Some hands with 5-4-2-2 distribution are well suited to a two no trump opening. South chose two clubs with this major-suit-oriented hand so he could get both of his suits in. North’s two no trump response showed a balanced hand with 8-10 points. He thought he was too good to pass four hearts so he cue bid his diamond control, leading to this excellent slam.

South won the opening diamond lead with dummy’s king and drew trumps in three rounds. Without giving it much thought, he began to run his spades, believing that he would make an overtrick if the spades split 3-3 and just make his contract if they split 4-2. He didn’t bother to think what might happen if the spades split 5-1, or worse. When East discarded on the second spade, South could no longer make his slam. He had to lose a spade and a club. Provided the trumps split 3-2, the slam was cold regardless of the split in spades. South should have drawn trumps, ending in dummy, and then run the 10 of spades. He might still make seven if East has the jack of spades, and no bad spade split could defeat him. Too bad.