Playing in a match-point game, South had to decide whether to bid four diamonds or four spades at his third turn. He decided to go for the higher scoring contract and bid four spades.

South was happy to see the opening club lead because it gave him an opportunity to discard his heart loser, or so he thought. He planned to take the spade finesse right after that. He rose with dummy’s ace of clubs, gobbling up his own king, and continued with the queen of clubs to shed his heart. When East ruffed the second club, South over-ruffed and now had to play trumps from his hand. He cashed the ace and king and got more bad news. It looked like he had two trump losers to go with one heart and at least one diamond. Can you see a ray of hope?

It was a long shot, but it was his only shot. South cashed the ace and king of diamonds, relieved that the suit split 3-2, and led his heart. He was in luck when West produced the ace. Having only hearts and clubs remaining, West had to put dummy on lead. South could run dummy’s clubs and over-ruff East should East ruff in at some point, thereby holding his trump losers to one. Should East never ruff, South would be able to discard all three of his remaining diamonds. The defenders were helpless. Well done!