DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

A reader asks how to respond to a Blackwood inquiry when she has a void suit: “Do I just show my aces, or do I treat the void like an extra ace?”

Pairs use various methods. With one ace and a void, a common scheme is to jump to six of the void suit if it ranks below the agreed trump suit, or to jump to six of the agreed suit otherwise. With two aces and a void, respond 5NT.

When South bid 4NT in today’s deal, North jumped to six hearts to show one ace and a spade void. South settled for a small slam. West led a diamond, and declarer took dummy’s ace and led a trump to his queen.

West took the king and returned the jack, and South was doomed. He could ruff two spades in dummy and discard one on the king of diamonds, but he had no route to a 12th trick.

North-South got to a good slam, but declarer erred. At Trick Two he must lead a trump to his ace. South can then ignore the missing king of trumps, take his winners and crossruff his way home.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ KQ105 ♥ AQ64 32 ◆ 6 ♣ A 3. Your partner opens one spade. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: The chances for slam are bright, but this is not the right time to take control with a Blackwood 4NT bid. Jump-shift to three hearts, planning to show your spade support next. If partner has decent spades and useful cards such as the king of hearts and ace of diamonds, he won’t stop short of slam.