Neither vulnerable. North deals.

Neither vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
10 6 3 2
A 6 5 2
2
A Q J 5
WEST EAST
Q 8 J 9 7 5 4
Q 10 9 4 3 J 8
5 4 3 J 7
K 8 6 9 4 3 2
SOUTH
A K
K 7
A K Q 10 9 8 6
10 7
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1 Pass 1 Pass
1 Pass 4NT Pass
5 Pass 7NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Eight of
Sometimes, one pip can make all the difference between winning or losing a contract. This deal, from the Malta Festival a few years ago, illustrates our point.
Looking at a hand worth nine or 10 tricks South, Ron Tacchi of Malta, was delighted to hear his partner open the bidding. He started with a quiet one diamond to hear a rebid from partner and then launched into Blackwood. On finding out partner had two aces, he blasted into seven no trump.
West found the devilish lead of the eight of clubs. No one likes the idea of going down in a grand slam at trick one, so declarer called for the ace of clubs. Two rounds of diamonds made it clear that the suit would run, so declarer tested the first of his extra chances. He cashed the ace and king of spades, in case one of the defenders held the queen-jack bare.
When that brought no relief, declarer ran the rest of the diamonds. With one round to go, this was the position:
NORTH
10
A 6 5
--
--
WESTEAST
--J
Q 10 9 8
----
K 9
SOUTH
--
K 7
6
10
South led his last diamond and West could not withstand the pressure. Since he could not discard a heart without setting up the fulfilling trick in dummy, he parted, reluctantly, with the king of clubs, hoping his partner held the ten. He was just one pip out, and the grand slam rolled home.
& copy; 2006, Tribune Media Services
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