IMPs Dealer East Non Vulnerable
 10 6 2 Q J 7  K 6 5  A Q 10 7 |
| A 7 4 A K 6 A J 3 9 6 3 2 |
The Auction:
| West | North |
East | South |
| — | — | 1 |
1NT |
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
Contract: 3NT
Lead: 9
West led 9 and East overtook it with the J. Declarer noted that there were only twelve high card points missing and so he expected East to hold almost all of them.
Declarer ducked the first round of spades, but took the second round to keep open his option of endplaying East with a spade later in the play.
When West followed at trick two the spades were marked as 2=5 (East/West were employing five-card majors). Declarer continued with three rounds of hearts, with East throwing a low club on the third round.
After a K, declarer played a diamond to J and then cashed the A. When East followed to the diamonds with the four, ten and Queen of diamonds respectively, declarer was fairly certain that East’s initial shape was overwhelmingly favoured to be 5=2=3=3.
If that were the case, then East’s remaining cards were three spade winners and two clubs. So declarer exited with his remaining spade. All East could do was to take his three spade winners but then had to lead into dummy’s Ace Queen of clubs.
The 4 hands:
| 10 6 2 Q J 7 K 6 5 A Q 10 7 |
||
| 9 3 9 8 5 3 2 9 8 7 2 8 4 |
K Q J 8 5 10 4 Q 10 4 K J 5 |
|
| A 7 4 A K 6 A J 3 9 6 3 2 |