18th January 2023


Another deal from the Manchester Congress Pairs.

Dealer E
S
9
   
NS Vul
H
4
   
    D AQ984
   
    C AKJ962
   
S
K642
    S
AJ10753
H
98763
    H
AQJ52
D
K7
    D
103
C
103
    C

    S
Q8
   
    H
K10
   
    D
J652
   
    C
Q8754
   

South
West
North
East



1S
Pass
2S 3C 4S
Pass Pass 4NT Pass
5C Pass Pass 5S
6C Double All Pass

This was an exciting board involving high level decisions.
The auction at our table is shown above.
North first showed his club suit over the spade raise and then bid 4NT to show a minor two suiter with longer clubs over East's four spades.
South (who might have bid five clubs at his previous turn, but may have been deterred by the vulnerability) now bid five clubs.
East, with plenty of distributional strength, guessed to bid five spades.
South now had a difficult decision.  At teams it would probably be best to bid six clubs, taking out insurance in case either five spades or six clubs is making.
Here bidding six clubs was not so clear, but that was his choice.
West doubled six clubs and East quickly cashed her major suit aces for one off.
This scored about 80% for East West, the most popular result being five spades going one off.