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East won the ace of diamonds but mistakenly switched to a heart. Declarer won dummy's ten, drew trump and parked two clubs from dummy on the heart winners to record twelve tricks.

East should exit with a safe trump, restricting declarer to the contract. North employed Jacoby 2NT as a forcing spade raise to discover that partner owned a singleton diamond. He had reasonably upgraded his collection because he owned a fifth spade and two aces. He continued with a heart cuebid as South reciprocated by disclosing the king of hearts. The five club cuebid elicited a sign-off from partner and he was forced to subside. South would surely have advanced to a spade slam had he possessed the king of clubs.

The spade slam was not a viable contract because South owned the wrong minor suit king! The singleton king of diamonds was without any value but the king of clubs would have guaranteed twelve tricks.

The major suit slam was reached only twice where one pair was successful but the other went down.

Author: Dave Willis - visit his website at www.insidebridge.ca Questions on bridge can be sent with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The New Canadian Bridge c/o Torstar Syndication Services, One Yonge St., Toronto, M5E 1E6.

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