Column 7B51 (4-28-85) by Richard Pavlicek

Sound Deduction Nets Slam

1. 6 NT by South

N-S Vul	3 A 2 K 9 7 5 A J 9 8 7 6
A 9 8 6 10 Q J 8 4 10 5 4 3		Q J 10 7 4 2 J 9 8 7 5 3 2
Lead: 10	K 5 K Q 6 4 3 A 10 6 2 K Q

West 4 All Pass

North 1 5

East 2 5

South Dbl 6 NT

East’s two-club bid was the popular modern gadget called the “Michaels cue-bid,” showing a weak hand with length in both major suits. St. Jean, South, doubled to show strength and West jumped to four spades as a preemptive measure (despite the lack of high cards this contract might make, although perfect defense can prevail). De Lieto, North, guessed right to push on to five clubs, East competed further, and South took a bold stab at the reasonable slam.

West led the heart 10, taken by dummy’s ace, and declarer immediately unblocked the king-queen of clubs. A diamond was led toward dummy and West played the jack, forcing the king.

Declarer paused to think. Why had West not led a spade? One valid reason was that he held the spade ace and did not want to establish a trick for the king obviously held by South. This was further evidenced by the fact that West split his diamond honors (a more obvious play if West was looking at the spade ace). Declarer backed her judgment and played accordingly.

On the run of the clubs, South discarded one diamond, two hearts, and a spade (baring the king). A heart was led to the king and the queen was cashed, forcing West to come down to three cards. When West kept the spade ace and queen-small in diamonds, declarer exited with a spade to force West to lead a diamond into South’s ace-10.

St. Jean’s fine detective work uncovered the only play to make the slam … and win the event.