Dealer is South and neither side is vulnerable. South has 14 HCPs with five good cards in Clubs and four in spades. They open 1 Club. North has a good hand too with five additional Clubs to the King, Jack and good support in Spades and Diamonds. How would YOU respond from North, and how would YOU bid this contract to ensure the optimal outcome from this Board? How would you bid this Challenging Hand?

At Oxshott, on Wednesday 10th July 2013, one North/South Pair agreed on a part-game contract in 2 Clubs; they made 12 tricks for 170 points. Six more N/S Pairs bid game in 3 No Trumps; one made 12 tricks for 490 points; one made 9 tricks for 400 points; and three made only 8 tricks and so gave East/West 50 penalty points!! That left the three Pairs who attempted a Slam contract. Sadly one Pair bid Slam in 6 No Trumps; they made only 10 tricks and so gave 100 penalty points - and a top score - to East/West!! But congratulations must go to George Gardiner & Jean Knott and to Mike Mulligan & John French who both bid Slam in 6 Clubs; they both made exactly 12 tricks to share the top score of 920 points on this Board!!