An Ace-less 3-3 fit

North's complete lack of entries makes most games fail.

North/South can make 5 ♣, if declared by South. When declared by North, the minor game fails on a ♥ Q lead, taking two hearts and a club.

But the matchpoint top is 4 ♥ by South.

Say West leads the ♥ A and a heart, won by South.

South then runs four spades, pitching a dimaond and two clubs, followed by the ♦ A, ♣ A, a diamond ruff in North, the ♣ K and a club ruff, totaling 10 tricks.

On a non-trump lead, South takes his six non-trump winners, pitching a diamond and clubs from dummy, then ruffs a diamond and cashes the ♣ K and leads a club at this position:

North/South have taken the first eight tricks, so only needs two more.

If West overruffs with the ace, then continues hearts, East must split his trump honors, and South wins the king and leads adiamond at this position:

North/South scores one of their remaining trumps for the tenth trick.

If East overruff with the ace and continues a diamond, again North ruffs and forces East to ruff with a high trump, leaving South with a tenace in trumps over East's remaing trump honor, again scoring two trump tricks.

So assume West does not overruff, pitchind a diamond instead. Now South leads a diamond at this point, needing only one more trick. East must overruff, therefore, leading to this position:

Now the remaing trumps in East/West are too weak to prevent North/South from scoring another trump.