Many of us wait a long time for one of those deals that we read about in the text books. It is frightening to contemplate just how many of them are mis-bid, mis-played or just not recognised by the players at the table. Occasionally, one such deal arrives and the full potential of the hand is realised. Sitting West, I was playing at the Mayfield club with Sean O'Neill in the East seat.

The club King lead was won by South's ace and a small diamond was led to the 9 and 10. If East now woodenly plays a heart, 10 tricks materialise as declarer wins with with the King, unblocking dummy's 10. A diamond to the Jack, loses to East's Queen, and a further heart is ducked to West, who has no option but to lead a spade. Now, declarer can easily set up diamonds and still has a spade entry.
East, being alert to this option, had to assume that south had two or less spades, and that his partner also appreciated this position, so at trick 3, returned a spade to dummy's tenace. Declarer won in hand, played a 2nd diamond to East, who then returned another spade to cut declarer off from the diamonds.
Declarer, now cashed dummy's last two spades, to leave this position. The club 7 was now played from dummy to South's ten, East discarding a heart.

	102 K83 7
Q54 Q96		9 J763 A
	AK9 J108