NABC Site Bulletins Results
March 10th
Opening lead: 
Q
Bidding commentary: North’s 2
response is natural and positive. Some play a positive response guarantees two of the top three honors, but that is a bit restrictive. Agreeing the trump suit at the three level (3
) facilitates slam bidding. Also, two aces plus the queen of partner’s suit facing any sane 2
opening should be more than enough for slam. 4NT was Roman key card Blackwood (RKCB) and the 5 response showed two keycards (the four aces and the K are key cards) plus the Q. A 5 response also shows two key cards, but denies the Q. As South, you can only count 12 sure tricks, but the chance to establish hearts plus at worst the club finesse makes bidding a grand slam odds on.
Play commentary: In order to avoid the club finesse, declarer must try to set up at least one of dummy’s hearts for a club discard. When setting up a long suit in dummy, keep as many late entries to dummy as possible. Win the K and play the A and K. Notice that the A and the Q remain as “late” dummy entries. Next, cash the K and play a heart to the ace. Ruff a heart with the J in case West is out of hearts. He is! There is still one higher heart outstanding (you are counting hearts, of course). Not to worry, you have two dummy entries. Cross to the Q, drawing East’s last trump, and ruff a heart. Don’t look now, but you have established dummy’s fifth heart for your 13th trick! Cross to the A and discard the J on the long heart. Well done!
[box]Tip: When setting up a long suit, use trump entries before side suit entries (Q before A).[/box]
The full deal:
