Hi all
Here are two slam deals that basically decided the match in team Vishnevsky’s favor. Unfortunately I don’t have my teammate’s scientific Viking sequence available that led to an odds on 7
. This was the full deal:
As you can see the 4-1 trump break and the 5-1 
split was too much to overcome. You run into communication problems after two rounds of trumps. West at the other table used some new minor forcing sequence and later brusquely jumped to 6. That was a whopping 29 imp swing.
The levee was about to break. Here’s the other one, a lead problem.
21. Asking
2. Good hand & good suit
What red suit? The tiny sequence in 
made the decision for me at the table. Well, that was another minus 15.
Declarer drew trump and claimed thirteen tricks. At the other table the exact same sequence, but South led a 
. Post mortem I think I should have found the lead. That would only be wrong if it would set up declarer’s Queen as twelfth trick, with no other way of getting to twelve tricks. My bad.
I think that the
slam can still be made. Suppose a heart lead. You play two round of trumps, notice the 4-1 break. Unblock diamonds (which works unless diamonds are 6-1) and play a spade to the Ace. The Queen drops so you have 12 tops. Play one more diamond, discarding a heart and ruff a heart. That should make the contract, and get the required swing to win the match.
That won’t work. My partner led his singleton Queen on opening lead!
It’s still possible, but you have to play
AK before drawing a second round of trumps
Here was the bidding (Viking Precision Club):
(11-15, 2+ diamonds)
(12-13 bal, no 4cm or 5cm)
— 3
(2=3=4=4 shape)
— 4
(the black aces)
— 4
(no kings)
Q and 
Q are both useful, as are the 
J and 
J.
All of West’s bids are relays except for 7
West – East
—— 1
1NT — 3
3
3
4
7
Partner must have at least 1 Q to make 12 HCP. The