again" because the selected hands are so vicious. This time however, one of the hands was described in the booklet as "interesting and subtle":

Board 18.

N/S Vul.

Dealer E

	K 2
	9 7 5 2
	J 9 7 4
	8 7 5

	Q 9 4
	Q 6 4 3
	K 8 2
	Q T 3

	N
W		E
	S

	8 6
	K J 8
	A Q T 3
	A K J 9

East

South

West

North

	A J T 7 5 3
	A T
	6 5
	6 4 2

1
2

1
-

X
3 NT

The bidding was in line with the book, but the play wasn't.

The book says that originally, North obediently led his K, 2 and West with 8 tricks off the top had to play four rounds of clubs to check South's discard. When S discarded the T (rather than a subtle winning spade) West (assuming S had the A) had a count and finessed the diamonds correctly.

At our table, sitting North, I "knew" that with strange hands you should sometimes do strange things (not always with success). Hence, I led the 2! Partner won, & not sure what was going on, returned the Jack. Poor East tried the Queen but my now-bare King took it and the obvious switch to partner's Ace gave us the first seven tricks.

That top was so enjoyable, we may play again next year.