All the way: I

There's nothing quite like the buzz of bidding and making a grand. Grand. It sounds impressive and lets be honest makes you shake a little bit when you're playing the cards.

A Q J 9 5 - J 6 2 A K 9 5 4		T A 9 8 6 A K Q 8 3 Q 3 2

This hand came up two nights ago at a 'social' club session. Here's our auction which to me seems pretty sensible:

1	2
3	3
4	4
4	5
6	7

We play 2/1 so 3D just confirmed a fit, 3H was a serious cue. 4D was keycard, 4S enquired about the trump queen and once all that was settled 6C reaches longingly for grand showing 'stuff' in clubs.

Lets say your opponents are in a kind mood and lead a heart. How will you play the hand? If everything breaks nicely you ruff the opening heart, draw trumps and claim on the club suit but you're in seven and that means you have to think a bit more. Another thing to consider is you thought for some time over 6C so your opponents are looking at you with that "just play a card, so we can get on with it" face and you have less than a minute before the director will be standing uncomfortably close to your table.

I'll give it a day or two then reveal how I went down...