BRIDGE

How about the widest range of emotions possible being experienced by one player in the short time it takes for two tricks to be played?

When North cuebid the preemptor’s suit to show an excellent forcing-to-game heart fit, South despaired of finding out all he might need to know to confidently bid a grand slam but he did believe he had enough for his direct route to the small slam.

Hard to argue with that assessment: diamond void, good club suit on the side as a possible source of tricks and even second-round spade control, all features that made slam an attractive undertaking.

In a way, South was also right to be concerned about missing a possible grand slam as there are thirteen easy tricks available but you wouldn’t want to be in seven hearts with a guess for the spade Queen the crucial issue.

But how about seven clubs? Discard one of North’s spades on South’s fifth heart and thirteen easy tricks but the massive consumption of bidding space by West’s preemptive intervention made finding and exploiting the club fit a practical impossibility.

Back at the table, West pondered his opening lead and eventually decided to go all in with a daring ploy: he’d underlead his massive diamond holding and hope that East could win the trick and diagnose the potential for a club ruff on the way back.

And for the very briefest time West saw his name in lights when his diamond deuce was covered by dummy’s eight and East’s Jack!

But wait! The lights (and West’s hope for glory) went out very quickly when South ruffed!