[Photo provided to China Daily]

Richard Powers, a novelist whose works explore the effects of modern science and technology, wrote, "What was acrophobia anyway, if not the half-acknowledged desire to jump?"

Some players suffer from bridge acrophobia: a fear of the six- and seven-levels. What do you need for a good slam when your side does not have heaps of high-card points?

Ideally, you have a good trump fit and controls in the side suits. In this deal, what do you think of the auction?

I like strong jump shifts at the two-level. Also, I keep them well-defined: either a long, strong one-suiter, or a good two-suiter with the responder's suit and the opener's suit, as in this deal. I believe 13-17 high-card points is ideal. Responder shows enough to insist on game, but needs opener to decide about slam prospects.

Here, South was not fond of his singleton and only four diamonds, so backpedaled over three diamonds with three no-trump.

But when North did not pass, South used Roman Key Card Blackwood and settled into six diamonds.

West, with an unappealing lead, chose his trump. South won that and drew another round, which caused West considerable discomfort. He wanted to keep all of his spades and, because South had rebid in the suit, clubs. So he threw a heart.

Declarer drew the last trump and played a club toward his king. When East took the trick, South had 12 tricks: one spade, four hearts, four diamonds, one club and two club ruffs in the dummy.