BRIDGE with Bob Jones

South opened the bidding on the minimum that the law allows, perhaps less. North was expecting more when he blasted his way to slam. South now had to justify his bidding with his play.

An opening trump lead from West would have defeated the slam, but West cannot be seriously faulted for not finding that lead. He tried a tricky low club instead. South won this with dummy’s ace and started on a cross-ruff, not really sure where it would all end. The ace of spades was followed by a spade ruff, then the ace of diamonds and a diamond ruff in dummy. Another spade was ruffed in hand and another diamond was ruffed in dummy. South now carefully cashed the king of clubs before ruffing another spade in his hand.

South led his last diamond and West, down to nothing but trumps, had to ruff. South over-ruffed with dummy’s king of hearts and led a club from dummy. In this three-card ending, West had to ruff and then lead a heart from his queen into declarer’s ace-jack. Making six!

Fit and controls are the key to a successful slam. North-South had a heart fit that was barely adequate for slam, but they did have first and second-round control in all four suits. That and a little distribution was all they needed.