YET ANOTHER JOHNNY SUPREMO MASTER CLASS

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Well, 0nce more Johnny enthralled the kibitzers

with another fine exhibition of intelligent play. Sitting South, he sensibly elected to rest in 6S, given partner's succession of weak responses.

Had the spades split 2-2, and hearts 3-3, and the diamond king onside, there were 13 tricks to be made.

But Johnny decided to play the contract allowing for the diamond king to be wrong, spades breaking 3-1, and hearts breaking 4-2. Now just making 12 tricks required a bit of thought. On the 10 of spades opening lead, Johnny took the trick in hand. Cashed the AK of hearts noticing West petering. On the third round of hearts, West wisely ruffed with the 9 of spades, forcing declarer to over-ruff with dummy's jack. Back to hand with a club ruff, the maestro calmly volunteered a 4th heart........which well and truly shafted West.

Not surprisinly West elected to ruff the trick with her 8 of spades, allowing declarer to pitch a losing diamond away in dummy. Then when Johnny got back in with another club ruff, the established 5th heart provided another opportunity to pitch a losing diamond away from dummy. So with one precious trump still opposite , the queen of diamonds could now be ruffed. Slam made by virtue of 6S, 3H, 2 ruffs (H/D) and the Ace of D.

( If West had declined to ruff in front of dummy with the 8 of spades, Johnny would have ruffed the 4th heart, to re-enter his own hand with a second club ruff to draw trumps, cash his 5th heart, and give up his only losing trick to the king of diamonds. )

Such a beautiful game to watch when kibitzing the experts.