Board 17

Board 17

♠ 8 5 3
♥ 5 2
♦ Q J 9 8
♣ K 8 7 4
♠ K Q 9 6 2
♥ A Q 10 4 3
♦ 10
♣ A 5
N
W   E
 
S
♠ 7 4
♥ K J 9
♦ A K 6 2
♣ Q 10 3 2
♠ A J 10
♥ 8 7 6
♦ 7 5 4 3
♣ J 9 6

Dealer:

North

Vuln:

None

W N E S
Pass 1NT Pass
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
3♥ Pass 3NT Pass
4♥ End

Contract:

4♥ by West

Lead:

♦Q

With a strong hand and 5-5 in the majors, responder first transfers to spades and then forces to game by bidding 3♥. Rebidding beyond 2NT is not an issue, because we want to play in game. Opener does not yet know about our 5-card heart suit, but that is not an issue either because we always have another bid, and can convert 3NT to 4♥ knowing that opener must have three cards in the suit.

Here, opener does indeed bid 3NT, and West converts to 4♥.