Using the Grand Slam Force.
Bridge Column for July 25, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: A K 3 2          
                              H: A 10 9 8 4  
                              D: K Q 10 3    
                              C: Void    
            West                             East
            S: Q 6 4                         S: 10 9 7 5 
            H: 7 3 2                         H: Void       
            D: 5 4                           D: 8 7 6             
            C: J 10 4 3 2                    C: A 9 8 7 6 5 
                              South                         
                              S: J 8  
                              H: K Q J 6 5  
                              D: A J 9 2   
                              C: K Q      
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                   1H      Pass     4C      Pass
                   4D      Pass     5NT     Pass
                   7H      Pass     Pass    Pass
     Thanks to Roy Schnarrenberger of South Euclid for this hand
from a lunch time bridge game.  Schnarrenberger held the North
cards and his partner, Mark Baldwin of Hudson opened the bidding
with one heart.  
     Scharrenberger made a "splinter" bid of four clubs.  This
bid is a forcing major suit raise promising a singleton or void
in the bid suit.  Baldwin makes a cue bid showing his lowest (in
this case "only") ace. 
     Five no trump, in this sequence, is a very rarely used
convention that is known as the "Grand Slam Force".  Partner is
asked to bid a grand slam in the agreed upon suit if he has two
of the top three honors in that suit.  If he does not have that
holding, he is supposed to bid a small slam.  In this case, he
was happy to bid the grand slam and as you will note, it was a
laydown.  
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.