25th December 2019


From the Middlesex Congress Swiss Teams in December.


 S  -
 H  AKQ108643
 D  
 C  KQ1054

NS Vul. IMPs Dealer North

South
West
North
East


Pass ?


For your Christmas present I give you the best hand you are likely to have held this year.
Work out your plan of how to bid this monster and then scroll down to see what happened at the table and how your plan would have fared.




























At the table East decided to show a solid heart suit by opening two clubs and then rebidding three hearts to set the suit.  When West obliged with a cue bid of four clubs East gave West a choice of grand slams by bidding seven clubs; perhaps jumping to seven hearts at this point is better because if both grands are making then seven hearts gains 2 IMPs.


South
West
North
East


Pass 2C
Pass 2D Pass 3H
Pass 4C Pass 7C
Pass Pass Pass




The full deal was as below.

Dealer North
S
KJ106
   
N-S Vul
H
J72
   
    D Q10842
   
    C 6
   
S
873
    S
-
H
9
    H
AKQ108643
D
AJ53
    D
-
C
AJ973
    C
KQ1054
    S
AQ9542
   
    H
5
   
    D
K976
   
    C
82
   

Surprisingly only about half the field reached a grand slam and a few brave souls even played in game!