20th January 2016


If you play two sessions of duplicate a week you would expect to pick up a nine card suit about once a year.
Barry Myers didn't have to wait long to pick up his annual nine card suit in the Manchester congress final on the third of January.

 S A98
 H A
 D AQJ987432
 C  

Vul vs non-vul. IMPs Dealer West

South
West
North
East

Pass 1D  1S
Double
2S ?


Barry opened one diamond, there is no danger with such a distributional freak that this will be passed out.
After the one spade overcall and a take out double from partner right hand opponent raised to two spades.  What do you bid now?

Solution

Barry simply jumped to six diamonds.  He reasoned that he should be able to ruff at least one spade in dummy and hoped to find the king of diamonds, either in partner's hand or falling singleton.  All was well, partner held 102, Q1073, K105, J1086 and six diamonds was cold.  This was one of nine double digit swings recorded by the Myers team in the final which contributed to their huge score of 115 IMPs over 24 boards.