On this deal from the 2016 Southeastern Regional, a defender had to shun the adage "Keep Winners, Throw Losers." Declarer held:

Q1094
A105
A92
K83.

His partner opened 1 and he responded 1. Opener raised to 2 and responder reasonably suggested 3NT as a contract. All passed and the 2 was led:

AJ82 Q73 K53 Q42

Q1094 A105 A92 K83

Thank goodness the contract isn't 4. That contract appears to have at least four losers. In 3NT, with the heart lead, declarer is sure to get two heart tricks. He also has two diamond tricks and can build a club trick. If the spade finesse is on, he has nine tricks. Dummy plays low and East plays the 9. Declarer wins the ten and tries the spade finesse, but it loses. Back comes the 6. Now what?

With only three spade tricks, declarer needs an extra trick. Unless the A is singleton or doubleton, there appears to be no hope. However, declarer saw a good way to succeed as long as the opening leader had the A. Do you see it? From the fourth-best lead of the 2, you expect the opening leader started with only four hearts. So...

Win the heart return with the ace and cash all the spades ending in your hand. That will leave:

-- Q K53 Q42

-- 5 A92 K83

So, where is the extra trick? Well, West is down to seven cards. He has the K and a heart winner. What are his other 5 cards? As long as he has the A, you just have to guess what he has left. Let's say you think he came down to a doubleton club ace. Then you get your ninth trick by leading a low club towards dummy's queen (if West takes the ace, good--if he ducks, your queen wins and you duck the next club). More likely, West would keep three clubs headed by the ace. But that means he had room to keep only two diamonds. If you judge that to be the position, you cash the two high diamonds and exit in hearts. West can take his hearts, but then has to lead from the A. You win the king in hand and later the queen in dummy. This was the Real Deal:

Vul:Both Dlr: North	AJ82 Q73 K53 Q42
765 KJ82 1064 AJ9		K3 964 QJ87 10765
	Q1094 A105 A92 K83

Declarer won the 10, lost the spade finesse and then won the heart return. What was West to keep when declarer ran spades? If he throws a diamond, declarer takes the AK and tosses his him with the hearts to break clubs. If West throws a club, declarer can play a club from hand to make the contract.

The last laugh is in the title of the article. On the fourth spade West has to throw a heart winner! Yes, if he throws his low heart, declarer can't make the contract. It is pretty rare that you throw a winner and keep a loser, but that was the winning defense on this Real Deal.