BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

xVoid

uK Q 9 4

vK Q J 7 3

wJ 10 7 4

WEST EAST

xQ 10 9 6 xA 8 4 3

uA J 8 7 6 u10 5 3 2

v10 9 4 vA 8 6 5

wA wK

SOUTH

xK J 7 5 2

uVoid

v2

wQ 9 8 6 5 3 2

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1u 2v 4u 5w

Pass 6w Dbl All pass

Opening lead: Ace of u

Key Card Blackwood has become commonplace in today’s tournament world. It considers the king of trumps to be just as valuable as the four aces, and those five cards are called ”key cards”. This has improved slam bidding for most players, but the auction went too fast for any type of Blackwood on today’s deal.

West chose the unfortunate lead of the ace of hearts, leading to what we can only call a bridge miracle. South ruffed the ace and then ruffed a spade in dummy. A diamond was discarded on the king of hearts and the king of diamonds was led. East covered this with his ace, but South ruffed and led a low club. When both the ace and the king crashed on the first round of trumps, South could claim his doubled slam. South took six trump tricks in his hand, plus two high cards in each red suit in the dummy along with two spade ruffs in dummy.

East-West didn’t know what hit them. They had allowed the opponents to make a doubled slam despite the fact that the defense held all five ”key cards”. The slam could never have been defeated by more than one trick, but that could have happened. East’s double might have been intended as a Lightner double, calling for a lead in dummy’s first bid suit. Alternatively, West might have led the ace of clubs. East should be played for four-card heart support for his aggressive raise, and the diamond shift would be a stand-out.

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