After bidding seven, draw the trumps

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE® GARFIELD® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

Arnold Palmer said, “Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger.” This deal has an interesting suit combination. How should South handle his trumps in seven spades?

I produced this deal from Northsouth hands given in “Bidding Tools” by Eric Rodwell (Baron Barclay Bridge Supply).

Rodwell is one of the greatest theorists and players ever. In this book, he discusses nine popular conventions: support doubles and redoubles, new minor forcing, mixed raises, Cappelletti, responses to a forcing one-no-trump response, inverted minor-suit raises, Roman Key Card Blackwood, serious three no-trump and last train.

This deal, as you no doubt guessed, comes from the RKCB chapter. North showed game-invitational values with three-card spade support by responding with one forcing no-trump, then jumping in spades. Five diamonds indicated one key card: an ace or the trump king. (Note that Rodwell does not like 14-30. Read the book for his explanation.) Five hearts asked about the trump queen, and six clubs promised that card and the club king -- perfect!

The only problem is drawing trumps safely. There is a natural reaction to cash the ace, then to cross to the queen; but that fails when East has all five trumps. After taking the first trick with dummy’s heart ace, declarer should cash the spade queen. When West discards, South runs the spade nine, plays a spade to his 10, draws the rest of the trumps and claims.