BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xA 10 5 3 2

u5 3

vA 8 4

wQ 3 2

WEST EAST

x8 x9 6

uK Q J 10 7 4 u9 8 6 2

vK J 6 2 v10 9 7

w7 5 wJ 8 6 4

SOUTH

xK Q J 7 4

uA

vQ 5 3

wA K 10 9

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x 2u 3u- Pass

4w Pass 4v Pass

4NT Pass 5u Pass

6x All pass

-Spade fit, at least 10-11 points

Opening lead: King of u

Declarer won the opening heart lead in hand perforce. There were eleven top tricks, including a heart ruff in hand. A twelfth was not likely to come from diamonds, as West almost surely had the king for his overcall. It looked like South needed four club tricks to bring home his slam. That was all a mirage, as South quickly demonstrated.

Declarer cashed the king of spades and led a spade to dummy’s 10, drawing trumps. Dummy’s last heart was ruffed, simplifying the hand. Now the ace of clubs, a club to the queen, and a club back to the 10 picked up four club tricks and declarer had his slam.

”Nice guess in clubs,” said West, treading carefully, ”but wasn’t that a bit lucky?” ”Not at all,” said South. ”Had you won the third club with the jack, you would have had only red cards remaining. You would have been forced to lead away from the king of diamonds or yield a ruff-sluff. Had East shown out on the third club, I would have played the king and then the 10, end-playing you again. My line was foolproof as long as you held the king of diamonds.”

We’re convinced. Well played!

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