CANADIAN BRIDGE

The ten of clubs was covered by the queen but ruffed. Declarer drew trump and discarded three hearts and a spade on the club winners. A spade finesse was unsuccessful but an overtrick was in the bank, N-S +620. North's heart cue bid was offered in search of a stopper for NT. A heart lead would hold South to the contract and, perhaps, West should have selected a heart because South had basically denied a heart stopper by rebidding two spades showing a guard in that suit. East was having a siesta because he should have doubled two hearts to insist on a heart lead. 3NT would have been a disaster when East leads the heart ace. The defense would swiftly cash six heart tricks but there was no chance that North would advance to the nine-trick game without a heart guard.

North's decision to give up on the minor suit slam was warranted because it appeared that the defense would cash two heart winners unless partner held a singleton. The minor suit game would likely only be defeated when South did not own the ace of spades.

It is difficult to imagine that any N-S pair would reach 3NT but anything is possible at bridge.