Inspired Choice

21st October – Board 3: E/W Vul. Dealer South.

	North: S J 7 H A K Q J 9 4 2 D 9 7 C 9 7
West: S Q 8 3 H 8 7 3 D J 10 8 5 3 8 5		East: S A 9 4 2 H 6 D Q 6 4 C J 10 6 3 2
	South: S K 10 6 5 H 10 5 D A K 2 C A K Q 4

What would you like to be in on the hand shown above? 6NT by South ideally, for there can then be no danger of an early defensive ruff, and more importantly the king of spades is protected. On any lead but a spade there are thirteen tricks available because on the run of the hearts East will find the pressure intolerable, unable to keep four clubs and the ace of spades when the last heart is played. Playing weak 2’s with an opening 2C showing, inter alia, a balanced 19-20 count, the bidding might go as follows: -

West	North	East	South
			2C
No	2D	No	2NT
No	3D	No	3H
No	4NT	No	5H
No	6NT	End

There are several things to note about this auction. To begin with North should just ‘relay’ with 2D in order to find out the reason why his partner had opened 2C in the first place. It could be argued that 4NT is a quantitative bid with five hearts and I suppose that this is really a matter of partnership understanding, but to avoid confusion most pairs would play it as Blackwood, with hearts the agreed suit. Then, with nothing to be gained by wrong-siding the contract, North should convert to the no-trump slam. Of course there is the slight danger that the defence might start off by cashing the ace and king in a suit, but I think it is a risk worth taking.

At one table N/S reached 6H but played from the North hand and East made the inspired lead of a small spade! Poor North, thinking that East would be unlikely to underlead an ace against a slam, played low from dummy and a delighted E/W took the first two tricks.