North misjudged by going onto 6 ♠ over 6 ♦ (down one), his side would still earn a near-top score if his partner could escape for down two. With mirror shapes and a slow club loser, it looks as though declarer has four losers: two hearts, a diamond and a club. Or does he?

Declarer ducked West's ♥ K lead and won the ♥ J continuation with the ♥ A. He drew trumps in three rounds (West with a void), then tested clubs, cashing three rounds (West with a singleton) leaving East with a fourth-round master. He played a fourth trump to pass the time of day (and also to reach the irresistible and unusual position of holding one card in each suit in both his hand and dummy's).

At trick 10 declarer exited with a diamond. If West won, he could cash the ♥ J, but his then forced red-suit lead would enable declarer to ruff in one hand and discard the club loser from the other. Whilst if East won the diamond, he could cash a club, but his then forced diamond would enable declarer to ruff in one hand and discard a heart from the other. Declarer had condensed four losers into three, escaped for -500 and emerged with a near top.