Analysis of Hands from July 10, 2005
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Hand 1
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    S 6
    H Q63
    D AQ86
    C KQ942

S AJ7532     S KQ84
H 1072       H AKJ4
D K3         D J75
C J8         C 65

    S 109
    H 985
    D 10942
    C A1073

Dealer: W
Vulnerable: N/S

Bidding
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W  N  E  A
2S D  4S P
P  P

West has a standard weak 2. North has a problem. With an opening hand and spade shortness,
I recommend a takeout double, but that normally promises 4 hearts. 3C is certainly reasonable.
Pass is possible but somewhat timid. East should bid 4S, obeying my rule that all 10 card
major suit fits should play at the 4 level.

Play
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Opening lead: Club K

North's opening lead stands out. South needs to plan the defense. There are 2 sure club tricks.
South should be worried about East's heart suit providing discards, particularly since the heart
finesse, if needed, works. Therefore, South should signal with the 10, overtake the 2nd club
(even if it is the Q), and immediately shift to a diamond. In fact, one could make a case
that South should overtake the first club and shift to a diamond.

Note that if North/South do not take their 2 diamonds immediately, declarer will be able
to pitch a diamond loser on the 4th heart and make the contract.

Hand 2
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    S AJ64
    H 5
    D 1092
    C KJ542

S 75         S 109
H A932       H KQ874
D AKQ86      D J543
C 108        C A3

    S KQ832
    H J106
    D 7
    C Q976

Dealer: S
Vulnerable: N/S

Discussion
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The "par" result on a hand is defined as the best score both sides can achieve.
In duplicate, if you beat par, you should expect an above average result.

This hand is a rarity, where the par result is for North/South to bid a vulnerable
5S sacrifice over the East/West heart game. This is down 1, 200 for East/West,
instead of 450 for making 5 hearts. 

This hand illustrates the power of double fits for both sides. 
These types of hands often allow both sides to take a lot of tricks.
In fact, I once played a hand where both sides can make a small slam!

Here is a possible bidding sequence, assuming North and South both bid aggressively:

S  W  N  E
P  1D 2C 2H
2S 3H 3S 4H
4S P  P  5H
?

Note that the 2C bid by N is aggressive. If the singleton was diamonds, many good players
would choose 2C, but at unfavorable vulnerability, 2C is definitely aggressive for the
hand shown.

Similarly, 2S by South is also aggressive. Many players would simply bid 3C. The advantage
of 2S is that it might get partner to bid 3S over 3 of a red suit.

North should consider passing rather than bidding 3S. This is a tactical consideration.
Although North expects 3S to be a good result if allowed to play there, he should be
afraid of pushing East/West into 4H.

East should bid 4H whether or not North bids 3S. East has almost an opening hand
and a double fit with West.

Similarly, I think it is reasonable for South to bid 4S. There is a known double fit with North.
 
I don't think it is reasonable for South to bid 5S at unfavorable vulnerability,
although it happens to work on this hand. At any other vulnerability, South should bid 5S.

When this hand was played at our local duplicate, most of the results were either
4H or 5H (at unfavorable vulnerability, some North/South pairs were reluctant to 
"sacrifice" at 4S). A few lucky North/South pairs got to play 4S doubled, making.
No pairs found the 5S sacrifice.