A little prayer

"Dear God. It is my birthday today, and like every year, I am here, in the church, sending you my little prayer.

Please help me get a fat bank account and a slim figure. Thank you, Dora.
PS. Please try not to switch these two wishes, like you did last year. Thanks again, Dora.
PPS. And make all my finesses work in bridge. Re-thanks, Dora".

She told her partner about her birthday wish, and about what happened last year, and about her doubts that God will grant her wishes.

"How much weight did you plan to lose last year," asked her partner.
"About 15 kilos."
"And how much more you still have to lose now?"
"Now, about 25 more..." sighed Dora.
"Maybe God has another idea of what being slim means. Same for your bank account.
Tell you what: Let's ask God that our first board today will be your guidance - If He gives you a successful finesse - it means that He is listening to your prayers," suggested her partner.

This was the first hand of the day:

Dealer South, none vulnerable


West lead the ♥2.

"What are your leads?" asked Dora.
"Against NT, we lead 4th best of our longest suit," came the answer.
She counted 7 top tricks and soon enough she saw that the contract depends on the diamond finesse.

"Looks like God listened to my prayer, she thought to herself. For sure the diamond finesse will work... But which way? Or maybe diamonds are 2-2 and I shouldn't finesse at all?"

With opponents silent throughout, she had no hint to help her tackle diamonds.

She tested clubs first, playing four rounds and saw West discard a spade on the third club. But this didn't help her make up her mind.

"Surely, God expects me to play ♦AK, else he would be more clear," she thought. So, she played ♦AK and down she went when opponents took 3 hearts, 2 spades and the ♦Q.

Partner was not happy.

"You were told exactly what to do, but you didn't understand what you were told. The ♥2 lead tells you that West has exactly 4 hearts. They said they play 4th best. The ♥2 lead also tells you that West doesn't have 5 cards in any other suit, else he would lead that suit. Since West showed 4 hearts and 2 clubs, and you know he doesn't have any 5 carder, his remaining 7 cards are divided 4-3. That means he has either 3 or 4 cards in diamonds and therefore East has at most one diamond.

You have to play ♦K and finesse West's ♦Q next," her partner completed his analysis.

"I'm sorry, you are right. Maybe I misunderstood some other hints when He showed me I can eat sweets and shouldn't worry about exercising... I wonder if it was the other way around?"