Show n BETTER r BRIDGE BRIDGEy tI If y c C C. H. H j Neither side vulnerable North deals eals North V A K 8 4 4 A Q J 7 West cst East 43 3 t J 10 2 Q 7 5 4 83 South SouthA A K Q 10 5 4 2 1963 4 10 St St. K 10 4 The bidding North East South West Vest WestA 1 14 A Ie Pass 1 14 A Pass 3 V y Pass 3 3 A Pass PassA 4 44 A Pass 5 5 A Pass 5 4 0 Pass 6 i. i A Pass Pass ass Pass Opening lead Six of diamonds We Ve have frequently stressed the theme that a few well-placed well cards may be considerably more important important tant ant than others that carry a greater weight according to textbook textbook textbook text text- book tables There is no arithmetical cal road to knowledge in slam bidding bidding bidding bid bid- ding and one cannot hope to attain attain attain at at- tain any degree of in inthis inthis inthis this lucrative department of the game without first having become key card conscious Some kings are more important than others and so arc are some aces The successful successful successful success success- ful bidder must develop a sensitiveness sensitive sensitive- ness to fits and misfits An interesting illustration of precision in slam bidding with a minimum of guesswork and risk Is recorded today North opened with one club and South made the natural response of one spade At this point North decided that he was unwilling to play for less than game a reasonable reasonable reasonable reason reason- able gamble even though South might have a relatively weak takeout take take- out A violent raise in spades was not in order inasmuch as the trump support was questionable and th the sketchy diamond holding militated against a jump in no trump Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps a mere of two hearts a technical reverse would have hav been adequate but such a bid would woul not have been absolutely forcing and North was taking no chances chance on being dropped South temporarily temporarily temporarily tempo tempo- the spades and then North orth raised to four in routine fashion He could take no more vigorous action at this point because because because be be- cause so far as he could tell partner partner partner part part- ner might have nothing but a re- re biddable spade suit and no no ular honor strength South was sensitive to the splendid splendid splendid did fit of the hand Most of his losers were covered by partners partner's two bids and the singleton diamond loom loomed d very important He made one try for slam by showing the king of clubs which afforded North the thc opportunity to show posse possession pos pos- se session sion of the ace of diamonds This was enough information for South and he contracted for the slam which it will be seen was Note that If South's holdings Inthe in inthe the red suits suils were reversed that thatis is if it he held one heart and three diamonds there would have been no slam because A A. a. a diamond trick could be established by the thc defense before the ace o of trumps was driven out 1 L |