This deal was played in a Maryland sectional. It originally appeared in a different guise in an excellent bidding article by Leslie Shafer (who graciously gave me permission to go at it from a different angle).

In a team game with both sides vulnerable. South holds: QJ54Q97A3AKQ5.

You open 1 and LHO overcalls 1. Partner passes and RHO bids 1. In Leslie's article, she pointed out that a free 1NT bid now shows 18-19. With 15-17, South would have opened 1NT, and with less, he shouldn't be sticking his nose in. In the original, South bids 1NT and then everyone passes, but I've turned this into what I think is an instructional declarer-play problem. I'm going to have North raise to 3NT and have West lead a 4th-best heart (not his best choice):

	K2 K10643 7642 J10
	QJ54 Q97 A3 AKQ5

With a diamond lead, declarer would be in big trouble--off at least 3 diamond tricks and 2 aces. Having been treated to a low heart lead, you win the first trick with your 7 as East discards a spade. Now what?

You have 4 clubs, 1 diamond and now 1 heart trick. Not only do you need to establish 3 more tricks, but you are in danger of the defense winning a major-suit ace and shifting to diamonds. This would establish 5 defensive tricks.

If you continue hearts (with any heart), West can win and make that killing diamond shift. You won't have enough heart winners. So, you must work on spades first. If at trick 2, you play to the K, East (who bid spades) will win and shift to diamonds--again you don't have 9 tricks.

Better is to cross to dummy in clubs to lead a low spade towards your hand. Now, if East grabs his A (on air), you will have 3 spade tricks (plus 1 heart, 1 diamond and 4 clubs for 9). So, East has to duck. You win your Q and now what?

If you continue spades, you are a trick short and the diamond shift will defeat you. So, now you must go back to hearts, playing the Q. If West takes it, you can later finesse to the 10 and take 3 hearts (plus 1 spade, 1 diamond and 4 clubs for 9 tricks). So, West, seeing there is no longer a dummy entry, holds up on the Q. If you play another heart, West can win and you have no entry to dummy's good K.

So, the seesaw ride continues. After West ducks the Q, you have 2 hearts tricks in the bank and can go back to spades to set up 2 spades (plus 1 diamond, 2 hearts and 4 clubs for 9 tricks).

This was the Real Deal:

Vul: Both Dlr: South	K2 K10643 7642 J10
10 AJ852 KJ105 972		A98763 -- Q98 8643
	QJ54 Q97 A3 AKQ5

What a beautifully logical deal! Every major-suit play is required in the exact order for reasons you can work out. You have to win the heart and then play spades (from dummy). Then you abandon spades and go back to hearts. When the Q holds, you go back to spades. If you do anything wrong or in the wrong order, you are swiftly defeated by a defensive diamond switch. I hope you enjoyed the seesaw ride!