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

It is not a good idea to lead the last card of a suit. The results are unpredictable, but they are usually bad for your side.

East may be forgiven for making a mild overbid since he was in fourth position, had good spades, and his side was in bag trouble. He could not have known that West was also overbidding.

South started with the king of clubs, taken by the ace. East shifted to the heart jack, but South refused to cover. West won his two heart tricks and tried a third round, won by South's queen. Now South cashed his winners in diamonds and clubs. These cards remained, as East-West needed four of the last five tricks.

North K 9 8 4 -- Q -- West Q 5 -- 10 9 7 -- East A J 10 7 -- J -- South 6 3 2 9 -- 2

It would seem that East-West are doomed; they have to lose a spade and a diamond. South, however, had no option but to lead the 13th card of a suit. He chose the heart (a club lead yields the same result). West ruffed with the queen and North overtrumped with the king, but East simply discarded his diamond. North played the queen of diamonds but East ruffed with the 7 and took the rest with high spades.

"What luck!" grumbled South. "If my six of spades were the seven you'd be set."
East replied, "If my spades were only AJ106 I wouldn't have bid so high."