BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x A 9 6 2
u A 7 5
v A K 5
w K 7 4
WEST EAST
x J 10 8 5 x K Q 7 4 3
u 2 u 8 4
v 9 4 2 v Q 8 7
w A J 10 8 3 w 9 5 2
SOUTH
x Void
u K Q J 10 9 6 3
v J 10 6 3
w Q 6
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1w Pass 4u Pass
6u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Jack of x
There is a saying in the Old Country: "If you drink the water you die, and if you don't drink the water you die!" We were never sure what it meant until this deal came along.
The auction was simple enough. Facing an opening bid, South's distributional hand was easily worth a jump response of four hearts. With first- or second-round control of every suit and an all-prime hand, North had no hesitation about going directly to slam.
West led the jack of spades, declarer playing low from dummy and ruffing in hand. Trumps were drawn in two rounds and the moment of truth had arrived.
It seemed that South would have to rely on the diamond finesse to land the slam, but declarer saw a far better line. Since the opening lead virtually marked East for the king-queen of spades, the ace of clubs was more likely to be with West -- if East held that card as well, he most surely would have overcalled on the first round. That offered a near sure-trick line, with the diamond finesse in reserve if that failed.
To the fourth trick declarer led a low club from hand, and West was a gone goose, pinned on Morton's Fork. If he rose with the ace of clubs, declarer would be able to discard two diamond losers, one on the king of clubs and the other on the ace of spades. If he did not, the king of clubs would win and declarer would discard the queen of clubs on the ace of spades and would be taking the diamond finesse for an overtrick. Verily, our ancestors were wise men.
& copy;2004, Tribune Media Services