NEW CANADIAN BRIDGE

West switched to a club for the queen and ace. The king of spades was ducked, on which East discarded the jack of hearts revealing the 5-0 break.

A club ruff was followed by a heart to the queen as South trumped another club to continue with the king and ace diamonds.

Declarer chose to play off the queen of diamonds, disposing of the jack of clubs, and was rewarded when diamonds broke 3-3.

A four-card ending had been reached where West held A1094 of spades but South the QJ65. A heart was ruffed with the jack of spades but overruffed by the ace. West returned the ten of spades but declarer ducked. The forced trump return at trick twelve into the queen-six resulted in ten tricks. West's probable third trump winner had vanished.

South had judged correctly to cash a third diamond rather than play off the king of hearts to unload the jack of clubs. West would ruff the heart king and score two more trump tricks to defeat the contract.

Declarer had rightly concluded that the play of the heart suit in combination with East's pitch of the heart jack dictated that hearts were 5-2.