Good hands with 4-4-4-1 distribution are among the most difficult hands to bid. North chose to open one club and reverse into two diamonds despite not having a five-card suit in his hand — perhaps as good a choice as any. South’s two-heart bid was the fourth suit and could have been made with many different hands, including hands that did not have four hearts. North’s raise to three hearts, therefore, promised four cards in the suit and pinpointed his spade shortage. South drove to slam when he learned that North held three aces.

South won the opening trump lead in dummy and ran the nine of spades to West’s ace. The trump continuation was won in hand and a spade was ruffed in dummy. South returned to his hand with the king of diamonds and ruffed another spade with dummy’s last trump. S o u t h cashed dummy’s two high diamonds, shedding one spade and one club from his hand, and ruffed a diamond back to his hand. Declarer cashed his remaining trumps, leaving a two-card ending with dummy holding the acequeen of clubs and declarer with one club and the queen of spades. East had to discard the king of spades or his low club. East chose to part with his low club, leaving the king bare. South made no mistake and led his club to dummy’s ace, dropping the king, and claimed his slam. Very nicely played!