Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
S-9 8 7
H-7 2
D-7 5 4 3 2
C-J 10 5
WEST EAST
S-5 2 S-10 4 3
H-J 9 5 4 3 H-10 6
D-A J D-10 9 8 6
C-Q 8 6 4 C-9 7 3 2
SOUTH
S-A K Q J 6
H-A K Q 8
D-K Q
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C-A K
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2C Pass 2D Pass
2S Pass 3C Pass
3H Pass 3S Pass
6S Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of S
This is another deal from Eddie Kantar’s “Thinking Bridge” series, designed for players anxious to improve their game.
“North’s two diamonds is a ‘waiting’ bid, not necessarily a bad hand, but three clubs is the ‘second negative,’ showing a very bad hand. Some partnerships show the terrible hand the first time with a ‘super negative’ bid of two hearts. All roads lead to Rome, however, after North shows a terribly weak hand presumably with three spades. After all, South does not have many losers with that dream hand.
“A trump lead is not clear, but is reasonable. You are East, and you may not realize it, but the fate of this slam depends on your playing low at trick one! If you turn your neck a quarter-turn to the right, you will see that dummy has a doubleton heart, as do you. You should also see that, if you keep your ten of spades, you will be able to overruff dummy if declarer has to ruff a heart (he does).
“This is yet another case where third hand does not always play high. When partner leads a trump and you have a trump that can overruff dummy, it is almost always right to play low, keeping that trump for useful purposes.”
To find out more about Eddie Kantar’s many award-winning writings, go to
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