North’s three-heart bid promised some useful values. It was stronger than four hearts. South tried a spade cue bid and then bid slam when North could cue bid four diamonds. South won the opening trump lead and liked his chances. There was no certain entry to dummy, but a 3-2 club split would solve all his problems. He could get to dummy with the fourth round of clubs and discard his low spade on dummy’s ace of diamonds.

South cashed another heart, drawing trumps, and then cashed the king and queen of diamonds. He cashed the ace of clubs, intending to play three rounds of the suit, but he paused when East played the 10 on the first club. Might clubs be splitting 4-1? Declarer took precautions by leading a low club instead of the king. Should both opponents follow suit, he could claim. West won with the jack but found himself end-played. He had to play a spade or a club, providing an entry to dummy either way. It was lucky for South that West was out of diamonds, but if West had a diamond to play, South would have discarded his remaining low club on the ace of diamonds and fallen back on the spade finesse for his contract.