Bridge Column for October 18, 1992 
Dealer: North
Vulnerable: Both

                              S: K 8 6
                              H: A 7 6      
                              D: A J 5 3   
                              C: J 9 4  

                                 N                       
                              W     E                      
                                 S                     
                                                         
                          
                              S: A Q J 10 4
                              D: K Q 10 4 
                              H: 6  
                              C: A 7 6       

                 NORTH    EAST    SOUTH    WEST 
                  1D      PASS      1S     PASS  
                  1NT     PASS      2C     PASS
                  2S      PASS      4C     PASS
                  4D      PASS      4NT    PASS
                  5H      PASS      5NT    PASS
                  6D      PASS      6S     PASS
                 PASS     PASS
     
     This hand was played at an international tournament and the
auction needs a little explanation.   South's two club bid is 
forcing and asks North if he holds four hearts or three spades. 
Four clubs is a cue bid showing the ace of clubs and is the start
of a slam investigation.  Four diamonds shows the ace of that
suit.  
     Four no trump is the Blackwood convention asking for the
number of aces in the North hand.  Five hearts shows two aces. 
Five no trump guarantees all four aces and asks for kings.  When
North responds showing only one king, South ends the auction by
bidding the small slam.
     The opening lead was the five of spades.  How would you plan
the play to give yourself the best chance to make the small slam?
     The declarer on this hand was the Brazilian champion,
Gabriel Chagas.  Chagas, who turned 48 this year, is a World
Bridge Federation Grand Master, with an incredible list of South
American and World titles to his credit.  His reputation was made
on tough hands like this one.
     Chagas won the opening lead with the ace (East followed with
the two) and played a small club toward the dummy.  West played
the two and Chagas called for the nine, which was won by East's
queen.  
     East returned the three of clubs.  Chagas won the Ace (West
playing the six) and drew a second round of trumps.  West playing
the three and East the seven.  Chagas was now ready to take his
chance.  A small heart was led to the ace with both defenders
playing low.  A heart was led back toward the South hand and when
East again followed low, Chagas finessed the ten.  West played
low.  Chagas now played the king and queen of hearts.  East
followed helplessly to the heart tricks while West discarded
small diamonds.  Chagas discarded the last club from dummy on the
fourth heart and then ruffed his small club with the king of
trump.  Here is the whole layout:
                              S: K 8 6
                              H: A 7 6      
                              D: A J 5 3   
                              C: J 9 4  

            S: 5 3              N          S: 9 7 2   
            H: 9 5           W     E       H: J 8 3 2     
            D: K 10 8 7 2       S          D: Q 9 4   
            C: K 10 5 2                    C: Q 8 3      
                          
                              S: A Q J 10 4
                              H: K Q 10 4 
                              D: 6  
                              C: A 7 6       
     Timing was the key to this hand.  A club had to be lost
before the second round of trumps was played.  If declarer plays
a second round of trump prematurely, East will be in a position,
upon winning the club trick later, to play a third trump before
declarer can negotiate a club ruff in the dummy.  
     Did you come up with the winning line of play?