Bizarre bridge slam

By Djanwar Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): This deal was from the semifinals of the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams 40th Spring North American Bridge Championships from March 6 to March 16, 1997 in Dallas, Texas.

Dealer: West

Vulnerable: All

NORTH

(S) A 10 6 5 4 3 2

(H) Q 8

(D) K 8 2

(C) 2

WEST EAST

(S) 8 (S) 7

(H) 10 9 4 (H) 6 5 3 2

(D) Q 10 9 7 6 5 (D) A J 4 3

(C) J 10 8 (C) A 7 6 3

SOUTH

(S) K Q J 9

(H) A K J 7

(D) void

(C) K Q 9 5 4

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Stewart Goldman Weinstein Soloway

3D Pass 5D 5NT*

Pass 6H** All pass

* Pick a slam

** Following a fairly long hesitation

Bobby Goldman thought Paul Soloway was showing the two lower unbid suits when he bid 5NT. His Hearts were better than his Clubs, so he decided to bid Hearts.

East led the Ace of Diamonds, and dummy discarded a Spade. What's going on here?

Even though he had the Ace of Clubs, East thought he had struck a weak spot -- so he led another Diamond.

Goldman won the King, cashed the Queen of Hearts and crossed to the Ace. When he led the King of Hearts, he showed out!

Next he drew the last trump with the Jack and won the rest with his seven card spade suit.

The barrage set up by Fred Stewart and Steve Weinstein gave them a 4-2 slam, instead of a 7-4 slam, which also could have been made.

Of course Weinstein could have beaten the Hearts slam -- his Ace of Clubs would have survived if he had led it.

This hand came from a nightmare set for the Schwartz team's Goldman and Soloway -- they dropped 50 IMPs. Clearly it could have been much worse.

In the final round the team captained by Richard Schwartz (seeded third) held on for a 156-128 victory over Jimmy Cayne's team (seeded fourth) in the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams.

Richard Schwartz's team was Mark Lair, Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Paul Soloway and Bobby Goldman.