Short and Sweet

Playing in a home team game, I pick up a pretty good hand in third chair.

AK105

AKJ82 As dealer, both red, partner opens 1

. Nice! Looks like we have a slam; this partner, albeit a bit quirky, doesn't open real light.

I don't know what trumps are yet, so I start with a simple 2. We play strong jump shifts, but with a complicated hand, I can't use one, because I cannot know to relinquish control to partner.

Surpise! Partner finds one of his quirky bids: 6. I don't know exactly what he is thinking, but if he can bid to the six-level on his own, I can bid even more. Saying, "I'm underbidding by several tricks," I leap to 7NT.

Partner looks a little concerned, but on the opening lead of the J, I can claim 17 tricks. Partner holds

	— AQ108742 AKJ1094 —

	AK105 K3 Q5 AKJ82

Partner	Me
1	2
6!	7NT
Pass

I proceed to claim 17 tricks, facing my hand and saying, "told you I was underbidding!"

As an aside, 7NT is the best contract; if hearts go 4-0 offside, I still have 13 top tricks. Then I wouldn't've been underbidding so much.