NORTH’s 5C was a cue-bid, agreeing spades as trumps. (South had shown a huge spade suit by opening with an Acol two-bid and jumping to 4S on the second round; there would be little point in suggesting clubs as an alternative trump suit after that.) The message passed by 5C was: ‘I think a spade slam may be possible and I have the ace or king of clubs’. When South showed a diamond control, North leapt to a small slam in spades. How would you play this contract when West leads the queen of clubs? The best chance of avoiding two diamond losers is to set up dummy’s heart suit. To do this, you must make good use of every available entry to the dummy. You win the club lead in your hand, preserving dummy’s club ace for later. After drawing just one round of trumps with the ace, you cross to the ace of hearts and ruff a heart with a high trump. You then lead the seven of trumps to dummy’s jack and ruff another heart high. A club to dummy’s ace allows you to take yet another high heart ruff. You can then reach dummy for the last time by leading your precious four of trumps and overtaking with dummy’s five. Dummy’s last heart is good and you can throw away one of your two diamond losers. Slam made!
What will you rebid on the West cards?
Answer It is dangerous to rebid only 2C because partner might pass when a game is possible. Against that, a 3C rebid would be game-forcing and you will not make game opposite many minimum 1S responses. The best rebid is 2NT, showing 18-19 points. If you open 1NT on 12-14, a 1NT rebid should show 15-17. If instead you open 1NT on 15-17, a 1NT rebid should show 12-14. In both cases you can jump to 2NT on 18-19.
NORTH’s 5C was a cue-bid, agreeing spades as trumps. (South had shown a huge spade suit by opening with an Acol two-bid and jumping to 4S on the second round; there would be little point in suggesting clubs as an alternative trump suit after that.) The message passed by 5C was: ‘I think a spade slam may be possible and I have the ace or king of clubs’. When South showed a diamond control, North leapt to a small slam in spades. How would you play this contract when West leads the queen of clubs? The best chance of avoiding two diamond losers is to set up dummy’s heart suit. To do this, you must make good use of every available entry to the dummy. You win the club lead in your hand, preserving dummy’s club ace for later. After drawing just one round of trumps with the ace, you cross to the ace of hearts and ruff a heart with a high trump. You then lead the seven of trumps to dummy’s jack and ruff another heart high. A club to dummy’s ace allows you to take yet another high heart ruff. You can then reach dummy for the last time by leading your precious four of trumps and overtaking with dummy’s five. Dummy’s last heart is good and you can throw away one of your two diamond losers. Slam made!
It is dangerous to rebid only 2C because partner might pass when a game is possible. Against that, a 3C rebid would be game-forcing and you will not make game opposite many minimum 1S responses. The best rebid is 2NT, showing 18-19 points. If you open 1NT on 12-14, a 1NT rebid should show 15-17. If instead you open 1NT on 15-17, a 1NT rebid should show 12-14. In both cases you can jump to 2NT on 18-19.