WARWICK BRIDGE CLUB
Dealer: N Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ A1095
♥ K6
♦ K106
♣ AKJ6
WEST EAST
♠ 74 ♠ J5
♥ 8752 ♥ AJ103
♦ 8542 ♦ Q97
♣ 953 ♣ 10742
SOUTH
♠ KQ862
♥ Q94
♦ AJ3
♣ Q5
On this deal a slam was waiting in both 6S and 6NT for anyone who could bid it.
In a small field, only Friday winners Ros Hart and Jenny Smith managed to find it.
Jenny opened 1NT showing 15-18 high card points,
Ros bid 2C which asked Jenny for a four-card heart or spade suit. Jenny obliged with 2S, after which Ros bid 4C – an artificial bid asking Jenny how many Aces she had. Jenny’s bid of 4H showed one, which was enough to for Ros to jump to 6NT.
The play was straightforward: East led a helpful three of hearts, which Jenny won with the King.
Trumps were drawn, giving Jenny five spade tricks, one heart, two diamonds and four clubs.
For those players whose 1NT opening shows the more common 15-17, the way to bid to slam is for North to open 1C and to jump a level on the second bid.
South’s response will be just 1S at this stage. North will now bid 3S instead of 2S. South will now know that partner has at least 18 high card points.
This gives North/South 32 out of the 40 high card points in the pack.
South may then bid 4C. The answer of 4H shows one.
That should be enough to bid either 6S or 6NT.
Results, Monday, 19/01/26 (3 and 1/2-table Howell): N Collins T Hinde (62.0) 1; R Hart H Price (54.7) 2; W Milne J Sipple (51.6) 3. Friday, 23/01/26 (3 and 1/2-table Howell): J Smith R Hart (65.1) 1; W Milne J Sipple (59.4) 2; D Moran N McGinness (56.2) 3.
