A hand from the Harold Griffiths Teams of 4 event held in North Wales. 

How many Spades do you bid with the North hand shown when your partner opens the bidding with 1?  Do you have a system bid to show a fair hand with Major suit support once your partner opens - Jacoby 2NT perhaps? Have you discussed what responses to use if you get interference over your Jacoby 2NT bid?  You should do!

South opened 1 and after a system bid of 2NT showing a raise to 3s or better, East competed with a very light Take Out double. South now had another system bid to show a further good suit and distribution suitable for slam.  After the jump to 4s, West came alive with 4NT (pick a minor) and North decided better to play and bid 5s.  Here the matter rested.  A club was led and 13 quick tricks were soon claimed.  At the other table, North played the hand and made 12 tricks after A lead.

What if North at table 1 had bid 5s over East's 4NT bid?   A "control" on the way to 5s  South now has an easy 6 bid = + 13 imps when the slam rolls in...

6s over 5s would have cost 800 - too much against the Vulnerable game, but 7s against 6s would have cost 1100 - a good "save" against -1430 for the making slam.

45 boards played during the day; if EITHER of the teams had bid the slam they would have won the event.   Ah well...

You should try to make use of these "free" bids you get the chance to make when ever you can.