A 9-point Top

With a few more points, this would be a hand to kill for. As it is, you pick it up as North on the last board of the night and partner passes. We are all vulnerable, and RHO opens 1. You have already asked yourself whether it's worth bidding some number of hearts or a (very) unusual 2NT and have decided to pass, so you do so without thinking. LHO now bids 1. What you don't know is that most E-Ws have played in 4 (sometimes doubled) making 10 or 11 tricks, and a few Norths have gone for 500 or 800 in hearts. Partner now puts her hand in the box and hesitates (unlike her) then slowly pulls out 2. RHO Bids 4 and you go 5 which is promptly doubled.

Partner ruffs the A lead with the 2, ruffs a diamond then another with the 3 which drops the K. She now leads the 4 which is taken by the J. The opponents now belatedly lead a trump and partner, looking sheepish, discards. "No trumps, Partner"?

"No, I only had 3 to start with. I was going to double 4" comes the unexpected reply. My hand is now high apart from the outstanding trump so partner claims one off for -200. An outright top.

The explanation is simple. "I had 7 points with 5 diamonds and 5 spades and was expecting East to bid 1 when I would bid 1" she explains. "I already had my hand in the box when I realised she had bid 1. I couldn't take my hand out as that would give you unauthorised information and I couldn't bid either of my suits so I had to bid my 3-card suit".

Sometimes it pays to be ethical.