1: Mostly partials:
?
...............Q62
...............AJ865
...............KQ9
...............82
AK74.......................985
KQ32.......................974
754...........................32
Q4............................AK1053
...............J103
...............10
...............AJ1086
...............J976
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North opened 1H and South responded 1NT. Two Wests apparently interfered, resulting in contracts of 2C E and 3NT W when West could not bear to leave ill enough alone. Otherwise North passed if not playing 1NT forcing or else bid 2D. Two Souths dredged up a raise to 3D; 3NT could?have a fair chance of making. Obe left 2D in.
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2C made, probably after heart ruffs. Although South can ruff twice, the first ruff dimply lets declarer pay a loser on a loser and the second lets the heart queen be used to discard East's losing spade, so that there is no gain either way. There is no winning line of defence, except perhaps forcing in diamonds. Against 1NT a spade lead forces declarer to cash out; Hara was allowed a valuable overtrick. The diamond partials were the most interesting. As tempting as it is to start with the high clubs, a trump lead may even hold declarer to seven tricks; E-W can draw North's trumps and if they do so declarer may just be able to scramble an eighth in hearts with some good guessing - ten to queen and ace, run the jack and then ruff out the nine, for instance.
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3NT W -3 vs Ritold
1NT S +1 by Hara
3D N = by Scott and Eric
1NT S = vs Marudy; 2D N = vs Jevin
2C E = by John
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2: Double game swing:
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...............AKJ104
...............J
...............K98
...............QJ73
6.............................875
97654.....................AQ108
1072.......................AQJ5
A985......................64
...............Q932
...............K32
...............643
...............K102
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I am a little confused as to how two E-W pairs found themselves in 4H undoubled here. 1D-P-1H-1S; 2H-2S-3H-3S; 4H seems as plausible as anything. North does better making a Maximal Double of 3H to show a game try in spades; if South decides the heart king is well placed the invitation can be accepted. Usually 3S was left in, although one pair found themselves in 4S.
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4H requires a little care after a club lead, but if N-S take even one top spade it is plain sailing. The heart finesse loses one trick on any line and the suit splits 3-1 but the diamond king is onside and the suit splits 3-3. E-W make 4H on their 17 HCP due to the complete lack of wastage - every shortage and honour was working. 3S made every time. In order for the contract to have been set West would have had to lead the ten of diamonds when in with the ace of clubs. As the hand has no re-entry for a second finesse the ten is the only lead to hold declarer to eight tricks. Against Harold East got far too active and led out the diamond ace after the heart ace had been taken.
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4S N = by Harold
3S N +1 by Scott
3S N = by Steve, Linda and Gareth
4H E = by Kevin; 4H W = by Jasmin
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3: Close slam:
?
...............A106
...............AK872
...............AK
...............K63
QJ93......................8742
106.........................Q3
10862.....................953
942.........................A875
...............K5
...............J954
...............QJ74
...............QJ10
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The slam might be attempted if North upgrades the hand out of the 20-21 range. With no queens or jacks and a good five-card suit, we know what Mr Bergen would advise. Only one North did so, although then the hand rebid 2H rather than 2NT. After 2C-2D; 2NT, South would have invited slam on brute strength, perhaps stopping if the heart fit were found and then an asking sequence revealed that a key card and the queen of trumps were missing. After the usual 2NT opening bid, four pairs resorted to Stayman and went to 4H. Two Souths reasoned that, with 30-31 HCP, the hand might well play just as well in no-trumps as it would in hearts and settled for 3NT.
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Twelve tricks were there when the hearts behaved.?Had they not, a spade lead would have had a chance to hold 3NT to ten tricks while 4H took eleven. 6H should have made but declarer decided to run the jack of trumps instead of play for the drop. With nine trumps the odds were just better than even trying to drop the queen.
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3NT N +3 by Soctt and Gareth
4H N +2 vs Mahn, Diarcia, Jasamr and Jevin
6H N -1 vs Cinise
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4: Another close slam:
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...............J652
...............9876
...............J64
...............A10
K10......................A93
AK53....................Q42
K9........................A853
KQ764..................J83
...............Q874
...............J10
...............Q1072
...............952
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This time E-W had another hand without wastage, making slam possible (though not particularly good), especially if played by West. Alas East had an invitational 2NT response to 1C which resulted in 3NT E five times. One West liked the hand well enough to raise to 4NT and once the contract was 3NT W.
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If West declares, on the rum of the clubs it is probable that North will keep both the spade and diamond Jxx and let go two hearts if the suit has not been bid. Diane took twelve tricks from the West side with ease. If East declares and the lead is a diamond, North should be fine, as East's not bidding 1S?makes at least one spade discard safe and there are the four hearts in dummy screaming THREAT. If the lead is a spade North should have an even easier time. That half the Easts who declared took twelve tricks is a little disappointing.
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3NT E +3 by John and Judy; 3NT W +3 by Diane; 4NT E +2 by Breta
3NT E +2 vs Study, Glynneth and Marice
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5: Only one making contract:
?
...............KQ75
...............KJ54
...............Q64
...............AQ
A106..................J9842
Q........................A63
K8......................A1072
KJ109532...........7
...............3
...............109872
...............J953
...............864
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This did not look like a hand on which the auction would get particularly high, although there?may have been a good many overcalls from East after North's 1NT opening bid. That might have convinced to keep going higher, although nobody played in spades. 4S is not far off making on any lead but a trump. There were some auctions on which South was able to transfer to hearts before E-W entered the auction; North went to 3H with pre-acceptance and usually it did not stop there; there?were two 3H N contracts, the only partials played, along with 3NT N, 4H N and 5Cx W thrice.
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5Cx was usually two down in the straightforward way, with two club, one spade and a spade ruff. That 3NT N escaped for -1 suggests a spade lead and not a club. I am a little surprised also that only Karleta found?a defensive ruff against hearts to take five tricks.
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5Cx W -2 vs Lara and Glynneth
3H N = by Scott
5Cx W -1 vs Marice
3H N -1 vs Jevin and Karleta
4H N -3 vs Marudy
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6: All contracts failed:
?
...............A3
...............K53
...............AKQ964
...............84
982.........................KJ106
AQJ10....................8
2.............................J8753
AQJ96....................1053
...............Q754
...............97652
...............10
...............K72
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West opened 1C and North overcalled 1D or perhaps doubled; East usually bid 1S and then it was more a question of who could get out first. Contracts were 2D N, 3D N twice, 3Dx N, 3H W, 3S E and 4D N.
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It was too bad nobody in clubs, as 4C looks like making when the ruffing finesse in hearts can be taken before drawing trumps. Declarer just has to be careful to start spades before cashing the hearts in order to keep control of the hand. Diamond contracts looked not hopeless seeing just two hands but were doomed to take only six tricks, although only Jevin found the double. Ritold were N-S top defending 3H -3. 3S E looked as if it had chances; if a diamond is led early then, after the spade ace is gone South can get suck on lead with delcarer winning a lot of heart and club tricks, but Study posted a one-trick set for a good score.
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3H W -3 vs Ritold
3S E -1 vs Elott
2D N -2 by Gareth
3D N -3 vs Marudy and Jasary
4D N -4 vs Diarcia
3Dx N -3 vs Jevin
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7: Again all contracts down:
?
...............94
...............3
...............K9853
...............AKQ106
10832.........................KQJ
J7...............................AK62
106.............................AQ72
J9832.........................75
...............A765
...............Q109854
...............J4
...............4
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This was mainly a big victory for those Souths who open weak two bids despite holding a side four-card major. Three Souths opened, leading to two 2NT E contracts and one 3C N. After South passed, North opened 1D, East doubled and usually N-S got too high, with contracts of 3D N, 3Dx N, 3S W and 4Dx N.
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3S W could have forced at least seven tricks, but anything more than one down was bottom anyway; Glynneth posted -3. Both 2NT contracts were a pretty straightforward -1, with declarer having seven tricks and no reasonable chance of an eighth. North declaring did moderately well to take seven tricks, with Cinise and Marudy scoring +800 to share E-W top.
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3S W -3 vs Glynneth
2NT E -1 vs Study and Elott
3C N -2 vs Mahn; 3D N -2 vs Karleta
3Dx N -3 vs Marudy; 4Dx N -3 vs Cinise
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8: Two successful contracts:
?
...............A104
...............KQ4
...............J74
...............J753
J98...........................KQ52
875...........................AJ10632
1062.........................Q
A1086.......................Q2
...............763
...............9
...............AK9853
...............K94
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East opened 1H, South overcalled 2D and all the auctions reached at least the three-level, with one South doubling on the second round and North eventually playing 3C. There were two contracts of 3H E, two of 3NT N, one 4D S and one 4H E.
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3NT N could have finished with eight tricks had declarer gone after diamonds right away for six tricks after East's lead of an intermediate heart. Once again we see the value of fast tricks in no-trumps; had N-S held the aces in hearts and clubs rather than the kings, the contract would have been made. One declarer tried to score the club king first before touching diamonds and finished -3; the other?led?the diamond jack first and finished -4. E-W top for Diarcia. 3H could make if declarer were willing to use the club ace as an entry for a heart finesse; Judy (P) made the contract that way. Judy (R) played 4D after competing four-over-three with nine trumps; she would have been one down but East broke the clubs and allowed the make.
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4D S = by Judy (R)
3H E -2 vs Lara; 4H E -2 vs Elott
3C N -1 vs Cinise
3H E = by Judy (P)
3NT N -3 vs Mahn
3NT N -4 vs Diarcia
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9: Choice of game:
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...............KQ3
...............Q64
...............K654
...............A97
AJ106.....................742
52...........................K83
82...........................J1073
85432.....................K106
...............985
...............AJ1097
...............AQ9
...............QJ
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The auction began 1D-1H; 1NT. Some Souths decided that the quacky honours were better suited to no-trumps. Indeed, 3NT was chosen over 4H by a 5-2 margin. Only two Souths found the 5-3 fit and chose the major.
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The play yielded eleven tricks all around, a victory for the no-trumpers. Switch the E-W hands, though, and 4H might have done better.
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3NT N +2 by Steve, Scott, Linda, Eric and Marian
4H S +1 vs Mahn and Diarcia
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10: Mostly 4H:
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...............Q105
...............J9
...............AK973
...............654
93.........................KJ862
AQ7653................K108
85.........................Q42
KJ3.......................A7
...............A74
...............42
...............J106
...............Q10982
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The West hand is a tricky one to show playing 2/1, perhaps unless the pair is playing 1S-3H as invitational and natural. East is unlikely to take another bid after 1S-1NT; 2D-2H. One West rebid 2NT to show the invitational values and finished in 3NT. 2H and 3H were each left in once but 4H was played most of the time.
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Declarer in 3NT was not terribly happy after the lead of a low diamond but rose with the queen and was pleases to take nine tricks off the top. It was only a middle score, though, as 4H made three times when declarer played the spades as they lay and found North with the queen. Lara surrendered an almost irrelevant eleventh trick in 2H and Wendric were allowed a set of 4H but the other heart declarers all took ten tricks.
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4H W -1 vs Wendric
3H W = vs Study
2H W +3 vs Lara
3NT W = vs Elott
4H W = by Jeff, Karlene and Cindy
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11: Choice of opening bid:
?
...............K108
...............954
...............K752
...............KQ10
QJ975432.......6
J82..................AQ10
6......................AQJ93
J......................A763
...............A
...............K763
...............1084
...............98542
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How many spades would West open? By a 4-3 margin, 3S was selected over 4S. One 3S opening was left in; the others led to 3NT E and 4S W twice. 4S was left in once but the other two Easts both tried for slam, resulting in 5S W and 6Sx W.
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After any lead but a diamond, declarer had to lose the heart king and either two or three trumps. The key to the play is that declarer should lead the first spade from dummy and finesse the nine if South plays the eight-spot. If there were a way to lead from dummy again declarer could play the jack or queen, but with 8-1 trumps a singleton ace or king is twice as likely as a singleton ten and therefore the better chance to which to cater. Usually here it did not matter, as when the first trump was led from dummy South had to play the ace. Only Diarcia's opponents stared the hearts with the queen from hand and took only nine tricks. Kevin made a nice escape in 3NT -1 for a close-to-average score.
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6Sx W -2 vs Glynneth
3NT E -1 vs Ritold; 4S W -1 vs Wendric; 5S W =1 vs Study
3S W +1 by Mark
4S W = by Jasmin and Cindy
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12: Another close slam:
?
...............72
...............Q7
...............AKQ974
...............1064
Q65..........................1093
AJ84........................109632
653...........................102
975...........................KJ2
...............AKJ84
...............K5
...............J8
...............AQ83
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Auctions often began 1D-1S; 2D-3C. Five of the seven auctions ended in 3NT, once by North. One auction followed the usual path to 3C and then went on 3D-4NT; 5D-6D. The other pair to reach slam had a 2S response: 1D-2S; 3D-4C; 4D-6D.
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After a neutral lead against 6D, declarer has time to draw trumps and go after spades; if the suit splits 3-3 or the queen drops doubleton, one ruff establishes two discards. If the queen is singleton or either defender holds Qxxx, two ruffs are needed and declarer will need the club finesse to succeed as well. East can may things more anxious for declarer with a club lead. This forces the finesse to be taken at once, as the spades cannot be reached if declarer rises. Harold and Eric both made 6D. Against 3NT a heart lead forced declarer into urgent cashout mode. Ten tricks was the usual result, with one declarer taking eleven and Judy (R) twelve after a lead other than a heart.
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6D N = by Harold and Eric
3NT S +3 by Judy (R)
3NT S +2 by Lynn
3NT N +1 vs Cinise; 3NT S +1 vs Jasary and Mahn
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13: Everyone in 4H:
?
...............Q95
...............K974
...............AJ4
...............K92
J102.......................AK864
863.........................J5
953.........................Q82
10764.....................Q85
...............73
...............AQ102
...............K1076
...............AJ3
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This time everyone was in agreement in the auction: 1C-1S-X-P; 2H-P-4H.
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The play all comes down to a guess for the diamond queen. Declarer can work out that East began with three diamonds to West's four after drawing trumps and playing three rounds of both black suits. It's just a question of who has the queen. East does not need it for the 1S overcall and West would not be tempted to raise with it, thus giving not much of an indication from the auction. Had West held the club queen and heart jack as well as te spade jack, there would have been both a chance East would not have bid 1S on a seven-count despite the AKxxx suit or that West would have squeaked out a raise. Still, five declarers finessed East for the diamond queen and made the overtrick.
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4H N +1 by Steve, Scott, Harold, Gareth and Marian
4H N = vs Jevin and Karleta
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14: Choice of opening bid:
?
...............Q943
...............1032
...............A84
...............1043
K8765...................AJ
J976......................A54
J9..........................1052
98..........................AKQJ4
...............102
...............KQ8
...............KQ763
...............762
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Would East upgrade the hand with its aces and solid five-card suit to a 2NT opening bid? Judy (P) opened the Mexican 2D, the auction finishing in 3S W. The other six opening bids were evenly split between 1C and 2NT. The 1C openings led to contracts of 2D S and 2NT E twice. One of the 2NT openings was left in; the others led to 3NT E after West looked in vain for a fit in a major.
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Declarer had eight tricks in no-trumps, although somehow Ritold held declarer to seven. 1C did slightly better for East than 2NT, as South's 2D contract finished -2 to score 4/6. Overall, though, the hand was a triumph for the Mexican 2D, as Martin took ten tricks in 3S. A heart lead might have set the contract, but, given a tempo, he was sure of at least nine tricks.
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2NT E -1 vs Ritold; 3NT E -1 vs Lara and Glynneth
2D S -2 vs Karleta
2H E + by Marcia
2NT E = by Louise
3S W +1 by Martin
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15: Mostly spade partials:
?
...............KQ6542
...............J43
...............A
...............J107
A107.........................98
K65...........................Q97
863...........................Q107542
AK83........................42
...............J3
...............A1082
...............KJ9
...............Q965
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3NT looks a bit dodgy, especially against a diamond opening lead, but it was played at one table. At the other tables, North often opened 2S in third seat and usually played it there. The hand might open 1S as dealer but opposite a passed partner the pre-emptive benefit of 2S wins out. One pair played 3S N.
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Everything went perfectly in 3NT for Elizabeth. Even with a diamond lead she could force an entry to dummy in clubs, the club and heart ten-spots pulled more than their full weight and even if E-W led three rounds of diamonds before the second club had been knocked out there was no way to cash the established diamonds. Elizabeth even emerged with ten tricks. Against spades a club ruff followed by a heart holds declarer to eight tricks (Diarcia held North to eight tricks and Karleta even set 2S). Other leads than a club or a heart allowed nine tricks or even ten.
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3NT S +1 by Elizabeth
2S N +2 by Steve and Harold
2S N +1 vs Diarcia; 3S N = vs Jevin
2S N = vs Mahn
2S N -1 vs Karleta
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16: One more close slam:
?
...............A1084
...............65
...............AJ103
...............QJ5
76...............................KQJ532
872.............................----
92...............................K875
AK10964....................832
...............9
...............AKQJ10943
...............Q64
...............7
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North opened 1D; would South try for slam after East's spade overcall of either 1S or 2S? Most did not; 4H was played four times. With only four losers, South has a nice opportunity to ask for key cards in diamonds and going if North holds three of the four key cards missing - not perfect, as it surrenders xxxx x Axxxx AKQ or similar hands, but at least it gets to slam opposite dead minimums such as xxxx x AKxx Axxx. One South stopped in 5H, one went to 6H and one West played 6Cx after East accidentally bid 5H instead of 5C when intending to sacrifice against 4H (despite the vulnerability).
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6Cx finished -3, so that even 5Cx -2 would still have been N-S top given the vulnerability. Hearts took eleven tricks every time with the dismond finesse failing. No E-W pair failed to cash a club trick.
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6Cx W -3 vs Ritold
4H S +1 by Elizabeth, Hara, Lynn and Alice; 5H S = by Judy (R)
6H N -1 vs Mahn
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17: Partials in three suits:
?
...............QJ93
...............K976
...............10852
...............A
875............................AK
AQJ42.......................1053
4................................AQJ963
6532..........................Q9
...............10642
...............8
...............K7
...............KJ10874
?
East opened 1D. If South ever bid clubs, the auction never ended there. If East ever opened 1NT instead of 1D, South likely came in and West never had a transfer available, as East never declared in hearts. It was 1D-1H; 3D fairly often, played thrice, along with 3H W twice, 3S N and 4Dx E.
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3D made twice, partly thanks to the blocking clubs and partly to less than accurate defence. Assuming a lead of the singleton heart to the ace (N-S would have six tricks after a duck - heart to king, heart ruff, club to ace, heart ruff, club king, club ruffed and then even if declarer wanted to finesse in diamonds there was no entry to dummy) followed by diamond ace and queen to the king, North must have won the second round of hearts at some point rather than holding off until the third. Judy (P) and Rosemary made 3D for a good score. Against hearts, after North cashes the club ace, it is vital to lead spades, killing off the entry to potentially established diamonds in plenty of time. Study were able to defeat 3H this way; Cindy made 3H for the E-W top. Marice were N-S top defending 4Dx -1.
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4Dx E -2 vs Marice
3D E -1 vs Wendric; 3H W -1 vs Study
3S N -1 vs Jevin
3D E = by Judy (P) and Rosemary
3H W = by Cindy
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18: Doubles in both directions:
?
...............Q6
...............Q1085
...............8
...............AJ9873
8753........................K942
A4............................3
1073.........................AQJ52
K654........................Q102
...............AJ10
...............KJ9762
...............K964
...............----
?
After 1D-1H, West could have made a negative double and North shown an invitational hand. Everyone reached 4H, with three E-W pairs pushing. One pair was doubled in 4S despite the vulnerability; the other two N-S pairs took the push to 5H. Unfortunately E-W ruined the value of the push by doubling. The risk-reward ratio there is all wrong for a double. If 5H is set, the defenders will beat any pair that allowed 4H to play without the double. If 5H makes, the result will be right about average, but 5Hx = will be at or very near bottom. Passing should be good or average; doubling will be top or bottom.
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The fate of 4Sx may have hinged on the first trick. After a diamond lead from North, finessing allows the defence two diamond ruffs along with the king, the club ace and South's three trumps one way or another. This gave Marcie a key fourth undertrick. The diamond lead may have been enough by itself; even if declarer rises and leads a trump it looks unlikely that declarer will scramble seven tricks if South is careful. With the spade finesse working, heart contracts all took a breezy eleven tricks, losing just the red aces, giving Elizabeth and Lynn a tie for N-S top.
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5Hx N = by Elizabeth and Lynn
4Sx W -4 vs Marice
4H S +1 vs Diarcia, Marudy, Jasary and Mahn
