Experienced duplicate Spades players have discovered the importance of aggressive bidding. Conservative bidding is reasonable in the regular game, but such strategy at duplicate will only result in a string of below-average results. The tough part of bidding in duplicate Spades is to know when to restrain your aggressive bidding before it becomes crazy, wild-eyed speculative bidding.

After hearing his RHO make a bid of 4, what should North do with these cards? After all, the second seat is the aggressive bidding position. Nil is too much of a gamble, but a 1-bid seems too timid. Nevertheless, North has short spades so it is not sound to go higher than a bid of 1.

109 AQ942 10763 63 K65 KJ3 AQ K8542 AJ84 107 J42 J1097 Q732 865 K985 AQ West North East South 4 1 2 4 North led the 6

The rest of the bidding is shown as it occurred at one table. Even though the K is well-placed, the modest North/South 5-bid is in jeopardy. North led a club and his partner's Q lost to the King. South won the club return and tried the 8. West inserted the J, losing to North's Q, as East threw a misguided 10. North mentally placed the K with West, and was prepared to finesse the 9 if the opportunity presented itself. He exited with a diamond, South's King losing to the Ace.

West tried to panic North by leading a low heart. Backing his judgment, North played the 9, winning. When he led the Ace, East refused to trump, shedding a bag card instead. This play was important to the success of the N/S 5-bid, as South needed only one more winner from his spade suit.

North/South's success earned them a modest 50 points but a top result, since they were the only N/S pair with a positive score. Those North/Souths who ventured to the 6-level not only faced an uphill climb, but they also raised the table total to 12 tricks. East/West naturally played the hand hungry for a set, and each one triumphed.