I usually avoid putting complex auctions and plays in this column but every once in a while an exception is called for and this week is one of those.

The hand this week took place at the Canadian Bridge Championship and not only does it involve some individual brilliance but it carried all the tension of a Hollywood movie.

Thanks to Fernando Lema and Katie Thorpe for first reporting the hand.

At stake in the final was a trip to the World Championships in Chennai, India and the Heino team (Janet Heino NPC, James Galand-Gerry McCully, Ken Scholes-Peter Herold) squared off against Carruthers (John Carruthers-Joey Silver, Michael Roche-John Rayner, Martin Kirr-Katie Thorpe ).

With two boards to go of the 60 played it looked all over as Heino led by 21 imps.

On Board 59 Martin Kirr made a brilliant 4 Spade contract that was defeated in the other room to gain what looked like a consolation ten imps and reduce the deficit to 11 with just Board 60 to be played. Here is Board 60.

Dealer East EW Vul

North

S 1076

H J65

D 109542

C 104

West

S A8

H A982

D AKJ7

C QJ7

East

KQ53

H 43

D Q86

C AK32

South

S J942

H KQ107

D 3

C 9865

Sitting East–West for the leading Heino team were McCully-Garland. McCully opened a 14-16 NT with the East hand, Garland bid Stayman to check for a Heart fit and over the 2 Spade bid by opener jumped to a very practical 6NT contract.

Twelve top tricks and a comfortable 1440 left the team feeling really good as there was nowhere to go for a thirteenth (note that if South held KQJ10 of Hearts there is a thirteenth trick as he has no good card to throw on the last of the minor suit winners!).

So, to the other room. Here is the auction. Follow it closely.

West: 1D(1), 2H(3), 3H(5), 4NT(7), 5H(9), 7C(11)

East: 1C, 1S(2), 3D(4), 3S(6), 5C(8), 6C(10)

1. Four card suits up the line unless West had a weak hand

2. Promises 4 Spades and at least 4 Clubs

3. Fourth suit forcing

4. No Heart stopper but 3 cards in Diamonds

5. Values in Hearts

6. Concentration of values in Spades

7. Roman Key Card Blackwood for Diamonds as trumps

8. 1 or 4 Key cards ( Aces and the Trump King are Key cards )

9. Asking for queens

10. Shows the Diamond Queen and the Club King !!

11. My goodness !!!

It was Kirr again sitting West and his final bid was stunning.

He figured that East must have the KQ of Spades or he would have bid 3NT after West had shown Heart values.

Then when East showed 3 Diamonds Kirr visualised a 4-2-3-4 hand with a Heart loser, but realised that a Spade ruff in his hand could be the thirteenth trick.

Knowing they were behind Kirr now made the master bid in the hope that he had read it right.

Katie Thorpe played it exactly as Kirr had visualised.

She won the Heart lead, played the Queen-Jack of Clubs, ace of Spades, king of Spades and a Spade ruff, cross to the Diamond Queen, draw trumps and had four tricks left with the good Spade and three good Diamonds.

Plus 2140, that was 12 imps to the Carruthers team — victory by 1 IMP and a trip to India! Truly unbelievable bidding by Kirr and combined with his heroics on the previous Board maybe one of the best finishes I have ever seen.

One thing, no one leads a singleton against a Grand Slam (as partner cannot have the Ace) but on this hand a Diamond lead puts paid to the Club Grand slam. Try it.

Phew! I’m worn out just reporting it.