Dealer: East Vuln: N/S

(To say the least the bidding is a bit bizarre here and with two four card suits suits North should have replied 1♦   after the club opener. When he then rebids 2♦ next   he is showing 5:4 shape. However the main point about this hand of the week is to show you how one can still make a doomed contract.)

When I played this hand, it was very bad news that the trump suit had broken so badly, as I was now looking at two certain losers (1 Diamond and 1 trump) but if the bridge gods were with me and I could persuade the defenders not to take the Diamond Ace straight away and also not to let the defenders get their signals going I might still be able to make the contract.

With one trump out higher than yours there is no need to draw it (ie. Rule of One).

So at trick 4 I entered dummy with a top heart before playing the ♦Queen from table creating an illusion that I might be finessing. East obliged and played low and my Queen held.

I now returned to hand with my remaining top Spade.

So far so good.

I now took the Heart finesse which won. Bridge gods still with me.

I now cashed a third Heart pleased to see the suit breaking 3:3 . I could now play the 13th Heart  dumping my other diamond and now I was home.

I had made 2 Spades, 4 Hearts, 1 Diamond and 5 trumps. I will not be able to call on the bridge gods now for sometime.