BRIDGE

South put up the ace of spades and drew the remaining trump discarding a heart from dummy. He continued with the top diamonds and ruffed a diamond, felling the queen, to bring home the grand slam.

If West had held queen fourth of diamonds, a squeeze could furnish a thirteenth trick.

South responded with a strong jump shift and, when partner rebid diamonds promising a six-bagger, he employed Blackwood to ask for controls with diamonds as trump. North’s reply showed zero or three, causing South to advance to the major suit grand slam. He reasoned that partner owned three controls, the black suit aces and the king of diamonds. He could count twelve tricks and the diamond suit could be established with a ruff or two when North did not display the queen of diamonds.

There was a very small chance that partner could hold zero controls with 12 HCP but this was rather unlikely. In this scenario, any five-level contract would be in danger of defeat.

Author: Dave Willis - visit his website at www.insidebridge.ca

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