BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x K Q 5
u Q 8 3
v A
w A K Q 10 5 4
WEST EAST
x 10 8 6 3 x 9 7
u A 9 5 u J 10 7 4
v Q J 10 6 v K 9 3 2
w 7 3 w J 8 6
SOUTH
x A J 4 2
u K 6 2
v 8 7 5 4
w 9 2
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1w Pass 1x Pass
3w Pass 3u Pass
4NT Pass 5v Pass
6x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of v
South declarer at six spades, counted his tricks. But in setting up the fulfilling trick, he got a little careless.
North's jump rebid in clubs was conservative for this powerful a hand. When South showed his heart control, North needed no more. He checked on aces with Blackwood, then placed the contract in six spades. He might have been wiser to bid six clubs, a far simpler slam to play.
West led the queen of diamonds, and declarer could count 11 tricks presuming the clubs were running. First, declarer checked the trump situation by cashing the king and queen, both defenders following.
South could not afford to draw the remaining trumps before setting up a heart trick -- a trump had to be kept in dummy to control the diamonds. A heart was led from the table and all would have been well had East held the ace. Unfortunately, the king of hearts lost to the ace, and West continued with a diamond, forcing dummy to ruff.
Now there was no way for declarer to get back to hand to draw trumps. The best declarer could do was to start clubs. West ruffed the third club as declarer sluffed a diamond then cashed a diamond before leading a heart. Declarer still had to lose a trick -- down three.
The slam was there for the taking. After drawing two rounds of trumps, declarer must lead the queen of hearts from dummy. If nobody wins, declarer draws the rest of the trumps and runs clubs. If a defender takes the ace of hearts and forces dummy with a diamond, declarer can get back to hand with the king of hearts to draw trumps and run clubs.
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
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