Don't give up

When a bridge contract looks hopeless, look again. Sometimes you can overcome:

               ♠ 7 6 3
               ♥ K Q 6 3
               ♦ 9 7 3
               ♣ K 4 2
♠ 2                        ♠ K Q J 10 9 8 4
♥ J 10 9 8 5               ♥ 7 2
♦ 5                        ♦ J 10 8 6
♣ A Q 10 8 6 3             ♣ ---
               ♠ A 5
               ♥ A 4
               ♦ A K Q 4 2
               ♣ J 9 7 5

West opened 3♠ and South had no good bid. He made the practical choice of 3NT. West led the ♠2, and declarer took stock. The lead was an obvious singleton, so he won the trick and cashed two high diamonds. When West showed out, South was in trouble.

At trick four, he led a club to the king, and when East showed out, his distribution was known to be 7=2=4=0 and West counted out to be 1=5=1=6. What now?

South continued with a diamond to his ♦Q and played three rounds of high hearts. He led a fourth round of hearts won by West. West cashed his long heart, but now he had only clubs left. West played the ♣A Q, but then had to concede a club to the jack.

In all, declarer took one spade, three hearts, three diamonds and two clubs.