| West | North | East | South |
| 1♠ | |||
| Pass | 2♣ | Pass | 3♠ |
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | 4♠ |
| Pass | 5♠ | Pass | 6♠ |
| Dbl | All Pass |
Charles Goren’s career as a player ended in the Sixties. He died in 1991. Even so, his name remains synonymous with bridge. A master promoter, he was also a fine player, as can be seen on this deal from a tournament in the Thirties. Goren was South.
Goren won the opening lead of the ♦10 in the closed hand, cashed the ♣A and led the ♥4.
Who is to say West blundered by playing a low heart? South looked like someone who is going to dummy to take a discard or two on the club suit. But Goren was certain from West’s foolish double that West held three or four spades to the K-Q and probably the ♥K as well. If West held four spades, the contract was doomed, but if he held only three, there was a chance.
Goren finessed the ♥J and ruffed a club. He then played the ♦K to dummy’s ace and ruffed another club. Next he led the ♥Q to the ace and ruffed a heart. A diamond to dummy’s jack was followed by a fourth heart ruff, bringing this end position:
It remained only for Goren to exit with the ♠J or 9 and the doubled slam was home. Note that West could have scuttled the contract by playing the ♥K on the first lead of the suit, depriving Goren of a vital entry to dummy and foiling the trump reduction.
The full deal: