dond01, on 2018-April-16, 10:59, said:
I'm not sure I'm skilled enough to comment..but here goes:
1. Contract cannot be made if West has K♠ (unless singleton, but cannot for those odds), so have to assume it is held by East, since if W has the K♠ doubleton, will win 1st or 2nd round depending on whether South leads A or Queen, and then play a club. East is pretty much marked with having singleton ♣A based on the leads. If West has 3 spades to the King, and spades are led from South, can duck until 3rd round and then play a heart once South has no trump.
2. It follows that if spades are being led from South, the Ace would have to be retained to win the 3rd round, forcing East to win the King earlier (likely 1st round). East must also have the ♦ Ace, otherwise a diamond return by East would allow West to return a club for East to Ruff.
3. Given the assumptions that must be made as to location of the Spade King and diamond Ace, I think I'm pretty much in agreement with Phil - may as well lead diamond King around to East with a view to taking the finesse in Spades.
1. No, if W has 3 to the K, he will wait a long time for the third round if you play if you play
♠AQ and he ducks, declarer now switches to clubs and the contract is just cold, but if W wins the second one and makes declarer ruff a heart he's sunk.
2/3 diamond K just loses, E wins and plays a heart, what now ?
Q
♠ wins because if E ducks you cash A
♠ then rumble clubs, if he wins, you ruff the heart with the A, cross to the J10 to draw trumps then play clubs.