In Denial

by Oswald Jacoby

South to make 4♠
Opening lead: ♥7

Having avoided the killing club lead, it is incumbent upon declarer to prevent the west hand from obtaining the lead again.  It also is necessary to endplay east, twice.

The heart lead is covered in order to prevent a club shift.  East wins and returns a diamond or a spade.  In either case, south wins the ace and cashes the other ace; then he leads a trump to dummy's queen.  A heart is led; east covers, and the diamond jack is discarded.

East's diamond return is ruffed, a trump is played to dummy, and another heart is ruffed in hand.  Declarer now leads another spade to dummy.  East clearly must keep all his clubs; otherwise, declarer can play on that suit.  He must, therefore, part with his remaining low heart.

Now declarer leads dummy's last heart, and discards a club.  East's forced club return yields the game-going trick.  Declarer's only losers are three hearts!

Trap: failing to get rid of both of south's diamonds early would be fatal.  East must be compelled to yield the diamond ruff; otherwise, he would have an extra red card to lead in the end game, thereby avoiding a club play.