bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK 3

uJ 10 9 6 4

vA 9 3

wA J 7

WEST EAST

x9 7 2 xQ 6 4

u3 uA K 7 5 2

v10 4 vJ 2

wQ 10 9 8 5 4 3 wK 6 2

SOUTH

xA J 10 8 5

uQ 8

vK Q 8 7 6 5

wVoid

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 2v Pass

2NT Pass 3x Pass

3NT Pass 4v Pass

4u Pass 5u Pass

5x Pass 5NT Pass

7v Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Four of v

On this deal from the Educational Foundation Pairs at the recent Summer North American Championships, George Jacobs and Steve Beatty bid smoothly to a grand slam, which was slightly flawed. Still ...

Two diamonds was a game force, two no trump showed a better than minimum hand with at least three diamonds. Four hearts was Roman Key-Card Blackwood with diamonds as the agreed trump suit and five hearts promised two key cards and a useful void. Five spades was an inquiry for the trump queen and the grand slam was soon reached.

West led a trump, and the play did not take long. Declarer won the opening lead in hand, ruffed out the queen of spades, drew trumps and ran his spades and all but one diamond, coming down to a three-card ending:

xVoid

uVoid

vVoid

wA J 7

xVoid xVoid

uVoid uA

vVoid vVoid

wQ 10 9 wK 6

SOUTH

xVoid

uQ 8

v6

wVoid

Declarer led his last trump and East, who had already parted with one high heart, had to decide in which suit declarer was void After much thought, East elected to part with the ace of hearts, and declarer claimed the last two tricks with the queen and eight of hearts!

Just another routine grand slam.

2011 Tribune Media Services