Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK J 6 3

u10 7 5 3 2

vA 9

wK 6

WEST EAST

x8 xQ 5 4

uK J 9 6 4 uA

v8 6 5 3 vJ 10 7 4 2

w9 7 2 w10 8 4 3

SOUTH

xA 10 9 7 2

uQ 8

vK Q

wA Q J 5

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2NT Pass

3w Pass 4x Pass

4NT Pass 5u Pass

6x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Six of v

For the next few weeks, we will be featuring hands from the ACBL Fall North American Championships, held over Thanksgiving week in Boston. There will be good hands, bad hands, funny hands and some that could be considered unbelievable.

This deal, from the Senior Knockout Teams, reported by Britain’s Mark Horton, is a true double-dummy problem. After the lead of the six of diamonds — second-best from a worthless four-card holding — can you make your rather ambitious slam?

North’s two no trump was a forcing spade raise and his five hearts showed two of the five key cards, with the king of trumps counting as the fifth ace. South’s decision to bid slam was rather aggressive.

There is a legitimate line for the contract. Declarer must pick up the queen of trumps and find a defender with at least two trumps and a singleton heart honor. So win the diamond in hand, cross to the king of spades and take a finesse for the queen. When that wins, draw the outstanding trump, cash out the minor suits, discarding two hearts from dummy. Now lead a heart. East wins but must concede a sluff-ruff, and declarer’s heart loser vanishes.

At the table declarer did not pick up the queen of trumps but found the endplay — down one. That was good enough to tie the board — at the other table five spades went down a trick!

2009 Tribune Media Services