BRIDGE

North dealer.

Both sides vulnerable.

Cuebidding as a means of exploring slam possibilities is an art that has not been sufficiently cultivated by the general bridge-playing public. As a case in point, take this deal from a team contest.

At one table, the bidding went as shown. After South's jump-shift and

North's heart raise, South immediately invoked Blackwood. Upon learning that North had an ace and two kings, South had to guess which two kings his partner held.

If one of them was the king of spades, 13 tricks -six hearts, four spades, the ace of clubs, the ace of diamonds and North's second king -- could be counted.

Reluctant to jeopardize the small slam, South settled for six hearts. When he saw the dummy, he chided himself for being such a pessimist.

At the other table, the auction began the same way, but on the second round, South chose not to use Blackwood immediately and instead tried to elicit more precise information from his partner: indicated first-round control of that suit (usually the ace) and asked North to reply in kind. North's fourclub bid and South's fourdiamond bid also showed first-round controls.

Then came the bid South hoped to hear -- four spades, indicating secondround control (usually the king) of that suit.

From then on, it was easy. South learned via Blackwood that North had an ace and two kings -- just as his counterpart had -but South knew one of the kings was the king of spades, so it was easy to bid the grand slam.

(c)2022 King Features Syndicate Inc.