North K 3 2 9 6 5 4 2 5 2 10 9 7 West J 10 8 6 Q 7 A K 6 4 K 8 5 East 9 K J 10 8 8 7 3 A Q 6 3 2 South A Q 7 5 4 A 3 Q J 10 9 J 4 The bidding: East South West North 2 5 4 1 East led the 7

East led a diamond to his partner's ace and king, and West next switched to the queen of hearts. This card rode around to the ace, and South had nothing better than to play a diamond, now boss.

North astonished the table by trumping his partner's winner and leading the king of spades. He led his last spade to South who, not sure what Pard was doing, humored him anyway with one more round of spades. Eventually both sides made their bid (one bag for North-South) and then moved smoothly on to the next hand.

North's maneuvers saved the bid. If he allowed South's diamond to hold, South's next lead would have been damaging. East-West could take their club and heart tricks and start crossruffing in the red suits, overruffing North and South. It could not cost North to trump his partner's diamond winner and start the spades immediately, playing South for spade length and at least one high spade. And if South's spades were as good as AQJxx, their opponents would go set.