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Bridge 8/1
To invite a slam, start low
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    In "Travels With Charley," John Steinbeck wrote, "Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word.... A Texan outside of Texas is a foreigner."
    In yesterday's column I described the Texas transfer. After the opener bids one no-trump, if responder jumps to four diamonds, his hand contains at least six hearts; and if he jumps to four hearts, he announces  six or more spades. Also, the strength of his hand is either game-only or slam-going. On the next round, he will pass or move to slam, perhaps via Blackwood.
    But what does the responder do with a six-card or longer major and slam-invitational values?
    He transfers at the two-level, then jumps to game in his major — as in this deal.
    The opener is supposed to bid a slam with some fit for the major and good controls: aces and kings. Here, although South would have liked a spade honor, he was happy to jump to six spades because if a minor-suit finesse was needed, it would surely work, given East's opening bid.
    Moving on, how should South have planned the play after West leads a heart?
    Declarer could afford one trump loser, but not two. It was a textbook suit combination even without the knowledge that, from the bidding, East must have the king. South cashed dummy's spade ace at trick two. When the jack dropped, declarer lost only one trump trick. But if no honor had dropped, South would have played a second round, hoping for a 2-2 split.
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