Playing the right slam. Bridge Column for April 21, 2007, Harvey Bernstein Special To The Plain Dealer Both sides vulnerable. South deals. North S: 6 2 H: 5 3 2 D: A K Q 4 C: Q J 10 3 West East S: J 10 9 8 4 S: K Q 7 5 3 H: K 6 4 H: J 10 9 7 D: J 9 8 2 D: 6 3 C: 5 C: 6 4 South S: A H: A Q 8 D: 10 7 5 C: A K 9 8 7 2 The Bidding: South West North East 1C Pass 1D Pass 3C Pass 5C Pass 6C Pass Pass Pass Opening lead: JS One of the most difficult contracts to get to in duplicate bridge is a minor suit slam. No-trump contracts score more than minor suit contracts and the last thing that you want to see happen is to wind up in a minor suit game, making eleven tricks, when the no-trump game makes ten tricks. Todays hand is a good example, however, of what can happen in a trump contract. If the outstanding diamonds break three- three, twelve tricks are available in no-trump or clubs. The slam will also make when East holds the king of hearts. On the actual distribution, six clubs is the only playable contract. Can you see the play to guarantee this slam? The jack of spades is taken by the ace. Declarer draws trump and trumps the last spade from the dummy. The next step is to test diamonds. When East shows out on the third round of that suit, twelve tricks are in the bank. Here is the end position: North S: Void H: 5 3 2 D: 4 C: J 10 West East S: 10 9 S: K Q 7 H: K 6 4 H: J 10 9 D: J D: Void C: Void C: Void South S: Void H: A Q 8 D: Void C: K 9 8 With the lead in the dummy, declarer calls for the four of diamonds. East plays the seven of spades and declarer plays the eight of hearts. West wins the jack of diamonds and can lead either a heart or a spade. If he selects a spade, declarer trumps in the dummy and discards the queen of hearts from hand, claiming the balance of the tricks. If he leads a heart, again, the rest of the tricks belong to declarer. Keep in mind that this is a very difficult bidding decision for players at any level. Minor suit slams are just tough to bid. Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Ohio Masters Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on March 23 - 25. The following players were successful in their respective events on March 24. Other results appeared last week, more will be listed next week. Bracketed Knock Out Teams. Bracket 1 (7 teams). 1. Jerome Rolnick,Lyndhurst, Jack Shapiro, Beachwood, Stan Dub, Shaker Heights, andFrank Aquila, Fairlawn. 2. Philip MacFarlane, Parma, Henry Essig, Westlake, Shafik Ismail and Arthur Ehrler, Cleveland. Bracket 2 (8 teams). 1. Joshua Bailey, Burton, Robert Bailey, Jr, Chardon, Tom McGuire, Guysville, and Douglas Henderson, Rocky River. 2. James and Sara Buford, Lorain, with Mary and William Roberts, North Ridgeville. Two Session Stratified Flight A Pairs (20 pairs). Stratum A1. 1. Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg. 2. Marc Rabinowitz, Hudson, and Brian Ellis, Beachwood. Stratum A2. 1. Bernie Greenspan, Beachwood, and Paul Facinelli, Avon Lake. 2. Vernon De Jong, Sharon, PA, and Dolores Bloom, Warren. Morning Flight B Pairs (20 pairs). 1. Jean Joseph, Cleveland, and James Novak, Solon. 2. Cindy Sustin and Rusty Ellison, Aurora. Morning Flightt C Pairs (28 pairs). 1. Bradley Sevcik, Olmsted Falls, and Robert Carroll, Warren. 2. Sam Den, Mentor, and Charles Wen, Strongsville. Morning 299er Pairs (12 Pairs). 1. Paula Madvid and Evelyn Charna, Chagrin Falls. 2. Mike and Bobbie Varble, Solon. Afternoon Flight B Pairs (16 pairs). 1. Jayne Fleming and Michael Stahr, Stow. 2. Susan Conrad, Madison, and Ronald Lew, Cleveland. Afternoon Stratified C/D Pairs (35 pairs). Stratum C. 1. Sevcik and Carroll. 2. Thomas Rice, Cleveland, and Patti Perlmuter, Beachwood. Stratum D. 1. Kristen Kemp and Linda Beringer, Akron. 2. Fleur Howard, Gates Mills, and Laura Ross, Solon. _______________________________________________________ Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb0416@yahoo.com