BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xA K J

uA J 9

vA 5 2

wQ 9 7 2

WEST EAST

x5 4 3 2 xQ 8 7 6

u8 2 u7 6 3

vQ J 10 9 8 3 v7 4

wA w10 8 6 3

SOUTH

x10 9

uK Q 10 5 4

vK 6

wK J 5 4

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

Pass 1u 3v 4v

Pass 4u Pass 4NT

Pass 5w Pass 5v

Pass 5NT Pass 6u

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of v

On this deal from the qualifying rounds to select two teams to represent North America in the Bermuda Bowl matches, veteran Lew Stansby took an anti-percentage play to land his slam. What was the percentage line and why did Stansby ignore it?

South’s response to key-card Blackwood showed, by agreement, either 1 or 4 key cards. Five diamonds asked about the queen of trumps and five NT promised the queen while denying holding the king of spades, and the small slam in hearts became the final contract.

West led the queen of diamonds. Declarer won in hand, drew trumps in three rounds, cashed the ace of diamonds and ruffed a diamond. He did not want to give up the possibility of a spade finesse and knew that the percentage play in clubs was to play the king from hand followed by the jack, to guard against four clubs with West including the ten, with or without the ace.

However, West had already shown up with six diamonds and two hearts, and with eight spades and only five clubs unaccounted for West rated to have more than one spade, hence fewer than four clubs. To allow for the distribution that existed, declarer led a low clubs to the queen, and was rewarded when the ace came from the West hand. Six hearts bid and made.

2010 Tribune Media Services