This deal was played in the 2022 United States Team Trials final.

John Hurd held:

Q84
KJ9
K1075
875.

At unfavorable vulnerability, his partner dealt and opened 1. After RHO passed, he raised to 2 (it mystifies me why some players mistakenly respond 1NT with such a hand). LHO overcalled 3 and partner doubled. Most experts use this as a "Game-Try" double. A 3 call would have just been "competitive." Hurd could have passed for penalty, but with such good hearts, and the prevailing vulnerability, he made the sensible decision to bid game. Which game? With diamonds stopped and a flat hand, 3NT made a lot of sense. Having the opponent's suit (not necessarily all suits) stopped is key. 3NT bought the contract and the Q was led:

AK107 A10765 6 K106

Q84 KJ9 K1075 875

After winning the K, declarer can count at least 9 tricks as long as hearts come in for 5 tricks. How should he play at trick 2?

For two reasons, the heart finesse should be taken through East (RHO). One, LHO (the 3 overcaller) has more diamonds, so RHO is a favorite to have longer hearts (and thus the queen). Two, if a heart finesse were to lose to East, a diamond through would spell immediate defeat. Even a losing finesse into West isn't necessarily fatal. West might have the A and no way to reach East. In that case, 9 tricks are still there.

But should declarer start hearts with a low one to the ace? No. If West started with a small singleton (or void), that would be costly. If West has a singleton, it is 4:1 not to be the queen. Furthermore, even if it is the queen, there are still additional chances if a first-round finesse loses (as described above). Hurd correctly crossed to dummy at trick two in spades and led the 10 (to stay in dummy if the finesse were to win) to trick 3. This was the Real Deal:

Vul:N-S Dlr: North	AK107 A10765 6 K106
J2 3 AQJ982 J932		9653 Q842 43 AQ4
	Q84 KJ9 K1075 875

Hurd's expert reasoning was rewarded. The 10 won the trick. Another heart finesse led to 5 hearts, 4 spades and a well-earned +630. Notice that playing a heart to the ace at trick two would have led to defeat (only 8 tricks).

The other table played in a heart partscore, so this was a big gain for Hurd's team which went on to win the event.