BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xVoid

uK 7 4

vA K 8 6 2

wK Q J 5 3

WEST EAST

x7 xQ J 10 6 5 4 3 2

uQ 10 9 8 5 2 uJ

v5 4 vQ J 10 7

w9 7 4 2 wVoid

SOUTH

xA K 9 8

uA 6 3

v9 3

wA 10 8 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2x- 4x

5w Pass 5v Pass

5u Pass 7w All pass

-Transfer to clubs

Opening lead: Seven of x

Major suit transfers are the norm these days, even among social and rubber bridge players. Minor suit transfers, however, are pretty much for tournament players only. A rubber bridge player would surely have doubled four spades rather than bid five clubs. The five-club bid eased the way to bidding this excellent grand slam. The four-spade bid augured bad splits, however, and bad splits have scuttled many an excellent contract.

South shed a heart from dummy while winning the opening spade lead with the ace. A low club to the king uncovered the foul trump split. Declarer cashed the ace and king of diamonds, then ruffed a diamond with the 10 of clubs as West discarded a heart. South next led the king of spades. West saw that, if he ruffed, declarer would have no trouble picking up his trumps while setting up dummy’s diamonds, so West discarded another heart and dummy shed a diamond.

South ruffed a spade low (West discarding a heart) and cashed the king of hearts. Dummy’s last diamond was ruffed with the ace of clubs as West shed another heart. Now came the eight of clubs, covered by the nine and won in dummy with the jack. South crossed back to his hand with a heart to the ace and had a classic trump coup in this two-card ending. Dummy’s queen-five of clubs sat over West’s seven-four. Well done!

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