Coming Clean

2nd January – Board 19: East/West Game. Dealer South.

I like it when a seemingly poor hand suddenly becomes much better during the course of the auction and that would seem to be the case with South on the featured hand.

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

West	North	East	South
			No
1S	2H	2S	No
3S	Dbl	No	5C
End

It is better for North to show his five card major in the first instance with the hope to compete later with a double perhaps and this is exactly what should happen here. East has little choice but to raise spades and when South passes West should bid 3S, NOT as a game try but merely as a means of putting more pressure on the opposition. It is not a game try because there are so many other options open to him if that is the case – usually a long suit trial bid. However North should not be deterred from bidding again and the only real option is to make a take-out double, remembering of course that he has already shown five hearts. Now South should come clean and go all the way with his good fit in the minors and although 5C is a little lucky to make good players tend to induce that luck.