GOREN BRIDGE

KEEP DIGGING

A good declarer never takes a deal for granted. He will continue digging for more information and delay a key decision until he has all the information he needs. Sometimes that will only be partial information, but he will keep digging until there is no fresh ground to dig in. North’s six-diamond response to five no trump showed specifically the king of diamonds, while denying the king of clubs. That was enough for South to bid the excellent grand slam. All South needed was a 3-2 club split, but he delayed playing on clubs as long as he could. South won the opening heart lead with his ace and drew trumps in three rounds, noting that East started with a singleton spade. He then cashed three top diamonds, shedding the low heart from his hand, learning that East also started with a singleton diamond.

South ruffed dummy’s last heart with the jack of spades and saw West follow suit, which meant that East started with 1-7-1-4 distribution. This was almost too easy. He led a club to dummy’s ace and then led another club. East played low, and South confidently played his nine to bring home his grand slam. It would have done East no good to split his top clubs. South would have won and crossed to dummy in trumps to take another club finesse. Well done!