Bulletin

Two without trump queen (in English) author kaapo, 18.11.2010 at 01.05.
Summary: Grand slamming in match Trophy - KLAPP

Usually you do not bid the grand slam after finding out that the trump queen is missing. The Estonian juniors Pihel Sarv and Indrek Kuusk showed that there are exceptions.

13      ♠AJT4
North   ♥52               North    South
All     ♦AT643            1♦*      1♥    "Ranna Ruutu", Beach Diamond, 11-16, 1+c
        ♣K4               1♠       3♠*   Distributional GF
♠Q82            ♠75       4♣*      4NT*  Cue - RKCB with spades as trumps
♥3              ♥976      5♥*      7♥    2KC no trump Queen
♦8752           ♦QJ9      7♠       7NT
♣QJ852          ♣T9763
        ♠K963
        ♥AKQJT84
        ♦K
        ♣A.

Pihel set spades as trumps for the time being, then found out that just the queen of spades was missing. That would make the grand slam in spades a bad proposition. She wasn't quite finished with the bidding, yet, however. While the missing queen may be troublesome at spades, there can easily be 13 top tricks at hearts. Thus reasoning, Pihel bid 7♥. Her partner thought he could find the missing queen and converted to 7♠, but Pihel wisely converted to 7NT - the top spot.

A fine result was obtained at the other table as well. Arttu Karhulahti - Seppo Sauvola bid all the way up to 7♥. Well bid for a push board.

This board was played in the NFL Group A match Trophy (Finland) - KLAPP (Estonia). Trophy had the better of the rest of the boards and went on to win 20 - 10 VPs (52 - 29 IMPs).