Bridge

There was plenty of action on this deal. North opened Three Diamonds, East passed, and South launched out immediately with Five No-trumps - the grand-slam force - enquiring about the top honours in the implicitly agreed suit, diamonds. With two of the top three honours, North showed them by jumping to Seven Clubs and South converted to Seven Diamonds, which would have been a very safe spot.

In view of the vulnerability, however, East decided to save with a bid of Seven Hearts. On best defence, this would have cost 1,700 points but, unwilling to relinquish the grand slam bonus, South now bid Seven No-trumps - a far better bid than Seven Spades.

West led !2 against the grand slam and, after winning East's queen with his ace, declarer cashed the 2A (a Vienna coup) before running seven diamond tricks. At the end, West had the choice of discarding the 2K or unguarding the spades, and North-South triumphantly collected 2,220 points.

West's heart lead was unlikely to achieve anything and there was something to be said for the jack of spades, which would have been safe and might well have helped to clarify the position. As it happens (fortuitously, perhaps) this lead breaks up the critical entry for the squeeze, and would have left South wishing that he had taken the money from Seven Hearts doubled.

North-South game; dealer North

North

47

!6 3

#A Q J 10 9 8 7

2Q 8 4

West East

4J 10 9 2 43

!10 5 2 !K Q 9 8 7 4

#6 3 #5 2

2K J 6 5 210 9 7 3

South

4A K Q 8 6 5 4

!A J

#K 4

2A 2