Technical Claim By Patrick Jourdain (Wales) Michelle Brunner and John Holland of Manchester, England have had a run of successes around the world. Here in Tenerife they began well, but were having a tough second day at the point this was being written. On this deal from Saturday’s third round match against the Swedish team, Goldberg, Brunner had a satisfying claim to make: Board 21. Dealer North. None Vul.   ♠ 10 7 ♥ 9 7 3 ♦ K 8 ♣ K J 9 7 4 3 ♠ K 8 6 5 ♥ A 4 ♦ Q J 10 2 ♣ A Q 2 ♠ A J ♥ K Q J 10 2 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ 10 8 6   ♠ Q 9 4 3 2 ♥ 8 6 5 ♦ 9 7 5 4 ♣ 5 West North East South Holland Brunner     Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠   Pass 1NT Pass 4NT Pass 6NT All Pass Playing the weak notrump opening the rebid showed 15-17 and the auction was completely natural. South led a diamond to the queen, king and ace. With eleven top tricks Brunner tried the club finesse. This lost and North returned a diamond. Brunner won in dummy and laid down the ace of clubs as a Vienna Coup. When South discarded a spade, Brunner was confident of success. She cashed the third diamond and the slam was claimable when North discarded. Cashing hearts would and did execute a double squeeze. As South had to keep the diamond and North a club, neither would be able to hold three spades, and dummy’s eight of spades became the twelfth trick. At the other table the contract was Three Notrumps, so the Manchester team had gained 11 imps.

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