BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xA 8 7 2

uA 5 3

vA K 7 5

w7 4

WEST EAST

x10 9 6 5 xVoid

u4 2 uK Q J 10 9 8 6

v4 vQ J 9 6

w10 9 6 5 3 2 wJ 8

SOUTH

xK Q J 4 3

u7

v10 8 3 2

wA K Q

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1NT 3u 3x Pass

4v Pass 4NT Pass

5x Pass 6x All pass

Opening lead: Four of u

North-South were on the same wavelength in the auction, both treating North’s four-diamond bid as a cue bid in support of spades. That smoothed the way to this excellent slam. Should the missing trumps split 2-2 or 3-1, South could ruff two hearts in his hand for 12 tricks. Even with a 4-0 split, the slam would still succeed as long as diamonds split 3-2. Adversity was coming, however.

South won the opening heart lead in dummy and led a spade to his king, noting the 4-0 split. He continued with the queen and jack of spades, followed by the three top clubs, discarding a diamond from dummy. East showed out on the third club after turning up with no spades, causing serious concern about a 4-1 split in diamonds.

Declarer led a diamond to dummy’s ace. East was now known to have started with either 8-3 in the red suits or 7-4. The lead had been the four of hearts and the two had not appeared as yet. This was not lost on declarer who realized that East had made four discards so far, three on trumps and one on clubs. All the discards had been hearts!

South cashed the ace of spades and East had to part with yet another heart, hoping for a declarer who wasn’t paying attention. This declarer was on full alert, however, and he quickly led the three of hearts from the table, knocking out East’s last heart and establishing the five of hearts in dummy as the twelfth trick!

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