Bidding a very thin slam.
Bridge Column for February 14, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
North-South vulnerable.  East deals.
                              North
                              S: 10 8 6           
                              H: 10 8 6 4    
                              D: Void        
                              C: A Q 9 6 5 2 
            West                             East
            S: 9 4 2                         S: K 7          
            H: J 5                           H: Q 7 3 2    
            D: Q J 8 6 2                     D: A 9 7 5 4 3       
            C: K 8 7                         C: 3           
                              South                         
                              S: A Q J 5 3 
                              H: A K 9      
                              D: K 10    
                              C: J 10 4   
          The Bidding:  
                   East   South     West   North                  
                   Pass     1S      Pass    2S  
                   Pass     4S      Pass    5C  
                   Pass     5H      Pass    6S  
                   Pass    Pass     Pass    
     Thanks to Marty Baff of Beachwood for this hand from the
Rock and Roll Regional Bridge Tournament which was held last
month in Independence.  Baff held the South cards.  His partner
was Keith Sechler of Brook Park.  
     The North cards are not easy to bid and Sechler did well to
continue on after Baff jumped to four spades.  The opening lead
was the queen of diamonds.  Baff trumped in dummy and played a
spade to the queen.  When that held he trumped the king of
diamonds in dummy and returned to hand with a heart.
     The ace of spades caught the king and after the last trump
was drawn, the club finesse provided an overtrick.  It was not
surprising that few pairs reached this slam. The North-South
combined holding is only twenty-four high card points.  Sechler's
analysis of the value of his club holding and diamond void were
well rewarded by the result.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.