An Undramatic Hand
| Q 4 |
|
|
K 8 6 4 |
|
|
8 6 5 3 |
|
|
A 10 8 |
|
J 10 6 |
|
K 5 3 |
Q J 3 |
|
9 2 |
J 7 4 |
|
A 10 9 2 |
7 6 4 3 |
|
K J 9 2 |
|
A 9 8 7 2 |
|
|
A 10 7 5 |
|
|
K Q |
|
|
Q 5 |
|
East | South | West | North |
Pass |
1  |
Pass |
1 NT |
Pass |
2 NT |
All pass |
This isn't a very dramatic hand, certainly. But that's part of the point of "good fits". In contradistinction to slam-dunk fits and misfits, these are the bread-and-butter hands that you'll come across far more often than the other two types combined, for which reason it behooves you to develop the skills that locate the fits that do your hand best.
When I picked up this hand (from a bunch I saved to write about later), I saw my partner and I (the defense) had a 95% and I had to wonder why. When I saw the bidding and final denomination, this score became considerably more understandable. South, of course, should bid his heart suit on the second round. That's not hindsight. That's a common, ordinary bidding practice, to bid both suits of a two-suited hand (if you can comfortably). The second biddable suit enhances the value of your hand considerably when you in effect double your chances of finding a fit.
Here declarer was down 2 in 2 no, while, with spades breaking 3-3, it's hard to see how anyone could make less than 9 tricks in hearts. And if North doesn't have a fitting heart suit? Well, then you might want to settle in no trump. The hand that has one less heart has one more card somewhere, which might make 2 no a little less disastrous, and in any event, you'll be with the field on your bidding. Here, declarer not only found an inferior contract, but by violating common bidding practices, he had little company and got a deservedly low score.