JOHNNY SUPREMO: THINKING STRAIGHT AGAIN.............................. I have never claimed to be a superb technician in terms of bidding and play..............the secret of my success is to keep my thinking staight, never allowing myself to fall victim to reckless or frivolous flights of fancy. The skills I have developed to be a winner are logic and reasoning, complemented by a dollop of flair, vision, and an ability to improvise when no sensible alternatives seem available.

• Well, here is a hand which very few players reached a rigid 25 point grand slam, except for just two pairs, which included my partner and I. Sitting North, partner held: A10xxxxx......Axx......Qx.....K.......all of which went very well opposite my: void.....xx.......AKJ98xx.......Axxx
• The uninterrupted bidding sequence went as follows: 1S - 2D - 2S - 3D - 4D - 5C - 6C- 6D - 7D

So what went through my mind when partner opened one spade? " Hmmm....not surprised to hear that bid......anyway, here goes, I'll start off with two diamonds....... Oh no, partner has rebid 2 spades, suggesting extra length but a relatively weak hand......and now I'm at the cross-roads. What to do for the best? My options are 3D, 3C, and 4D, but I need to review the merits and drawbacks of each. 3 diamonds will be interpreted as non-forcing and partner could pass.....but thereagain we could have a massive misfit and 3D could be our best spot..... 3 clubs will be certainly treated as on-going alright, but that bid mis-describes the shapely nature of my hand. Moreover, the misfit in spades requires me to be more circumspect. I need to tread carefully until a fit is found. 4 diamonds is a real alternative, but this takes up too much bidding space, and a club fit might go undetected. Sod it, I'll have to settle on 3D and hope my partner can keep the auction going. .........Wow, partner's finally shown me some diamond support.....either three small or a doubleton queen/jack? So far I have bid quietly....but now I must come to life. To bid 5D would be a cop out....so I must bid 5C to show some interest in a slam, and a first round control. Partner can always close the auction with 5D himself .......But what's this.....6C from partner.....this is music to my years. Surely, this infers he's not worried by 2 quick losers in hearts or spades? It's too much to expect him holding both the major aces so I'll best settle for 6D. .....Good grief he's gone to seven.....now he does hold both the outstanding aces ....plus of course the king of clubs. Nice one....partner."

The play went very sweetly. The Ace of spades dealt with my losing heart. The third round of clubs held up allowing me to ruff small. The fourth club was ruffed with the queen, and even with diamonds breaking 3-0 the contract rolled home.