North-South bid aggressively to a very good slam. 12 tricks would be easy if the trumps split 2-2, and there were plenty of extra chances. A 4-3 spade split would let declarer establish the long spade for a club discard and a club could then be ruffed. It looked good, but bad times were coming.
South won the opening diamond lead with his ace and cashed the ace and king of hearts. West having a certain trump winner was the first piece of bad news. The ace and king of spades, shedding a diamond, and a spade ruff gave more bad news. Spades were splitting 5-2 and the long spade could not be established. There was still the club finesse, but that was now far less than a 50 percent play. East was known to have started with 10 minor suit cards to only five for West. Any specific minor suit card was therefore twice as likely to be with East.
South persevered by ruffing a diamond in hand and ruffing another spade in dummy. South successfully ruffed another diamond in hand with his last trump. Had West been able to overruff, he would force declarer to take the club finesse. It was clear sailing, however, when West followed to this diamond.
South ruffed his last spade with dummy’s last trump, led a club to his ace and another club to dummy’s king. South had taken the first 12 tricks. Beautifully played!
