One for bidding, two for play

Anne Frank wrote, "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

We have a wonderful convention for showing a single card in a suit - a splinter bid. It worked wonders on this deal. But, first, how should South play in six spades after West leads the club queen?

When South showed four spades (and denied four hearts) in answer to Stayman, North jumped to four diamonds, a splinter bid, indicating at least four-card spade support and game-going values with a singleton (or void) in diamonds. This slight overbid was music to South's ears, who no longer feared three fast diamond losers. He control-bid four hearts, then jumped to six spades when partner settled for four spades.