This is aHand:

Yes, this South hand is a clone of Hand 2. However, the other three hands are very different.

Bidding.

As dealer we open 1♠ and see North respond 2NT. Ah-ha! This is our new toy – a Jacoby raise.

The idea is that a 2NT response to 1♥ or 1♠ is forcing to game, showing four-card (or better) trump support and at least an opening bid in its own right. The rationale is to be able to distinguish between a direct raise to four-of-a-major as a pre-empt and 2NT, allowing exploration for a slam.

So, how do we feel about this, given that North has at least an opening bid with four Spades? Well, with 19 whole points we are excited. The combined point-count is at least 31 and we have a nine-card Spade fit.

We temporize over 2NT with 3♠. This is essentially neutral – a bid of 4♠ would tell partner that we had no slam interest. A bid of another suit would show length there. This 3♠ bid merely keeps the ball rolling.

North bids 4♦ as a cue-bid so we decide the time has come to show our true colors. We unleash Blackwood and advance to 6♠ over the 5♥ response.

Play.

West leads the ♦8 (second highest from garbage) and we see dummy has far more than we might have expected. Five trumps! 16 points! Have we undercooked this one? Well, our essential Count and Plan tells us that there is no way of dumping a potential Club loser. We have to take the Club finesse for an overtrick – and there is no way we want to be a grand slam on a finesse.

[Note: We ought to make the remark that two 5∙3∙3∙2 hand facing each other often have this problem with discards – or lack of them. It’s why we are so unenthusiastic about these hands here at VuBridge].

Anyway, The foregoing analysis assumes that trumps break, of course. We could pick up a 3-0 break if East has the length, provided that we cash the King first to discover the position. Anyway, trumps are always 2-1, aren’t they?

So we take the Diamond lead on table and cash the â™ K. Oops! East shows out, leaving West with a sure trump trick. Suddenly, the slam is looking a little insecure. Do we have to rely on the Club finesse?

Once again, we can co-opt West into working for our side. We can put him on lead at the right time with his sure trick and force a Club lead (or a ruff-and-sluff). To do this we need to time the play accurately. We take the â™ A and cash two Diamonds, pitching a Club. Now we play Hearts, not caring if West ruffs. After all, if West trumps one of our Hearts, what could he lead?

West allows the Hearts to win but that only postpones the evil day. We stick him on lead with the ♠Q and politely await his choice of felo de se. With a look of disgust West leads a Club, slap bang into the ♣A Q tenace.

We claim the contract and West shakes his head. There was, though, nothing he could do – we had him on toast.