BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x K Q J 7
u A 6 4
v K 9 8 4 2
w 6
WEST EAST
x 8 x 5 4 3
u Q J 9 2 u 7
v 7 6 v Q J 10
w K J 9 5 4 2 w A Q 10 8 7 3
SOUTH
x A 10 9 6 2
u K 10 8 5 3
v A 5 3
w Void
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1x Pass 2v Pass
2u Pass 2x Pass
3v Pass 3u Pass
4w Pass 4NT Pass
5NT Pass 6x Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of w
The textbooks tell you that the magic number for a small slam is a combined 33 points in the two hands. However, that must be tempered by added factors such as double fits, high cards in the long suits and distribution. Here, 24 points and good declarer play proved to be enough for 12 tricks.
North's two-over-one response to South's one spade opening bid was, by agreement, forcing to game. After both partner's had shown fits for each other's suits, South cue-bid the club control. North checked for aces and South's five no trump promised two aces and a void. Having shown everything he had, North signed off in six spades and South certainly had nothing in reserve.
West led the five of clubs and South was reasonably pleased with the contract. Admittedly there was a potential loser in each red suit but, if South could read the distribution, an endplay was a distinct possibility.
Declarer ruffed the opening lead in hand and drew three rounds of trumps, West discarding two clubs. Just in case the queen-jack of hearts was doubleton in one of the defenders hands, declarer cashed the ace and king of the suit. No luck, but East's singleton heart improved the chances of the endplay. It was likely that East held the long diamonds.
Declarer continued with the ace and king of diamonds and a third round. When diamonds broke 3-2 and East held the length, the desired end position had been reached. Down to nothing but clubs, East was forced to yield a ruff-sluff, allowing declarer to ruff in the closed hand while discarding the losing heart from dummy to bring home the slam.
XThis column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680.
& copy; 2004, Tribune Media Services