With a little help from them

Sometimes, in competitive bidding situations, a pair ends up in a very good contract which it wouldn’t have reached if left to its own devices. Today’s hand sees North/South pushed into a 23point slam which they just happened to make. The deal comes from a recent tournament at the Otago Bridge Club.

Let’s take a look at the bidding.

South’s Precision one club showed any hand of 16 or more points.

West’s four hearts was very aggressive on a sixcard suit at nil vulnerable.

North’s double showed values.

After East had raised in hearts, and South had bid spades, North’s hand became rather good. Because he held three small hearts, partner was almost certain to be void, so to all intents and purposes, they were playing with a 30point pack. Furthermore, with his fine trump support, club shortage and an ace, North was comfortable with his ‘‘one more for the road’’ decision.

When North put his hand down he commented, ‘‘I bid slam only because the opponents thought it was on’’.

South played the hand as a dummy reversal. He ruffed the opening heart lead, then played the ace and another club.

East won and returned a second heart, which South ruffed. He cashed the two top spades in hand, played over to dummy with a diamond and ruffed a third heart. He then crossed back to dummy with another diamond to draw the outstanding trump. The last two diamond winners gave 12 tricks.

Well bid and well played.