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When declarer is faced with a seemingly hopeless proposition, he must try to visualize a distribution of the opponents' cards that will allow him to succeed. Today's deal provides a case in point.

South found himself in six hearts after making a light opening bid. Had West not led a spade, the slam would have been a favorite to succeed; as it was, the contract seemed well-nigh impossible.

Nevertheless, declarer was obligated to try to bring in 12 tricks, so he put on his game face and set about the task. After taking the ace of spades, he drew just two rounds of trump with the A-K, leaving one opposing trump outstanding. He then cashed the A-K of diamonds and led a third diamond toward his hand.

It was here that South made a play that might appear peculiar, but which was entirely correct under the circumstances. After East followed to the third diamond with the nine, declarer finessed the ten! When the ten held and West couldn't ruff, the contract was home.

South next cashed the diamond queen, discarding the jack of spades from dummy. He then ruffed his spade loser with the heart jack and so made the slam, losing only a club trick.

The apparently risky finesse of the diamond ten was, in fact, absolutely necessary. The slam could not be made if three rounds of trump were drawn, since declarer would then be sure to lose a club and a spade.

Nor could the contract succeed if South played for a 3-3 diamond division. In that case, the defender with the outstanding trump would ruff the diamond ten, preventing declarer from discarding a spade from dummy. Only if East held four diamonds and the missing trump could the slam be made, so finessing the diamond ten was South's only hope.