This is a hand which features a high-level of play, often seen in the game of Bridge. Tom Walters, a Bridge Life Master, of Las Vegas NV, executed this maneuver in a "side game" at the 2000 Nationals, which was held at the Tropicana Hotel. Suffice to say, it is quite obvious that Tom has been around a few competitive games during his card-playing career!

		North 9 8 6 3 A K 6 5 2 K 10 9 3
West K J 10 9 4 3 2 10 9 3 A Q J			East (Dealer) 7 5 4 Q J 10 Q J 8 7 8 7 4
		South (Tom Walters) A Q 2 8 7 6 5 A K 4 6 5 2

It was the end stage of a very long and competitive game. The bidding appeared to be normal, although South's call of four was entirely dependant on the spade finesse, and North was obviously "stretching" for a win by pushing the contract to eighty points. East eschewed a Nil, as his red suits were just too vulnerable. Thus, he balanced in with a "safe" one bid. If both sides were successful, the E/W Team would triumph by a score of 512- 504. West was clearly counting on four winners in the black suits. Thus, we had a bid of thirteen, and the battle lines were drawn!

Tom, sitting South, opened with the King of diamonds, which fetched two deuces, and the seven from East. North now knew that his partner held the Ace. (The opponents would never "bag" on a 13 bid!) South then shifted to the heart five, and North immediately cashed his winners, starting with the Ace, and then the King (to show a doubleton), as everyone played their two lowest hearts on these tricks. Back came a diamond to South's Ace, and the heart seven was ruffed by his partner's three. (East dropped the Queen and West released the four).

North now cleared the diamond suit with the lead of his last card (the six), and East was in with the Queen. A low club was tabled, as South followed with the two, and West inserted the Queen (hoping to win the finesse). Alas, North showed up with the King - thus fulfilling his side of the eight bid. He then exited with club ten, and West was pleased to win two clubs, as everyone was required to follow suit. He then bailed his last heart (the nine), and waited for two spade tricks to come home. As of this writing, he is still waiting!

North very alertly ruffed with the nine (had he lazily played the the six, East would have overrufed with the seven, and South would have gone down the drain, after a low spade lead through the A-Q). Instead, East was forced to throw a diamond. North continued with the spade eight (another key play), and East played the four. South very cleverly ducked with the two, and West was in with the ten. Now he had to yield the last two tricks to South's Ace-Queen, and the resulting set of the East/West contract spelled victory for Tom's side. This is the finest example of a cooperative a Team effort that yours truly has ever observed in a Spades event. The great professionals always make these plays with such little effort!