ª 9 5 4 3

© K 10 6 5

¨ J 8 3

§ 8 7

ª K 2                          ª 8

© 8 3                           © Q 7 4 2

¨ 10 9 7 5 4 2            ¨ A K 6

§ Q 3 2                       § J 9 6 5 4

ª A Q J 10 7 6

© A J 9

¨ Q

§ A K 10

Dealer North, contract 4ª after East had passed.

West led ¨10 to East’s ¨K.  The suit was now “frozen” – neither defender could play it again without establishing a trick.  Hearts were also “frozen” so declarer, a tall, overweight Hampton dweller, gave the hand some thought.  When East returned §5 he won with §A, cashed §K and ruffed a club.  It appeared that East had §J x x x x with her ¨A K.  Most duplicate players open 11 point hands with a five card suit so it seemed unlikely that she held ªK.  He therefore played ªA Q putting West on lead.  This was the position:

ª 9

© K 10 6 5

¨ J 8

§ --

ª --                             ª --

© 8 3                           © Q 7 4 2

¨ 9 7 5 4 2                 ¨ A 6

§ --                              § J

ª J 10 7 6

© A J 9

¨ --

§ --

Whatever West returns declarer makes the rest.  Or should.  Distracted by an unpleasant incident on the previous table (why are some duplicate players so much nastier than most rubber bridge players?) he lost the plot and only made 10 tricks for a bad result.