♠ 4 ♥ A 10 ♦ A K 8 4 2 ♣ A K 7 3 2
Right hand opponent opened 4NT, asking for specific aces. There didn't seem to much point in bidding so I passed and the bidding continued 5♣ (no aces) - pass - 6♠. My vulnerable opponent must have some sort of giant major two-suiter, so 6♠ is unlikely to be more than one off and may well be cold, so I passed again. The full deal was
and 6♠ had to go one down. At the other table South opened 1♠, West bid 2NT to show the minors and South rebid 6♥ on the next round. West doubled and North now made the costly decision to convert to 6♠. West doubled this and we lost 3 imp on the board.
Looking back at our auction, I think that I should trust my opponent and assume that his choice of contract is likely to be making. So I should have bid 5♦ over 4NT and 7♣ on the next round. It's not often that you sacrifice against a slam holding three aces and two kings.
This deal showed why we punters were messing around in the Plate final, as only one table out of eight found the cold 6♥. Meanwhile, in the real final four tables out of six played in 6♥ doubled and the other two found the par contract - two off in 7♣ doubled to gain 16 imps.
Looking back at our auction, I think that I should trust my opponent and assume that his choice of contract is likely to be making. So I should have bid 5♦ over 4NT and 7♣ on the next round. It's not often that you sacrifice against a slam holding three aces and two kings.
This deal showed why we punters were messing around in the Plate final, as only one table out of eight found the cold 6♥. Meanwhile, in the real final four tables out of six played in 6♥ doubled and the other two found the par contract - two off in 7♣ doubled to gain 16 imps.
