Neither vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
S-K J 7 4
H-J 9 6
D-J 9 8 7
C-A K
WEST EAST
S-A Q 6 2 S-10 3
H-Q 10 5 3 2 H-A K 7
D-A 4 D-K 10 6 5 3 2
C-Q 9 C-J 8
SOUTH
S-9 8 5
H-8 4
D-Q
C-10 7 6 5 4 3 2
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1D Pass 2C Pass
2NT Pass 3C Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of D
This deal is from a World Championship team match between Norway and the Netherlands a couple of years ago. The Norwegian bidding needs some explanation. The psychic two-club response was momentarily successful and North-South would have made three clubs if allowed to play there. Not surprisingly, though, North hoped for an entry to partner’s long suit and it was East-West who ended up with nine tricks — down five undoubled!
This was the bidding in the other room:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1C 1D 3C Dbl
Pass 3D Pass Pass
Pass
Here the bidding was even more exotic. North’s one club opening showed either four or more clubs and an unbalanced hand or a good hand. South made a pre-emptive jump raise over East’s one diamond overcall (no argument about the meaning of that bid!) West doubled for takeout and East’s three diamonds closed the auction and that resulted in a missed major-suit game.
The defense matched the bidding. North won the club opening lead and immediately shifted to a trump. Declarer captured the queen with the ace, finessed the ten of trumps, cashed the king and then took four rounds of hearts, discarding his club loser as North ruffed to make 11 tricks.
A net score of 100 to the Netherlands to win 3 IMPs on the deal.
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