Seven clubs is grand.
Bridge Column for July 11, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
East-West vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: A K 9 6 3        
                              H: A 7         
                              D: K 10        
                              C: A K 10 7 
            West                             East
            S: Q 8 4 2                       S: J 10 7 5     
            H: Q 8 4                         H: 9 6 3      
            D: Q 9 7 6 5                     D: 4 2               
            C: J                             C: 9 8 6 3     
                              South                         
                              S: Void 
                              H: K J 10 5 2 
                              D: A J 8 3   
                              C: Q 5 4 2  
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                    1H     Pass      1S     Pass
                    2C     Pass      4NT    Pass
                    6D     Pass      7C     Pass
                   Pass    Pass
     Thanks to Cheryl Halpern of Orange Village for this hand
from a recent duplicate game.  Halpern held the North cards and
was thrilled to hear her partner, Harriet Kitay of Solon, open
the bidding.
     When Kitay rebid two clubs Halpern had a number of options
but settled on the Blackwood Convention and bid four no trump. 
Kitay's six diamond response showed one ace and a void.  At this
point, the choices for a final contract were limited.  Six no
trump is one alternative and seven clubs is the other.  Halpern
considered her partner's void (which she knew to be the spade
suit) and her own doubletons, and decided that seven clubs would
be the best contract.
     The opening lead was the jack of clubs.  Many players would
normally not want to lead a singleton trump, but against a grand
slam this appeared to be preferable to leading away from the
queen in one of the other suits.
     Kitay won the ace and then cashed the king of clubs,
discovering the 1-4 break in that suit.  She played the ace and
king of hearts and then she trumped a heart with the seven of
clubs.  When both opponents followed she was home free.  She
cashed the ten of clubs and the two top spades (discarding
diamonds).  A diamond to the ace was the entry to her hand so
that she could draw the last outstanding trump and then cash two
good hearts.  The king of diamonds won the last trick.
     Bidding and making a grand slam is always an exciting
moment.  Congratulations on a well played top board.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.