Razzle-dazzle end for week and year

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE® GARFIELD® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

To end the week and year, here is the most amazing long two-suiter deal I have seen recently.

South’s bidding would not have been duplicated by anyone else, but boy did it work here!

South’s three-club rebid showed a sixcard suit and game-invitational values. Then North made a four-heart splinter jump, showing at least four-card club support, a singleton or void in hearts and game-going values or more. South used Roman Key Card Blackwood to learn (by partnership agreement) that North had two key cards and a heart void. South bravely jumped to seven clubs.

West led a spade, presumably hoping partner could ruff -- but East had not made a Lightner double. How should South have planned the play?

Declarer could see 13 potential tricks: two spades, one diamond, six clubs in hand (including one spade and two diamond ruffs) and four heart ruffs on the board. He could also work for three spades, one diamond, six clubs and three heart ruffs.

South, not sure exactly what to make of the spade lead, played low from the board and ruffed East’s jack. Declarer, now confident that West had not led a singleton (otherwise, East would have played low), ruffed a heart, discarded a heart on the spade ace and continued with the spade king. When East ruffed, South overruffed, trumped a heart, ruffed a spade (East pitched a diamond), trumped a heart, ruffed a spade, trumped another heart and cashed the diamond ace. Now guessing correctly, declarer ruffed a diamond, drew the trumps and cashed the heart jack at trick 13. Fun!