BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x J 5
u A K 10 8 4
v 4
w A Q J 10 3
WEST EAST
x Q 8 3 x 2
u Q 6 5 3 2 u 7
v Q 6 3 v K 10 9 8 7 2
w 5 4 w K 9 7 6 2
SOUTH
x A K 10 9 7 6 4
u J 9
v A J 5
w 8
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1u Pass 2x Pass
3w Pass 3x Pass
4x Pass 5v Pass
6x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Three of u
South chose the right line at his contract of six spades. Unfortunately, he sent a boy to do a man's job and paid the price.
The auction is typical of the modern style. South's first two bids showed a self-sufficient spade suit, so North had no problem raising with his doubleton. After South cue-bid the ace of diamonds, North judged that his three controls and singleton justified proceeding to slam.
West led the three of hearts, taken with dummy's king as South unblocked the jack. Declarer decided, correctly, that the simplest way to 12 tricks was to ruff two diamonds on the board. He led a diamond to the ace and trumped a low diamond with the five. The ace of clubs was cashed and the queen was led. East correctly did not cover, declarer ruffed and trumped his remaining diamond in dummy. Declarer attempted to come to hand by ruffing a club with the nine, but West overruffed with the queen. To complete South's discomfiture, West reverted to a heart and East's ruff was the setting trick.
It was not a very difficult slam to bring home. After ruffing a second diamond on the table, declarer should come to hand by ruffing a club with the ace of trumps! Declarer simply continues by cashing the king of spades and continuing with the ten of spades and, sooner or later, he will get back to hand by ruffing a heart to draw the remaining trump with the nine and claim 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;2006, Tribune Media Services
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