Now let me show you a deal from X-Clubs, from Monday 16/3/2026
Board 6, Dealer East, EW vulnerable
It being highly unlikely that NS will take any part in the auction, I give you only the EW bidding. This is how our conversation in 1/1 would take place:
- East 1D “I have an opening bid and 4+ diamonds”
- West 1NT “Game force”
- East 2S “I have 5+ diamonds and 4 spades” - NB: with only four diamonds East’s rebid would be 2NT with a balanced hand or 3C with a 4441 hand
- West: 3H “That is my suit, tell me more, if you have an unlikely three of them, tell me about key cards”
- East: 4H “I have two key cards and at least three hearts including the queen” - NB: we use the “1430” key card step responses in all situations. No trumps as a response shows fewer than three cards, i.e. is the ‘default’ or ‘no interest’ setting
At this stage EW are ONLY as far as 4H, West already knows that East has enough for a small slam in hearts. Count the top tricks: five hearts, four clubs, two diamonds and the ace of spades. If East also has the king of spades OR the queen of diamonds, there are thirteen tricks in No Trumps. So West can keep asking by bidding 4NT, but even without any agreement about how to look for a grand slam, West knows enough to be able to see an extra potential in the diamond suit if hearts are trumps, via a ruff or two to set up an extra diamond, so even without such sophistication as “1/1” the grand slam in hearts can be bid, but across the whole of X Clubs only one pair bid and made 7H. I don’t know whether it was good bidding or enthusiasm for grand slams, but good on that pair
JT
52
Q86
T85432