1:
?
...............53
...............652
...............AJ75
...............K954
K974.......................862
1093........................AK874
Q32.........................K84
Q87.........................A2
...............AQJ10
...............QJ
...............1096
...............J1063
?
Mr Lawrence would be disappointed with the auctions here. East opened 1H and West raised to 2H. Only two Souths balanced, with AQJ10 in spades. Marty, who had made a light double on the first round, bid 2S. Mark also balanced, just with a double.? Five Souths left 2H in; the balancers both pushed E-W to 3H. It does seem easier to balance if Soth has passed the first time; partnerships should discuss the difference between doubling and then bidding one's own suit in a live auction and as a balance.
?
With reasonable play North would have taken eight tricks in clubs for no worse a result than -1. A surprisingly large number of Easts took eight tricks in 2H, dropping South's QJ or picking up a trick elsewhere. Mahn were N-S top defending 3H -2; Marnette and Jevin tied for second with one-trick sets of 3H and 2H.
?
3H E -2
2H E -1; 3H E -1
2H E = (4)
?
2:
?
...............AQ2
...............AKJ763
...............A85
...............J
10765.......................J432
10.............................52
K9743......................QJ6
KQ6.........................A10972
...............K98
...............Q984
...............102
...............8543
?
North opened 1H in fourth seat. Cindy was guided by her Psychic Friend into not balancing after South underbid by passing 1H; everyone else ended in 4H N after some form of raise.
?
North has a diamond and a club to lose. It seemed that everyone would take eleven tricks. Karleta scored 5/6 when declarer claimed ten tricks early on for no particular reason. I'm afraid I cannot explain that action except to guess that Something Suddenly Came Up.
?
4H N +1 (5)
4H N =
1H N +4
?
3:
?
...............98
...............K42
...............K10432
...............Q43
AK32.......................QJ1074
J106.........................983
AJ5...........................9
865...........................AK102
...............65
...............AQ75
...............Q876
...............J97
?
West opens, East responds 1S, West raises and then East has to decide whether to go to game or be content with an invitation. The hand has only seven losers and nearly an opening bid, but a help-suit game try of 3H will get West to return to 3S, which is probably enough for East. Most Easts, though, bumped the hand up to game: 3S was played twice, 4S four times and once 5Dx N after P-1C-P-1S; 1NT(takeout)-2S-3D-4S; P-P-5D-X.
?
Reverse East's red suits and 4S would have had quite a fair chance of success if N-S could not force two diamond tricks. As the cards lay, the duplication in hearts with three losers in both hands spelled doom for 4S when the club losers did not go away (strongly against the odds. Curiously, though, only Marnette took their four tricks against 4S E, as South was too afraid to lead a heart from AQxx. This let Gareth, Corky and Harold make 4S to tie for E-W top, and put Kevin into the middle in 5Dx -3.
?
4S E -1
3S E +1 (2)
5Dx N -3
4S E = (3)
?
4:
?
...............64
...............J1052
...............972
...............J864
KQ10832.............AJ97
9864....................Q7
104.......................Q8
K..........................AQ1093
...............5
...............AK3
...............AKJ653
...............752
?
If West opened 2S East might reasonably have gone to 4S at once. It seems that the only way one might stop would have been to respond 2NT looking for a feature and then taking partner as not having control of either red suit. Contracts were 2S E, 3S W and 4S W.
?
All five declarers in 4S failed by one trick - three heart losers and the eventual club.Corky took ten tricks in 2S after South tried three rounds if diamonds. Otherwise N-S took their four red winners and that was that. This produced a five-way tie for N-S top.
?
4S W -1 (5)
3S W =
2S E +2
?
5:
?
...............A62
...............J10432
...............763
...............72
K1054.....................J7
65...........................A97
KQ942....................AJ10
85...........................KQJ106
...............Q983
...............KQ8
...............85
...............A943
?
1NT was met by Stayman and a probable invitation; East had no difficulty accepting the invitation with the fine club suit. One West left 1NT in, but everyone else played 3NT E.
?
Jeff was the only South to find the winning lead of the king of hearts. Normally in this situation the lead of a three-card major comes from a hand with poor offensive prospects hoping that partner holds the goods. Here South has so many points that it is not terribly likely North will hold much help in, say, establishing spades. Either the spade lead or the club could give away a trick quite easily. So could the heart, but, with declarer known no to hold four, that looked likely to be the safest lead and it turned out to hit partner with the perfect hand. After the heart lead declarer could do nothing; -2 was easily enforced. A spade lead would have allowed N-S to hold declarer to nine tricks by finding the heart switch; the entry to the long hearts would have been gone but declarer could not then force the overtrick. Gareth and Corky even managed a second overtrick when N-S did not find a heart switch.
?
3NT E -2
1NT E =
3NT E +1 (3)
3NT E +2 (2)
?
6:
?
...............83
...............A643
...............J862
...............K86
K109754................J62
QJ2........................K8
5.............................AKQ10974
QJ2........................9
...............AQ
...............10975
...............3
...............A107543
?
It may be lucky for E-W that the heart king and queen were not swapped; East could then have opened the Gambling 3NT, which West might have passed. After 1D-2C, West usually came in with 2S. North raised to 3C and East bid 3D. This was left in once. All the other Wests rebid the spades, with four contracts of 4S and two auctions reaching the five-level, one ending in 5C undoubled and the other in 5S.
?
4S is very leaky, but the perfect trump layout allowed all the declarers in spades to take ten tricks, with Haorge getting N-S top defending 5S -1. Defending 5C Breta led the singleton diamond five and it took the trick, Karlene unable to resist the opportunity to make the safe duck. But it was counter-productive. East needs to win the first trick; any continuation is safe, but West has to lead a heart next. Judy (R) escaped for -2 and the N-S top, although -3 would have given only one matchpoint more and at least it gave Breta a good story.
?
5S W -1
5C S -2
3D E =
4S W = (4)
?
7:
?
...............K87
...............K42
...............65
...............A8432
J10653.....................AQ94
87.............................AQ106
4...............................KJ10
QJ1075.....................96
...............2
...............J953
...............AQ98732
...............K
?
South usually opened 1D, playing in a placid 2D twice. Everyone's favourite bridge-playing woman, Miss Click, made another of her frequent appearances at a table when South opened 3D - Miss Click made West double. East managed to avoid going to slam and found a brilliant pass. On other auctions East came in with a double and West came in with spades. One North, having limited the hand with a 1NT response, doubled West's 2S, a sort of action double on which Ms Walker has written recently in the ACBL Bulletin. South already knows that North does not hold a four-card major or, presumably, more than ten HCP. North does not want to defend 2S undoubled but can defend 2Sx if South has an appropriate hand or cope with anything South opts to do. South should have pulled the double to 3D. Other contracts were 3S W twice and 4S W.
?
The N-S hands mesh dreadfully for diamond contracts. Declarer can only reach dummy by overtaking the club king with the ace; the hand quickly turns into a battle between East and South to see who has to lead something helpful; if West begins with two rounds of spades East gets a leg up in that battle. Marty beat the odds and posted 2D +1 for the N-S top while Ritold made the most of Miss Click's appearance and posted 3Dx -1 for the E-W top. 4S can be held to nine tricks by a diamond lead and low diamond follow-up; West must trump the second diamond or never be able to finesse in trumps, must then draw trumps and eventually runs out of entries, getting locked in dummy and never scoring a club winner. Jevin set 4S when declarer did not draw the last trump and Kevin got a ruff with the king; the other spade contracts all yielded ten tricks; Breta was E-W top for her score of +1070 in 2Sx +2.
?
2D S +1
4S W -1
2D S -1
2S W +1
3S W +1
3Dx S -1
2Sx W +2
?
8:
?
...............KQ863
...............J
...............Q875
...............K103
75..........................1042
K1052...................AQ7
A10432.................KJ6
92..........................AQ64
...............AJ9
...............98643
...............9
...............J875
?
Two Norths opened 1S, resulting in contracts of 2S N once and 3H W once. At the other tables East opened 1NT. Twice this was left in. Once West responded and East declared 3D. The last two Norths balanced with 2S, one playing the hand there and the other eventually defending 3D W.
?
The layout is reasonably kind to E-W in 1NT, which can be held to eight tricks by a spade lead, although even Bill might have been hard pressed to find that lead from AJ9. Adele took nine tricks in 1NT and Louise ten - against Louise North did not overtake the spade jack, playing South for a four-card holding (South found the spade lead). 2S looked by finishing -1. John emerged with nine tricks after the defence led hearts twice to drop a trick each time when two suits would have been fine.?
?
2S N +1
3D E -1; 3H W -1
2S N -2
3D W =
1NT E +2
1NT E +3
?
9:
?
...............A9
...............K6
...............A97632
...............KJ7
83..........................KQJ542
J9872....................Q
10...........................J54
Q10652..................A43
...............1076
...............A10543
...............KQ8
...............98
?
This was a much easier hand if North opened 1NT; South would just have to make a slight overbid of 3H over East's 2S, but North would bid the easy 3NT. Only one pair reached 3NT. After 1D-1S-X-P; North has an uncomfortable rebid, and it will be tricky finding the pair's way into 3NT. Contracts were 2NT N, 3D N twice, 3H S, 3NT N, 5D N and 6D N after the auction 1D-1S-X-P; 3D-3S-4D-P; 4S-P-6D.
?
6D has playbut needs to establish the hearts; the 5-1 split is a killer. Declarer was lucky to get out for -1, as playing for twelve tricks risks -2. Cornot were able to defeat 5D. Glynneth were E-W top defending 3H -2. Leigh Ann ran her nine tricks in 3NT for the N-S top; declarer in 2NT dropped a trick and two matchpoints, as 3D took ten tricks both times.
?
3NT N =
3D N +1 (2)
2NT N =
5D N -1; 6D N -1
3H S -2
?
10:
?
...............J4
...............54
...............KJ86
...............108654
A1097.....................Q8
KJ7.........................AQ83
9532.......................AQ74
AJ...........................KQ2
...............K6532
...............10962
...............10
...............973
?
Would E-W go to slam? I thought after 1D-1S; 2NT West might try 3D, but East does not have a hand well suited to slam with all the queens and would likely have retired in 3NT. 3NT E was played five times; the two slam auctions were 1D-1S; 2H-6NT and 1D-1S; 2NT-4NT; 6NT. I do not like the reverse.
?
Neither 6D or 6NT has good chances. 6D needs the trump finesse, a 3-2 split and an endplay. 6NT needs the diamond finesse and three spade tricks; even if the fourth diamond establishes there is no real point, as that requires losing a trick and then one can only get a second spade trick without a loser by dropping the king, pinning the jack or getting South to duck a Chinese finesse. Both Bob and Harold made 6NT when the spade layout made it impossible for N-S to stop three spade winners. Two declarers in 3NT took twelve tricks, with the others taking eleven, ten and nine.??
?
3NT E =
3NT E +1
3NT E +2
3NT E +3 (2)
6NT E =; 6NT W =
?
11:
?
...............AKQ5
...............Q
...............K73
...............K10984
2...............................1073
K763.........................J1094
AJ10.........................Q9854
AQJ72......................6
...............J9864
...............A852
...............62
...............53
?
West opens 1C and North has quite a choice. Passing led to 1C W. North might also have doubled, overcalled 1S or overcalled 1NT. Double was not popular; South played 2S once but didn't declare at any other table. One North declared 2S (presumably after 1NT and a transfer), 3S twice, 3NT(!) and 4S.
?
4S can make but there is a huge trap for declarer. If E-W begin with two rounds of clubs playing the king on the second round puts declarer in a hole where the one saving grace is that E-W will only be able to lead one round of trumps. John made 4S, reached after a 1S overcall on the auction P-1C-1S-P; P-X-P-2D; 4S, John and West both equally surprised. Kevin had a big escape; 3NT could have been -2 against a heart lead or -1 otherwise; East lead a club. The key moment came at trick six when West discarded the diamond jack; discarding the ace would have set the contract!
?
3NT N +1
4S N =
2S S +2; 3S N +1
2S N +1; 3S N =
1C W -1
?
12:
?
...............KQJ43
...............J4
...............753
...............J105
1097......................65
K10975.................AQ2
AQ108..................KJ2
7............................K9842
...............A82
...............963
...............964
...............AQ63
?
We start P-P-1C-P; 1H, after which North likely comes in with 1S or 2S; if not East likely raises hearts. West was left in 2H once but usually the auction turned competitive. If N-S got to 2S sufficiently quickly E-W might not realize they have a heart fit; 2S was the most frequently played contract (thrice); West played 3H twice and 4H.
?
2S makes in a straightforward way; Hank, Kevin and Judy (P) all made an overtrick, at least twice when East let both North's club honours go through. 4H can make via a spade ruff against any lead but a trump; after a trump lead it looks as if N-S will likely manage the hold if they are careful enough in clubs not to allow the suit to establish with two ruffs. Mahn set 4H when West finessed in trumps; Gernot and Rita took ten tricks in heart partials.
?
2S N +1 (3)
4H W -1
3H W =
2H W +2; 3H W +1
?
13:
?
...............1074
...............Q986
...............AKQ7
...............A2
AKQ.....................J632
KJ2......................A74
84.........................J1052
KQJ53..................86
...............985
...............1053
...............963
...............10974
?
Curiously, three Norths did not open 1D. A 1D opening bid led to contracts of 2S E, 3S E and 3NT E. When North did open 1NT two Wests had to pass. One was able to make a penalty double. The last West overcalled 2C and played the hand there.
?
1NTx N could have been set three tricks; late in the hand a trick was dropped but the difference was only one matchpoint. 3NT E is set by a heart lead not because the suit establishes but because it breaks up the endplay against North that plays out against a different lead. The heart king must still be in the West hand when East's ace is taken to cash the fourth spade and throw North in with the third diamond. Corky made 3NT after a diamond lead.
?
1NT N =
2S E =; 2C W +1
3S E +1
1NT N -3
1NT x N -2
3NT E =
?
14:
?
...............J4
...............QJ
...............842
...............K98764
7..........................AK8532
K109842.............76
K7........................J953
AQ32...................5
...............Q1096
...............A53
...............AQ106
...............J10
?
East's 2S opening bid ended the auction thrice. South's Q1096 holding successfully stops the suit but lures South into 3NT if North does not let 2S go. 3NT S was also the contract three times. One North was left in 3C.
?
3C had to finish -2 and dropped another trick along the way, very helpful for Ritold. 2S hinged on the lead, -1 against a minor and = against a major. Jevin posted 2S -3; declarer ducked a spade early and then allowed an overruff of a club at trick six. 2S was made twice but Study and Marudy had insured above-average scores by passing. 3NT could be set three tricks by force after a major lead. George escaped for -2 and a good score; Karleta managed -4 and Cinise -5 for the top two scores.
?
2S E -3
3NT S =2
2S E = (2)
3C N -3
3NT S -4
3NT S -5
?
15:
?
...............J2
...............K72
...............A87543
...............KQ
Q7.......................K10983
J4........................9653
92........................Q
J1098765............A32
...............A654
...............AQ108
...............KJ106
...............4
?
After South's 1D, any West who took advantage of the kind vulnerability and came in with 3C was rewarded; N-S were kept out of 3NT and at best N-S were pushed to 5D, missing the successful but marginal slam. Contracts were 3D S, 3NT N, 4Cx W, 5Cx W and 5D S thrice.
?
Despite the club duplication, diamond contracts take an easy twelve tricks when the fourth heart provides a resting spot for North's second spade. Club contracts took eight tricks, both sacrifices beating game. 3NT takes eleven tricks against a spade lead and twelve otherwise, although there was no difference in the scoring with only one pair in 3NT.
?
3NT N +3
5D S +1 (2)
5Cx W -3
4Cx W -2
3D S +2
3D S =
?
16:
?
...............QJ4
...............A98
...............K1086
...............K93
K72.........................A3
K765.......................J32
Q.............................97432
Q8764.....................AJ10
...............109865
...............Q104
...............AJ5
...............52
?
P-1D-P-1S. At least one West doubled 1S. If West passed, North presumably rebid 1NT and South left it there thrice. Two Norths played 2D, likely after a 2C bid at some point. One East played 2H after a double and one South finished in 3S.
?
The three-card-suit lead against no-trumps was in such good form in this game that here even a three-card minor worked for the hold of 1NT to seven tricks. We could not expect anyone to find that lead; Steve took eight tricks while Leigh Ann and Kevin took nine. Harold managed a make of 2H; he was able to take four black-suit winners and three ruffs leaving Kx of trumps opposite Jx, then just let N-S it and waited for the eighth winner. Glynneth held 3S to the expected eight tricks. 2D should have been -1 but John made the contract and Karleta set it two.
?
1NT N +2 (2)
1NT N +1
2D N =
3S S -1
2D N -2
2H E =
?
17:
?
...............52
...............AKQ1065
...............Q7
...............K42
A4.............................KQ1063
93..............................4
A86542.....................KJ109
Q106..........................975
...............J987
...............J872
...............3
...............AJ83
?
After 1H-1S, South often found a way to show four trumps, which got North into 4H quite quickly. Six auctions ended in 4H N; one auction was 1H-1S-2H-3D; 3H-4D and N-S were quick to drop it there.
?
4H hinged on the losing club finesse and finished -1 five times. John made the contract when West overtook the spade king opening lead with the ace, allowing South's spade jack to provide a discard for the losing club. West's holding the club ten allowed E-W to make 4D; Breta made an overtrick when N-S did not cash out, but just taking the bid in 4D won the board.
?
4H N =
4H N -1
4D W +1
?
18:
?
...............A64
...............86
...............AK753
...............J62
K5.........................10982
K543.....................AQJ
Q106.....................J92
A1043...................Q75
...............QJ73
...............10972
...............84
...............K98
?
West opened 1C, North overcalled 1D and auction ended in 1NT W twice. Somehow one North ended in 1NT. Two Norths pushed on to 2D and played the hand there. One West played 2H and one more got all the way to 3NT.
?
West can force the seventh trick in 1NT with East's spade spots. Declarer has an eighth trick after a club lead; Jevin had to tread carefully after that lead to secure 3NT -1 and preserve their clean sheet. Rita and Leigh Ann both made 1NT in opposite directions, but the vulnerability gave Leigh Ann a much better score for it. Three N-S pairs posted +50. 2D looked like being one down but Karleta managed a two-trick set when declarer led a heart at trick eight, completing their strong finish.
?
1NT N =
1NT W -1; 2H W -1; 3NT W -1
1NT W =
2D N -1
2D N -2
