North 10 6 5 4 3 J Q J 3 Q 10 8 4 West K J 8 Q 7 3 2 A K 7 6 J 7 East Q 7 K 9 10 9 5 2 A K 9 5 2 South A 9 2 A 10 8 6 5 4 8 4 6 3 The bidding: East South West North 3 2 4 2 South led the K

East took his two high clubs and led a third round. South made his first mistake by ruffing, although this error did not cost his side. West overtrumped South's nine with the jack of spades. West now cashed his two high diamonds, and out of ideas, tried a low heart. The jack, king, and ace completed this trick.

South could have set the hand at this point by playing ace and a low spade. This would give East-West their sixth and final trick. But South was out of diamonds and hoped to put North on lead so he could make his deuce of spades via a diamond ruff. A low heart was therefore led and trumped by North, exactly as South had hoped.

North, a fine player, could easily determine that only a spade lead was correct. North played a low spade, desperately hoping partner would get the message. South won the ace, but still fixated by the thought of a diamond ruff, led another heart. Boom! There went the ballgame! East made his queen of Spades and West later got the king for a total of seven tricks.

In the post mortem, South insisted he had no way of knowing his partner had so many spades. North tactfully changed the subject. There was no need to point out that when South first gained the lead he had already seen the ace-king of clubs, the ace-king of diamonds, the ace-king of hearts, and was looking at the ace of spades in his own hand. What else could North possibly hold for his two bid but a string of skinny spades?