Agree that we had the opportunity to take this 3 off, and would say that I do generally trust my partners carding, but here if P has been careless and played the 4D without the KH, then a heart return at this point lets the contract through which risks -13 imps. Ergo I have to be very sure to take the risk. That said, on reflection, declarers play (if we give them some credit) does not stack up if holding Jx KTxxx xx AKQx which is what the spade cash is protecting against, as they would surely not have played to diamond finesses but won the opening club lead and continued with AH and the JH to my queen setting up the suit......the diamond finesse can wait. So I have more than enough information to have confidence in playing the heart next. It's a very interesting hand :)
Yes I think it's a good little hand to understand the mechanics of defending hands like this...for taking into account the bidding (passed hand), reasons why partner chooses to play a particular card when he has a choice that has no trick winning capability...and why has declarer not played a certain suit? These are the type of reasons that make up the difference between an average player and an expert bridge player.
