Classic Treatment

10th October – Board 1: Love All. Dealer North.

Disappointingly only one pair found (almost) the top spot on the hand shown below although as long as you trust your partner it shouldn’t have been too difficult.

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

West	North	East	South
	No	1H	No
1S	No	4H	No
4NT	No	5C	No
7NT	End

East is too good to open 4H and yet not good enough for a strong two (when you promise more defensive values) and the classic way of dealing with a hand like this is to open at the one-level and rebid game. West should be charmed. A check-up on the key players should convince him that partner holds the hand he does when he can count all thirteen tricks. There is a small point of interest in the play however. Declarer should lead the jack of hearts first and although he has no intention of running it a somnolent North holding Q 10 6 might cover whereupon declarer can pick up the remaining suit with a finesse against the ten. In any event the grand makes as long as hearts are 2-1, well within the odds for bidding it.