North-South vulnerable.  
North deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: A 10 8 7       
                              H: A K 10 8 7 2
                              D: 5           
                              C: K 5     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: 9 6                           S: K Q 4 3 2    
            H: J                             H: Q 9 6 4 3  
            D: K 10 6 4 3                    D: 9                 
            C: A 9 8 4 3                     C: J 2      
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: J 5  
                              H: 5      
                              D: A Q J 8 7 2
                              C: Q 10 7 6 
         The Bidding:    
                  NORTH    EAST    SOUTH    WEST                  
                   1H      Pass     2D      Pass
                   2S      Pass     2NT     Pass
                   3H      Pass     3NT  (All Pass)
     This hand was played at a local duplicate bridge game.  I
think the auction is very aggressive.  North knows that partner
does not (or should not) hold a four card spade suit.  The
correct rebid (my opinion) by North should be two hearts or three
hearts (a stretch).  Either call should cause South to pass.
     Three no trump is a reasonable bid when North holds the
seventeen or eighteen high card points that would support the
auction.  The bottom line is that declarer cannot change the
final contract.  Lil Seigel of Beachwood was the player in the
South seat and she is well aware that as long as she was in three
no trump, she should play to make it.
     The opening lead was the four of clubs which declarer won in
hand with the queen.  Before continuing, Seigel stopped to count
tricks.  There were five for sure and two that could be set up by
force, a club and a diamond.  If either red suit broke favorably
there appeared to be a chance to come to nine tricks.
     Entries to the South hand (actually to either hand) were at
a premium, so Seigel played the ace of diamonds and then the
queen of diamonds.  West won the second diamond and returned the
ace of clubs, smothering the king. The nine of clubs was next,
which Seigel won with the ten.
     East threw the three of spades on the second diamond and the
two of spades on the third club.  North pitched two small hearts. 
Seigel cashed the jack of diamonds, pitching a heart from dummy
with East also discarding a heart.  The jack of spades ran to the
queen and East got off lead with a small heart to the jack and
the ace.  Here is the end position:
                              S: A 10 8         
                              H: K 10      
                              D: Void           
                              C: Void     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: 9                             S: K 4        
            H: Void                          H: Q 9 6      
            D: 10 6                          D: Void              
            C: 8 4                           C: Void     
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: 5  
                              H: Void  
                              D: 8 7 2
                              C: 7
     Declarer has lost three tricks up to this point.  The ace of
spades was cashed and then a small spade end played East who was
forced to lead a heart to the dummy.  This nifty end play can
only be avoided if West has the foresight to lead spades at each
opportunity.
     I know that many people will disagree, but hands like these
are really "fun".  What appears to be an impossible contract is
made with careful play that takes advantage of what becomes a
very difficult position for the defenders.  If you view the game
as an adventure, never give up on a tough hand.
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