The companion board 8 was also a slam but this time for East/West and I got it wrong. My hand was -
S A
H QJ64
D AK
C AKQ1063
With 9+ tricks it is a 2C opener, our strongest bid. Georgia replied with 2D a negative response. We tend to make positives quite freely, she is normally vey weak for this bid. I rebid 3C and Georgia bid 3NT showing about 5-7 balanced with no decent major to show.
As to open 2C and rebid in a minor shows a very big hand I passed 3NT which made 10 tricks. When I look at it again a slam is possible if she has a top heart together with a couple of clubs that her bid suggests. So it would have been sensible to make a try by continuing with 4C. Georgia would have cuebid 4H which was exactly what I needed so my next bid should be 6C.
Now you have to make it. Georgia held -
S J32
H A53
D 109852
C J2
Did you draw trumps and finesse the hearts? I hope not as you are down when the finesse lose and the hearts break 4-2.
With no loser outside hearts, and no reasonable chance of ruffing one in dummy, the challenge is to play A53 opposite QJ64 for 3 tricks. With the10987 missing as well as the king there is no percentage in taking the finesse. A 3-3 heart break makes the slam laydown so it is the other breaks that need to be coped with. The best line would seem to be winning the second round of clubs and leading a low heart towards the QJ in hand. If that loses to the king the suit will have to break 3-3. If it wins, drawing the last trump and leading to the heart ace and then a heart towards the jack will deal with the king on your right even with as many as 4 cards in the suit.
As that is how I would have played and that would make the contract I should have bid on - this time.
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