Bridge: counting, entries and a crucial finesse all required for success

Declarer had to navigate around the distribution to succeed but, at least, visualisation revealed what it was. Would you have planned and executed the hand the same way?

Bidding
Dealer: East
Game Love All

South’s choice of 3S, opposed to a take-out double, was correct, since at least a 5-3 or 5-2 fit can be found. Almost always, it is right to overcall a five-card major suit opposed to doubling. North friskily raised to game. West started with A♦, encouraged by East, and continued with K♦ and 3♦. East duly ruffed the third diamond, and switched to K♣.

Declarer won, drew only two rounds of trumps, noting that East started with two, and translated this information into East’s hand pattern of 2-2-2-7. Since K♥ must be with West to retain any chance of success, declarer realised that 10♥ and 8♥ were both crucial. To this end, he hoped to find East with 10♥, which he knew would be a doubleton. He led J♥, covered by West’s K♥, and won in dummy with A♥. South now made the key play of cashing Q♥, delighted to see East drop 10♥. Next, he could return to hand with a top trump, and finally finesse West for 8♥ on the third round. When that held, 9♥ was used to discard 2♣, and 4H had been brought home . . .