Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
S-K 10 7 6
H-9 7 4 2
D-A J 5
C-A 5
WEST EAST
S-5 2 S-9 4
H-8 H-J 10 5 3
D-K Q 10 D-9 8 7 6 4 2
C-Q J 9 6 4 3 2 C-10
SOUTH
S-A Q J 8 3
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H-A K Q 6
D-3
C-K 8 7
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1D Pass 2S Pass
4S Pass 4NT Pass
5H Pass 5NT Pass
6D Pass 7S Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of C
What would you say were the chances of a slight Broadway chorus girl becoming one of the great bridge players of all time? Zero, you might say. Yet that is the story of the late Helen Sobel Smith who won 35 national titles, mostly in partnership with Charles Goren!
At one such event, their table was surrounded by kibitzers. One of them asked her: “Mrs. Sobel, what does it feel like to play with one of the world’s greatest players?”
“I don’t know,” she riposted, and pointing to Goren she added “Ask him!”
She was declarer on this hand from a high-stake rubber bridge game, her partner was somewhat below expert ranking and as a result of his first two bids she landed in a grand slam. The play did not take long.
Declarer won in hand with the king and the ace and queen of spades were cashed. Next came a diamond to the ace and a diamond ruff in the closed hand. A club to the ace, on which West failed to follow, provided the entry for another diamond ruff. West was now known to have started with seven clubs, two trumps and three diamonds, hence only one heart.
Declarer now cashed the ace of hearts, and was delighted to see that West’s marked singleton was the eight. Dummy was entered with a club ruff and the four of hearts was led. East covered with the five and declarer’s six won the trick. Just another routine grand slam for an extraordinary player!
(Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Media Services Inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to
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