The Bridge Column

GOOD IDEA

Neither vulnerable, North deals

South’s two-club bid asked opener if he held either four hearts or three spades. He followed that up with a bid sometimes referred to as a “self splinter”, which was a slam try in his own suit. South drove to slam when North made a control bid of four diamonds. South was disappointed to see that he only had 11 top tricks. Where could he find a twelfth? One chance was to cash two spades and the ace and king of diamonds. Four rounds of hearts would allow him to discard both of dummy’s low diamonds and then ruff a diamond in dummy. This would need the opponent with the long trumps to follow suit to four rounds of hearts — not a strong chance. South saw a different line of play that he liked better. West shifted to a spade at trick two, which South took care to win in dummy with the nine. Declarer ruffed a club in hand, cashed the ace of spades, and crossed to dummy with the ace of diamonds. He ruffed another club and crossed back to dummy with the king of diamonds. South ruffed another club, this time with his last spade. He led a heart to the ace and cashed the jack of spades to draw the last trump. He claimed his slam with three high hearts remaining. A beautiful dummy reversal. Very nicely played!*