7th December 2016


Dealer West
S
4    
Love All
H
Q1052
   
    D KQ105
   
    C AK83
   
S
Q52
    S
K103
H
76
    H
J9
D
J984
    D
A762
C
QJ104
    C
9762
    S
AJ9876
   
    H
AK843
   
    D
3
   
    C
5
   




South
West
North
East

Pass 1D Pass
1S Pass
2C Pass
3H Pass 5H Pass
5S Pass
6C Pass
6H Pass
Pass
Pass


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