Our opponents had a controlled auction towards the Spade slam but stopped at the five level when they found out that one "key card" and the Queen of trumps () were missing.

West lead the J. East won with the Ace and returned a Diamond.  Declarer (the late Olwen Brown from Merseyside) took this in the dummy and played a Spade to the Q (!!), Ace and 3.

Declarer next payed a Spade to the 8, "knowing" that the finesse would win but it lost to the 10!  East then gave a Diamond ruff to defeat the contract. This kind of false card has been much written about but is very difficult to find when at the table.  Olwen should not have been distracted by this but she was; she should have played safe in this teams contract and just drawn the trumps, making twelve tricks when the Queen drops.

Olwen was not best pleased.  The East who found this brilliancy play was KEVIN JONES, I was West.  She never forgave Kevin for this false card and reminded him of it whenever we played against her in later years.

Out teams mates had just blasted this poor slam so we were booked for a 13 IMP gain anyway.  Kevin's effort produced a further 4 IMPS for our side and a total 17 IMP gain - very nice.

Tell me, would you have taken that finesse?  You should not have!  IF West has 10.9.5.3 of Spades he should cover the second spade to ensure a trick for his side.  By failing to cover, he gives declarer chance to make FOUR tricks in Spades A,8,K,J in that order.