Finding a fit in the
fourth suit is notoriously difficult. Here Henry Bissell and
Nicholas Greer did well to bid a slam in the fourth suit in the
Thursday night Swiss Pairs at Manchester Bridge Club. After a
normal opening bid, response and rebid, three hearts showed a game
forcing hand with at least five in each major. It is
important to have an agreement about what jumps in the fourth
suit and raises of the fourth suit mean or else auctions get very
murky. Five hearts was a natural raise and a few control bids
determined that the diamond ace was missing, so they settled in a small
slam. On a club lead the diamond loser disappeared and thirteen
tricks were made by ruffing out the spades for a joint top. Only
three of eleven pairs bid the slam.
Thanks to Nicholas Greer for reporting this deal |