Bridge Column for November 6, 1994 
North-South vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: A Q J 10 6 4 2   
                              H: J 7 5 2     
                              D: 4           
                              C: 6       
            WEST                             EAST
            S: K 5                           S: 9 7          
            H: Q 10 8                        H: 9 3        
            D: 9 8 7 2                       D: J 10 6 5          
            C: 10 9 3 2                      C: K Q 8 5 4   
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: 8 3  
                              H: A K 6 4    
                              D: A K Q 3  
                              C: A J 7    
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   2NT     Pass     3H(1)   Pass
                   3S      Pass     4NT(2)  Pass
                   5S(3)   Pass     5NT(4)  Pass
                   6H(5)   Pass     7S   (All Pass)
     This hand was played at the Saturday afternoon duplicate
bridge game held at the Beachwood Community Center, Richmond Road
and Fairmount Boulevard, Beachwood.  Mort Pierce of Chagrin Falls
held the South cards and this columnist sat in the North seat. 
Here are the auction notes:
          1.  Transfer to three spades.
          2.  Regular Blackwood - asking for aces.
          3.  Showing three aces.
          4.  Asking for kings.
          5.  Showing two kings.
     Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear Pierce open two no
trump.  There is a school of thought that says it is correct to
bid three clubs asking partner to show a four card major when you
hold a hand such as North does here.  I do not subscribe to that
theory.  South will have at least a doubleton spade for his bid
and if he does not hold the king he will finesse.  With such a
poor heart suit, partner would need a very solid holding to make
hearts a better suit to play in, and the spade finesse might
still be necessary.
     With all this in mind I transferred to spades, checked for
aces and kings and then had to decide upon a small slam or a
grand slam.  My final decision was based on the form of
competition.  Had we been playing rubber bridge or team of four,
with IMP (International Match Point) scoring, I would have
settled for the small slam.  There is just not enough to be
gained if the grand slam makes to justify sacrificing the small
slam bonus when only twelve tricks are available.  
     At matchpoint duplicate, most pairs will be able to get to
six spades holding the North spade suit opposite a twenty-one
point hand, whether two no trump is the opening bid or not.  If
we bid with the field and make six (or seven when the cards are
right), we will get an average score of four matchpoints (eight
was top on each board).  If seven can be made, and we bid it, we
will get eight matchpoints, and if it can't be made, and we bid
it anyway, we will get zero.  So the risk here is only four
matchpoints against the field as opposed to losing the small slam
and game bonus.
     This rationale leads me to believe that it is correct to
push to any grand slam that has a fifty per cent (or better)
chance of making when playing duplicate.  At rubber bridge or IMP
scoring, I would suggest that you only bid the grand when your
chances are closer to 85 or 90 per cent.
     The good news, as you can easily see, is that the king of
spades was "in the pocket" and the grand slam was made by way of
seven spades, two hearts, three diamonds, and a club.  We did
receive a score of eight on this board and went on to finish with
a 61% game which held up for a first place finish.