This Real Deal was modified by me to use in one of my classes, and now in this column. With neither side vulnerable, South dealt with:

 KQ2  
 AJ1083  
 A53  
 A2.
 

The 1 opening bid was met by a Splinter bid of 4 by partner. Now what? Partner has roughly opening bid strength, 4+ hearts and at 0-1 diamond. This is a perfect hand for Blackwood. Let's say your 4NT gets a 5 response showing 1 keycard. Since you are missing either the A or K, you won't bid 7, but surely have enough to select 6 as the contract. The Q is led and you see:

A653  Q97654  4  QJ

KQ2  AJ1083  A53  A2

The only possible tricks you might lose are in the round-suits (clubs and hearts). If you lose to both the K and K, you will be disappointed.

After winning the A, you should draw trump, but how? The odds slightly favor to play for the drop. But, it can't hurt to trump a diamond to dummy and lead the Q. No, East shouldn't cover with Kx (on the auction, it makes no sense to do so), but some opponents just always cover an honor with an honor. Even if East thinks about covering, you can decide to take a finesse (no, it wouldn't be legal for East to think a long time with a low singleton).

Anyway, this all goes for naught because when you lead the Q from dummy, East discards a club. Now what? You are still in great shape. Because West has the K, he is subject to a throw-in play. This is the Real Deal:

Vul:South Dlr: None	A653  Q97654  4  QJ
J984  K2  QJ108  K95		107  --  K9762  1087643
	KQ2  AJ1083  A53  A2

Aside from the heart loser, it looks like West should get the K (3-3 spades would have solved the problem of a club loser). However, declarer shouldn't take a club finesse. Win the A, trump the last diamond in dummy and then play the spades. If they are 3-3, game over. If not, just keep playing spades. If West were to ever trump, he would be endplayed (having to give a ruff-and-sluff or lead from the K). On the actual deal, he follows to all the spades, but declarer just trumps the fourth round and plays a heart to endplay West for +980.