by Phillip Alder Aces and shortages are great for slam

Doug Larson, a syndicated newspaper columnist, claimed that if people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of ... what?

Remember that word “shortage” and look at today’s diagram. You will notice that both North and South have a shortage, a singleton. Also, each is opposite the ace in partner’s hand. So, North-South have no losers in hearts or clubs, despite the opponents’ having 12 high-card points in those suits. This is usually the start of a good recipe for a slam.

North showed his shortage by making a four-club splinter bid, announcing four-card spade support, sufficient values for game (at most five losers) and a singleton (or void) in clubs. South had only eight points and poor trumps, but he had two aces and his own shortage. So he control-bid four diamonds. That persuaded North to launch into Roman Key Card Blackwood. When South showed the missing aces, North invited a grand slam by bidding five notrump, but South had no interest.

How should South play after West leads the heart king?

This is a matter of counting winners. Outside spades, declarer has four. So, if he can collect eight trump tricks, he is home. Note those lovely seven spade tops.

South wins with the heart ace, ruffs a heart with the spade three, cashes his three minor-suit winners and completes a high-trump crossruff.

Larson claimed there would be a shortage of fishing poles. And, presumably, after some length of time, fish — as has happened in so many parts of the world.