Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
S-A K J 3
H-Q J
D-K 7 4 2
C-K 10 2
WEST EAST
S-Q 9 S-10 8 7 5 2
H-4 H-K 10 8 6
D-Q 10 8 6 5 3 D-J 9
C-J 9 5 3 C-8 6
SOUTH
S-6 4
H-A 9 7 5 3 2
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D-A
C-A Q 7 4
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1H Pass 1S Pass
2C Pass 3NT Pass
4H Pass 5H Pass
6H Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Six of D
Members of the club had no qualms about raising Trump Coup Tommy’s suits with minimal support. They knew that his peculiar talent for handling bad trump breaks would stand him in good stead should the occasion arise. This deal is but one of several that highlighted his unusual expertise.
Tommy’s auction was typical of a sound opening bid containing a six-card major and four-card minor. North’s raise to five hearts showed a control in every side suit but not too much in trumps. Looking at three aces Tommy knew there would be no side suit loser and that his partner had to have some honor holding in trumps, so he happily pushed on to an excellent heart slam.
West led a diamond, won in hand with the ace. Tommy crossed to the king of spades and ran the queen of hearts successfully. The jack of hearts was covered by the king and ace and, when West discarded a diamond, Tommy’s demeanor changed to one of supreme confidence.
A club to the ten won, and a diamond was ruffed in the closed hand. A spade to the ace fetched the queen and provided the entry for a spade ruff. Declarer crossed to the table with the king of clubs and led the king of diamonds. Since ruffing would be an act of capitulation, East discarded a spade and then followed to the jack of spades. On the last two tricks declarer discarded the ace and queen of clubs, so now East and Tommy were down to nothing but trumps. When a minor-suit card was led from the board, Tommy’s nine of hearts behind East’s 10 8 could not be shut out from scoring the fulfilling trick.
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