19th February 2020


Dealer West
S
973
   
Love All
H
Q987654
   
    D 5
   
    C Q6
   
S
J
    S
AQ2
H
32
    H
AJ
D
KJ108764
    D
AQ
C
1084
    C
AKJ753
    S
K108654
   
    H
K10
   
    D
932
   
    C
92
   

South
West
North
East

3D Pass 4NT
Pass 5C Pass 7D
Pass Pass Pass


Another exciting deal from the Santa Claus Pairs in December.

You are looking at the East hand and wondering how to bid this sensibly, when your partner opens with a preemptive three diamonds.  Why do partners always do this?  In some ways, however, this simplifies the auction.  You ask for key cards, when partner admits to one you jump to the grand slam in the hope that he can set up your club suit for major suit discards.  In fact partner has the worst possible holding for you in clubs of three small, but the clubs behave and thirteen tricks are easy.  Only two of the twelve pairs bid the grand slam.