1:
?
...............5432
...............A108652
...............2
...............J8
A10987....................Q6
Q..............................94
AJ94........................K8653
Q74..........................6532
...............KJ
...............KJ73
...............Q107
...............AK109
?
If North opens 2H, South has enough potential loser coverage for 4H. Otherwise South opens 1NT and we see whether West comes in or not. If the auction remains uncontested, North transfers and South can pre-accept. North has enough to take a crack at game. E-W have a chance to keep N-S low if West can overcall, especially if West is lucky enough to be able to bid 2S with spades and a minor. North is then stuck and unable to take an invitational action, whereas if by luck West bids below 2H lebensohl allows North a 2NT relay followed by 3H to invite, a reasonable action on the hand with a Losing Trick Count of eight. We finished with contracts of 2H S, 3H N, 3H S, 4H N thrice, 4H S four times and 4Hx N.
?
The declaring outcome rides mainly on the spade guess - declarer takes eleven tricks by playing East for the queen. Gloria began with the N-S top for playing 4Hx +1. The club queen's dropping in three rounds meant that Phyllis and Elaine were able to take twelve tricks in 4H and 2H.
?
4Hx N +1
4H S +2
4H N +1 (2); 4H S +1 (2)
4H N =; 4H S =
2H S +4
3H N +2; 3H S +2
?
2:
?
...............10532
...............10975
...............1095
...............103
AKJ7.........................6
KJ62.........................AQ843
A872.........................KJ
7................................AK984
...............Q984
...............----
...............Q643
...............QJ652
?
With N-S vulnerable E-W were fairly sure to have the auction to themselves. Had West been a little less strong there would have been more splinter raises; knowing West is short in clubs gives East a fair chance of reaching 7H, as there will be fair play for 7H opposite three key cards. Paun, who play generic splinters, reached 7H that way: 1H-3S showing any splinter raise; 3NT-4C; 4NT-5D; 7H, Paul finding the shortage in clubs, then three key cards, and he cruised into 7H. One other pair reached 7H, six pairs bid 6H and three stopped in 4H. I did see one or two E-W pairs with East not able to find the spade king (showing specific kings West was unable to go past 6H) but the spade king was not of much importance, especially compared to West's not holding three low clubs.
?
Paul made 7H after a bit of back-and-forth. South made the natural opening lead of the club queen, on which North played the ten. Paul followed up with a heart to the king, then took the top spades and ruffed the third round, the queen not dropping. Drawing a second round of trumps would actually have squeezed South. Ruffing the spade meant that, after a club ruff in dummy, South could unguard the diamonds, as the third diamond and not the fourth becomes the threat. Paul had one extra chance due to North's club ten; he ruffed the club eight low when he could have discarded, ruffed the nine high and then finessed through North twice to pick up the trumps. After the ruff of the club eight Paul drew trumps and South unguarded the clubs. The 4-0 trumps were too much for most pairs; Steve, Connie and Sandi took thirteen tricks in 6H. Everyone else took twelve tricks except against Boric, who held declarer to eleven.
?
7H E -1
4H E +1
4H E +2 (2)
6H E = (3)
6H E +1 (3)
7H E =
?
3:
?
...............QJ
...............----
...............A10632
...............AJ10762
AK763......................1052
Q963........................AK10742
74.............................9
54.............................KQ8
...............984
...............J85
...............KQJ85
...............93
?
Had East been dealer it would have been interesting to see how West evaluated the hand (a 5-4-3-1 pattern might have just crossed over the game-going line). We likely see P-P-1D-1H; 3D-3H as a start, and if North passes it might be left in, as happened twice. One North was left in 4D but everyone else took a push into game: 4H E thrice, 5Cx N, 5Dx S twice, 6Dx N and 6Dx S. It's hard for North to stop, and in the end it results in a wash. One of the 6Dx auctions went P-P-1D-1H; 3D-3H-5D-5H; P-P-6C-X; 6D-X, the sacrifice luckily turning out not to be a phantom.
?
East in hearts got extremely lucky - the spades came in for no loser and declarer took eleven tricks. N-S take nine tricks in clubs or ten in diamonds. Gareth in 4D N dropped a trick but had already won the board just for being in that contract; everyone else took the expected number of tricks.
?
4D N -1
5Dx S -1 (2)
3H E +2 (2)
5Cx N -2; 6Dx S -2 (2)
4H E +1 (3)
?
4:
?
...............KQJ1054
...............8543
...............65
...............7
76...............................A3
AKJ6..........................Q
987.............................QJ32
QJ95..........................K106432
...............982
...............10972
...............AK104
...............A8
?
North opened 2S and played the hand there twice, with another North playing 3S. All the other contracts were in clubs by East. This indicates that West never opened, as West never declared in clubs and East would never have sold out. E-W avoided the trap of 3NT as well, much the best spot if West had turned up with xx AKxx xxx Axxx. How high would E-W go? Two pairs stopped in 3C, four in 4C and two in 5Cx.
?
The two Souths who doubled 5C were too pleased with the diamonds holding up to give North the ruff, so that declarer escaped for -1, although the slip cost little. Hank and Larry (Sh) both took ten tricks in 3C. 4C took the expected nine tricks except against Lernot, who picked up a fifth trick to tie the doublers. Spades had an easy eight tricks, the result for all three declarers, giving Jim and Sarah a 65% score.
?
4C E -2; 5Cx E -1 (2)
2S N = (2)
4C E -1 (3)
3S N -1
3C E +1 (2)
?
5:
?
...............AJ763
...............K3
...............AQ4
...............K102
82...........................KQ
A875.......................QJ2
K3...........................J1097652
AJ985.....................4
...............10954
...............10964
...............8
...............Q763
?
North opens 1S or 1NT; East might come in with diamonds over either opening. South might make a preemptive jump raise in spades if East overcalls 2D. The auction usually reached the four-level, with contracts of 1NT N, 2D E, 2S N, 3Hx W, 4D E thrice, 4S N thrice and 5D E.
?
All the diamond contracts took the expected nine tricks. It was a difficult hand for E-W defending spades as the winning line of defence was to start with the singleton club despite the trump holding of KQ doubleton. Gloria made 4S while Paun posted a two-trick set against indifferent declaring. 2S took nine tricks and 1NT eight for good scores. Hank made 3Hx W, which could have been set two tricks by force. North opened with the club ten; later in the hand South discarded a club at trick nine.??
?
4S N =
2S N +1
1NT N +1
5D E -2
4D E -1 (3)
4S N -1
2D E +1
4S N -2
3Hx W =
?
6:
?
...............4
...............42
...............AJ942
...............AKJ65
Q106532..............AKJ
A86......................Q10
653.......................Q87
Q...........................87432
...............987
...............KJ9753
...............K10
...............109
?
East presumably opens 1C and South bids 2H, passed around to a balancing double. West may well go on to 3S; the hand is not far from direct action over 2H. North could come in but game seems a minority outcome for either side, though not quite implausible. Contracts were 2S W twice, 3D N, 3H S twice, 3S W thrice, 4H S twice and 4S W.
?
The easy path to setting 4H is for West to lead a low trump, importantly not surrendering control of the hand. South cannot discard a spade without losing the lead to E-W; West can draw North's second trump and then the defence can cash three spade tricks. Elaine took eleven tricks in 4H after a spade lead. Spade contracts could have been held to eight tricks; Don made 4S after South broke the hearts at trick five.
?
4H S +1
3S W -2; 3H S +2
3H S =
3S W -1 (2)
3D N -1; 4H S -1
2S W = (2)
4S W =
?
7:
?
...............98
...............K863
...............KQ7632
...............3
AQJ....................10652
72.......................AQJ4
5..........................98
KJ107642...........AQ9
...............K743
...............1095
...............AJ104
...............85
?
This auction just measures the competitive spirits of both sides. We begin P-1C-2D-X; 3D and then the hand becomes almost exclusively a Battle of the Minors. )ne East sold out to 3D and another came back in with 3H, but the other nine contracts were all clubs played by West, with 5C the majority choice, played seven times, with 4C and 6C played once each, the 6C auction being P-1C-2D-X; 3D-4C-P-5C; 5D-P-P-6C. It is not particularly surprising that only a Robot would bid 6C with the East cards.
?
With both finesses succeeding 6C made for Larry (Sh). Everyone in clubs took twelve tricks, except for Hank, who took all thirteen after a spade lead. The red-suit contracts gave Bob (3D -1) and Lernot (3H =) the two best N-S scores.
?
3D N -1
3H E =
4C W +2
5C W +1 (6)
5C W +2
6C W =
?
8:
?
...............K54
...............A103
...............Q6543
...............AK
103.........................J762
Q86........................K742
AKJ8......................9
Q432......................10965
...............AQ98
...............J95
...............1072
...............J87
?
Would South continue after 1D-1NT? Two Souths passed, 1NT becoming the final contract. The remaining Souths invited game, often after Stayman, with North accepting the invitation by a 5-4 margin.
?
A club lead sets 3NT with relative ease. Even if declarer guesses the spades correctly for four tricks only an eighth trick can be established in a red suit. 3NT was made thrice, by Larry (St), Sarah and Bob, Sarah after she led a diamond from dummy and West played the jack second hand instead of winning. Paun picked up an extra trick on defence to post 3NT -2, sharing E-W top with Linj, who took even one trick more defending 2NT for the same score. Sharon was the only declarer in a partial to score +150.
?
3NT N = (3)
2NT N +1
1NT N +1 (2); 2NT N =
2NT N -1; 3NT N -1
2NT N -2; 3NT N -2
?
9:
?
...............QJ9852
...............10
...............9
...............KQJ93
----........................A103
KQ9654................A73
KQ1052.................AJ73
87..........................1065
...............K764
...............J82
...............864
...............A42
?
North's hand has too much playing strength for a 2S opening bid, although I expect some dealers took that course. Even if East passes, West probably comes in if South bids anything below 3S. With dueling 6-5 patterns the auction can rise to dizzying heights. Two tables stopping in a partial might be on the Over side of expectations. Contracts were 3S N, 4D E, 4H W twice, 4S N twice, 4Sx N twice, 5D W, 5Sx N and 6Cx S.
?
N-S should take ten tricks against any defence. For E-W, hearts should take eleven on a club lead or twelve otherwise, diamonds allowing the thirteenth as well against a kind lead. Both Rich and Larry (Sh) received a spade lead and posted 4H +2 to tie for E-W top. All the N-S contracts took ten tricks, except that Lark picked up a second undertrick when declarer did not draw all the trumps, although it made little difference to the matchpoint scores.
?
4Sx N = (2)
4S N = (2)
3S N +1
4D E +3
5Sx N -2; 6Cx S -2
5D W =
4H W +2 (2)
?
10:
?
...............AQ64
...............AQ8
...............105
...............8432
K2..........................98753
J10632...................954
KQ74......................J63
J9...........................AK
...............J10
...............K7
...............A982
...............Q10765
?
Some Wests opened 1H in third seat (suboptimal on a suit one does not want led); some Norths opened 1C in fourth. One table passed out. Surprisingly few auctions reached the three-level; contracts were 2C N thrice, 2D N, 2H W thrice, 3C N, 3C S and 3NT S. Game was reached when Diane came in with a balance: P-P-1H-P; P-1NT-P-P; 2H-3C-P-3NT, which I suppose will teach East about passing 2H.
?
The layout is ideal for N-S. 3NT cannot be defeat and Diane emerged with a triumphant top. The club contracts all took ten tricks. Heart contracts could have been held to six tricks; Don made 2H for the E-W top mostly after getting a ruff-and-discard and a little help later.
?
3NT S =
2H W -2
2C N +2 (3); 3C N +1 (2)
2H W -1
2D N =
Passed Out
2H W =
?
11:
?
...............KQ8632
...............Q107
...............5
...............1052
AJ9...........................107
KJ3...........................9542
10976........................Q843
Q93...........................A76
...............54
...............A86
...............AKJ2
...............KJ84
?
1NT from South and then what does North do? Does the hand invite or drive to game? Two Norths let the auction stop in 2S. Of the nine auctions with at least an invitation, the margin was 8-1 for 4S over 3S. It is possible that South accepted an invitational 3S once or twice with the aces and kings, although the low doubleton in trumps would seem to suggest that the invitation is better declined.
?
The layout is kind for N-S and allows 4S to make when there is only one spade loser and the red suits are not unkind. It is possible to go down in 4S if declarer starts the clubs for oneself and plays East for the queen. Larbot, Conndy, Vioebe and Randi all set 4S, Larbot after Sout led a spade to the king and then continued with a second spade from dummy. 4S was made the other four times. With a diamond the most likely opening lead, it would seem that 4S ought to have made more often.
?
4S N =; 4S S = (3)
2S S +3
3S N +1
2S S +1
4S S -1 (4)
?
12:
?
...............A108
...............1032
...............K8
...............A10954
KQ...........................J76432
9654........................AQ
Q6............................J73
KQJ72......................83
...............95
...............KJ87
...............A109542
...............6
?
E-W can reach a quiet 2S if South stays out of the auction. 2S E was the contract four times. If South came in with 2D on the first round the auction likely went beyond 2S, with higher contracts of 2NT N, 3D S, 3S E thrice, 3Sx E and 4D S.
?
It takes a bit of doing with the hearts but declarer can force ten tricks in diamonds by leading low hearts twice from the North hand. Both Diane and Tom took ten tricks in diamonds to tie for N-S top. Heve were E-W top defending 2NT N -4. Spade contracts could have been held to six tricks by precise defence but declarer always overperformed, taking seven or eight tricks four times each, giving Mark and Sandi declaring plus scores in 2S =.
?
3D S +1; 4D S =
3S E -2 (2); 3Sx E -1
2S E -1 (2); 3S E -1
2S E = (2)
2NT N -4
?
13:
?
...............Q98
...............J1094
...............AJ3
...............K98
1074.........................3
K863........................AQ75
K975.........................10862
52.............................A1074
...............AKJ652
...............2
...............Q4
...............QJ63
?
We got almost everyone to 4S S. North had an invitation via Drury (if an unpassed hand 1NT forcing and 3S on the second round) and South had the Losing Trick Count to accept. One North was content with a raise to 2S and South passed, but everyone else went to 4S.
?
If West is averse to leading away from kings declarer is likely to take eleven tricks after a club lead. A diamond lead also gives a trick away. A trump lead probably results in ten tricks. Eight of the ten declarers in 4S did take eleven tricks. Conndy set 4S when South passed up the diamond finesse and never got a discard of the fourth club.
?
4S S +1 (8)
4S S =
2S S +2
4S S -1
?
14:
?
...............A862
...............AK987
...............KJ63
...............----
J9................................K1043
10532..........................Q64
108752........................AQ
87................................K965
...............Q75
...............J
...............94
...............AQJ10432
?
What does South do after East opens 1C? South often passed, often seeing North come in with a double; 1Cx E was the contract once. At least one West ran from 1Cx and the intrepid Doug even responded 1D to 1C. In the Make Sure of Your Partnership Agreements category, one South made a rather normal jump cue-bid, which is generally considered natural over 1m, while over 1M it asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper. Unfortunately, North did not take 3C as natural and bid 6H! Besides 6H N and 1Cx E, other contracts were 3C S, 3NT N, 3NT S four times, 4C S and 5C S twice.
?
When clubs are trumps, N-S should take ten tricks. Loubot defeated 1Cx only two tricks, probably due to not following the cardinal rule of leading trumps when one leaves the opponents in 1m doubled. The one thing South wants to prevent is West's getting any ruffs; draw trumps and then pick up whatever the side has in the other suits. It made a fair difference, as three games were permitted to make when either 3NT or 5C should have finished -1. Eric posted 5C +1 when a spade was led at trick five, anything else preserving the set; Erik played 3NT S +2 after a club switch at the second trick. Heve were the lucky recipients of the bidding misunderstanding, posting 6H -3 for the E-W top.
?
3NT S +2
3NT S +1
5C S =
1Cx E -2
3C S -1; 3NT N -1; 3NT S -1; 4C S -1; 5C S -1
3NT S -2
6H N -3
?
15:
?
...............Q102
...............1043
...............6
...............KJ10872
KJ965......................A84
J7.............................Q52
AK84........................J107
96.............................AQ54
...............73
...............AK986
...............Q9532
...............3
?
I could live with an opening bid from South; the hand will have a rebid and at least there are two Quick Tricks in case the bidding gets high. 2H is interesting if the partnership agreements permit. It looks as if a 1H opening bid has a chance of keeping E-W out of 4S. If West opens 1S East is sure to get the side to game but after 1H-1S East will only invite and might downgrade the hand to a mild invitation. West will probably not accept a mild invitation and the hand could just slip through the cracks. Contracts were 3Hx S, 3S W and 4S W nine times.
?
4S makes with enough things behaving, a little on the lucky side. Curiously only half the declarers in spades took ten tricks. Loubot defended 4S -2 when the diamond king was led and ruffed on the second trick and declarer later got blocked in dummy. Randi managed a nice 3Hx -4 for a tidy +1100 and the E-W top.
?
4S W -2
4S W -1 (3)
3S W =
4S W = (5)
3Hx S -4
?
16:
?
...............A96
...............A8
...............KQ102
...............10743
KJ10742.............----
J6.......................Q9542
J98.....................643
QJ.......................A9862
...............Q853
...............K1073
...............A75
...............K5
?
2S W could have been left in more often than thrice. One South left in a takeout double of 2S; such good luck! Curiously there were only two other contracts reached, 3D N twice and 3NT N five times. I could have seen 3NT S after a balance.
?
The passout on Board 17 threw me off my schedule and I have had to reconstruct what happened on Board 16. Heve's drawn round with Giselaine was especially helpful, as that meant that Heve scored exactly 70% defending 3D. I also remembered that Lernot scored 20% on both boards of the round. Glotin won the round and had to score 85% or better defending 2S. Boric also won the round and had to score 85% or better playing 3NT, so that Bob had to make 3NT and nobody else could make that contract.? Ten tricks in 3NT could have been forced, but most declarers probably missed the club blockage.
?
3NT N +1
2S W -3
3D N =
2S W -2 (2); 2Sx W-1
3D N -1; 3NT N -1 (2)
3NT N -2 (2)
?
17:
?
...............Q6
...............854
...............AJ3
...............A10764
A1082....................K753
QJ..........................A10762
Q765......................K42
J53.........................2
...............J94
...............K93
...............1098
...............KQ98
?
Six tables passed out. North opened 1C twice and a weak 1NT one other time. The 1C opening bids led to 2S W and 3S W; 1NT led to 3C N, likely after a negative double from South. One East opened 2D, perhaps a light Flannery, also leading to 3S W. The last opening bid was 1D by West in fourth seat, resulting in 2H E.
?
Spade contracts could take eight tricks with top play by both sides but the declarers in 3S both made the contract (Cindy received a club lead to the queen followed by a diamond to the ace) while Shane defeated 2S, declarer likely losing control of trumps. 3C finished the expected -1 against Randi and Vicki took the expected eight tricks in 2H.
?
2S W -1
Passed Out (6)
3C N -1
2H E =
3S W = (2)
?
18:
?
...............KJ
...............J842
...............83
...............AKJ63
943......................Q865
K106....................A95
KQ7654...............J1092
9...........................108
...............A1072
...............Q73
...............A
...............Q7542
?
West overcalls 2D after South opens 1C. North doubles and then the auction gets a bit high. East raises diamonds. One South tried 3NT and even one North (perhaps West was quiet) but all the other auctions went higher, to 4C S, 4D W, 5C S five times and 5Dx W twice.
?
3NT rides on the spade finesse. Both declarers in 3NT were defeated. North finessed spades the wrong way against Heve, finishing -3. Against Randi, South ran all the clubs and didn't have an entry for the third spade winner, finishing -1. Club contracts were set to take ten tricks, which was the result at every table except one. Phyllis took eleven tricks when she led a heart from hand and West rose with the king instead of ducking. 5Dx can be set four tricks with perfect defence (the fourth spade has to be led before trumps are drawn) but both declarers escaped for -2, although it made little difference with only one game making.
?
5C S =
5Dx W -2 (2)
4C S =
4D W -2
3NT S -1; 5C S -1 (4)
3NT N -3
