[manudude03]

Second in the series. Board 7/32. Down 16 imps (not the same team as topic 1)

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Lead ♦5 (generally 2/4, could be low from Hxx) West wins the ace and switches to the ♠6 to the K-A-2. ♠T returned.
If you cash the ♣A, both follow small (QT still out) play a club back and East plays the T.

[rogerclee]

I don't see any compelling reason to hook other than being down 16 IMPs.

[mcphee]

I give way to the hook wondering why we are in this contract rather than 3N. With all these short suits around I go down like a stone when wrong.

[dellache]

Clearly East has led under ♦Q, while his pard couldn't double the 4♦.
East's choice of lead might have been between ♣T2 and ♦Qxx+

What would East lead with ATx QJxx Qxxx T2 ?
I expect that a small proportion of the players would try (rightly or wrongly) the ♣2 (NS appear to have a 9+ ♣fit).

Hence I finesse, although it's very close (need to have cool teammates at times).

[mtvesuvius]

OK so every time I try to draw inferences or make an educated guess in these situations I am always WAY off, and get it wrong. My instinct tells me to finesse, and further reasoning also says finesse...

[FrancesHinden]

I can't really see any reason to play one way or the other. The lead looks normal, the switch looks normal having seen the dummy.

p.s. can I suggest 3NT as a contract?

[Fluffy]

opponents not making noise favours the drop, but dellache is right that non trump lead favours the finese. So no idea.

[manudude03]

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At our table, declarer played for the drop (the reason it was 5C instead of 3NT was that you were investigating 6C then wisely dropped out, 4NT would have been RKC for clubs for this pair). When West showed out, that was down 1. At the other table (in an even more surprising auction: 1H-2C-3C-5C), West made it easy by leading a trump at trick 2. Gained 12 imps.