Bridge 28/05/2011

Many Grand Slams can be claimed at trick one. But when there is work to do it is worth taking time to plan the play.

When partner opened the bidding West's thoughts turned immediately to slam. He made a strong jump shift in spades, then rebid his suit to set it as trump and demand cuebids. East cuebid his cheapest ace, and West used Roman Keycard Blackwood, discovering that partner had the two missing aces. 5NT was a general Grand Slam try that confirmed that East-West had all the controls and an adequate trump suit. When East cuebid the king of diamonds West had heard enough. North led the two of spades, the traditional trump lead against a Grand. How would you plan the play? There are 12 top winners. You can find a 13th by establishing dummy's fifth heart, provided that suit breaks no worse than 4-2. You may have to ruff twice to establish hearts, so you need three entries to dummy, two to take ruffs and one to cash the established winner.

There are three entries: ace of hearts, nine of spades, and one diamond – you can't afford to overtake the queen of diamonds to create an extra entry.

Since the nine of spades is an essential entry you cannot draw trump before starting on hearts. You should win the opening lead with a high spade in hand, cash the king and ace of hearts, and ruff a heart high. When North shows out, cross to the nine of spades to ruff another heart high. Only now can you draw the remaining trump, then play queen of diamonds and cross to dummy to make two diamonds and a heart on which you discard your club losers.

This line risks losing a heart ruff when the suit breaks 5-1, but it is the best odds. If you draw trump to ensure there is no ruff you must rely on a 3-3 break or an unlikely squeeze.