When I kibitzed today’s deal in my club’s penny Chicago game, Louie sat South. North’s jump-raise to three spades promised a hand worth about 17 points in support of spades with four-card support. Louie tried for slam by cue-bidding his ace of diamonds, and North cue-bid four hearts in reply. Then Louie realized that it would be up to him to commit to slam: When North’s spades were so weak, he could offer no further encouragement.

Against six spades, West led a trump. Louie won, took his ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, returned a trump to his hand and ruffed a diamond.

Louie then cashed the A-K of clubs and got back to his hand by ruffing a club. He drew the missing trump and led a heart for a finesse with dummy’s jack -- and his lights dimmed and went out. East took the queen and led a diamond, and West won and cashed his jack of clubs. Down two.

Louie was de-lighted but hardly delighted. He can make the slam with perfect timing. To bring in 12 tricks, Louie needs his four high trumps, three hearts, the A-K of clubs, the ace of diamonds and two diamond ruffs in dummy. After Louie ruffs the first diamond, he should lead the dummy’s jack of hearts. East wins and leads another trump, and Louie wins and ruffs a diamond. He takes the top clubs, ruffs a club, draws West’s last trump and wins the last three tricks with good hearts in dummy.