Automatic

13th June – Board 12: North/South Vul. Dealer West.

Anyone who might have bid to a slam could consider themselves to be lucky when the adverse cards laid kindly for them.

	North: S A K Q 6 H K 8 7 D K 10 9 8 C 7 2
West: S J 9 4 2 H Q D Q J 2 C Q J 10 9 5		East: S 8 7 5 H 9 4 2 D 7 6 C A 8 6 4 3
	South: S 10 3 H A J 10 6 5 3 D A 5 4 3 C K

West	North	East	South
No	1S	No	2H
No	4H	End

The above auction could not be criticised for remember that responder will hold at least five hearts for his 2H bid so that North with his six-loser hand is entitled to bid game. South might consider cue-bidding in diamonds but that would elicit a sharp retreat to 5H from his partner. In any event West has a natural club lead and it does look as though declarer has another loser in diamonds but see what happens when he runs all his trumps. West is unable to guard both diamonds and spades and twelve tricks will automatically roll in.