Bridge

This is the type of problem hand that probably comes along more often than you think and yet the solution is usually missed at the table. I suppose it is the old story: matters are always easier if you have been told that there is a good play.

South opened 1!, North quietly tries 14, and South rebid 22. It all went on for too long: 2# (the fourth suit) by North, 2NT by South, 34 (forcing) from North, and 3NT from South. North still would not give up and jumped to 5!! In the hope of shutting his partner up, South tried 6! and all passed.

West led a trump against 6!, and there you have your problem. To rely on a 3-3 break in spades is a little naive, and it doesn't work either if you cash your top two spades and ruff a spade. You are over-ruffed and after, say, a club switch, you will end up a trick short.

It does not look a likely start, but try the effect of a low spade from dummy at trick two. You win any minor suit return in hand, cross to dummy's second high trump and ruff a low spade in hand. Now you can draw the last two trumps and you still have #K on the table as an entry to the now established spades. This all leads to five trump tricks, four spades, two diamonds and a club. Total - 12 tricks. Bingo!