BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 5 4

uA Q 8 7

vA 9 4

wA J 5

WESTEAST

xQ 7 2xK J 9 8

uJ 10 6 5u4

v8 5 3 2vK Q J 10 7

w10 9w8 6 3

SOUTH

x10 6 3

uK 9 3 2

v6

wK Q 7 4 2

The bidding:

NORTHEASTSOUTHWEST

1wPass1uPass

4uPass5wPass

5vDblPassPass

RdblPass6uPass

PassPass

Opening lead: Two of v

Consider this deal from the finals of the Silidor Pairs Championship at the recent ACBL Spring North American Championships in Houston.

Suppose you reach six hearts on an auction such as the above. How would you play for 12 tricks?

If you were in a grand slam, there is a way to take all the tricks -- all you need is a 3-2 trump break.

However, if trumps are 4-1, even the small slam will fail if you tackle the hand that way.

The question is: At duplicate pairs, should you go for the overtrick or look for a safety play and perhaps limit yourself to 12 tricks?

Experience shows that it is seldom that everyone in the field will bid a slam, so you are assured a better-than-average score for just getting here. There is a safety play available.

Win the ace of diamonds, ruff a diamond in hand and lead a low heart, simply covering any heart West produces.

Even if East wins with a singleton honor, you can pick up trumps while ruffing another diamond and make the rest of the tricks.

That would have earned you a top score -- no one else made a slam although some bid it.

2009 Tribune Media Services