Full House

6th November – Board 4. Game All. Dealer West.

Holding a complete set of trumps between yourself and partner is something of a rara avis but it happened last Thursday although I’m not sure whether the optimum contract was ever attained.

	North: S K 6 5 3 H Q 9 8 7 6 5 3 D 4 C A
West: S J 10 9 7 4 2 H none D K 7 5 2 C J 10 5		East: S A Q H none D Q J 6 3 C K Q 9 7 6 3 2
	South: S 8 H A K J 10 4 2 D A 10 9 8 C 8 4

West	North	East	South
No	1H	2C	3S
No	4C	No	4D
No	4NT	No	5C
No	6H	End

North has a choice of openings I dare say but to pass and come in later might go horribly wrong if the opposition are bidding strongly. And certainly it is wrong to open with a pre-empt for so many reasons that I cannot even bear to think about it. So 1H it is and if East overcalls in clubs at a minimum level then that gives South the chance to splinter in spades. Now North’s hand is enormous and after a couple of cue-bids and the inevitable Blackers the lay down slam is reached. Of course if East bids 3C at his first turn as many might, then that makes South’s task so much harder and he would still probably be thinking about what to do. I notice in passing that the best result for all concerned – or par as it is called – is 7C doubled minus three and without a spade lead and subsequent ruff the contract will only be two down.