1:
?
...............AK1052
...............K54
...............A
...............QJ62
QJ6..........................7
AJ2..........................Q8
KJ972......................108543
98............................K7543
...............9843
...............109763
...............Q6
...............A10
?
1S from North and a raise from South even if East comes in with 2NT (bleah!). North is good enough to go to game, especially if South shows four trumps, but might just invite instead. One E-W pair found the sacrifice in 5Dx W, one N-S pair stopped in 3S and eight N-S pairs played 4S.
?
Any lead but a heart allows N-S to collect +500 against 5Dx but Elizabeth escaped for a good score in 5Dx -2; if North starts with a top spade, the defence must follow with one round of clubs to South and then a heart back through West. Declarer could technically finesse West for the spade QJx and take eleven tricks but only Kunal and Steve (Y) took eleven tricks in 4S. Jevin were E-W top defending 4S -1; declarer not only led the top trumps early but led a diamond at trick five instead of a heart and could not do everything necessary.
?
4S N +1 (2)
4S N = (5)
5Dx W -2
3S N +2
4S N -1
?
2:
?
...............A3
...............J832
...............KQ1084
...............J2
QJ1042....................985
65.............................AKQ109
762...........................A95
987...........................K4
...............K76
...............74
...............J3
...............AQ10653
?
We not only got a rainbow out of this but a fully balanced rainbow, with two contracts in each denomination. East may open 1NT, but seems more likely to declare in no-trumps after 1H-2C-P-P; X, while North might also declare no-trumps after 1H-2C-P-2NT. One West declared in spades as did one East; hearts were also declared by East at one table and West at another after a misunderstanding about whether transfers were or weren't on in competition. North declared twice in diamonds at 2D and 4D; the only contract played twice by the same declarer was 3C S.
?
Henry took the expected nine tricks in clubs; Diane took ten. Diamonds can be held to eight tricks; East leads a low diamond and gets to draw South's trumps, then cash three hearts and give West a heart ruff, or North can play clubs before trumps are out and give East a club ruff instead. Steve (Y) managed ten tricks in 2D, but Still were E-W top finding -2 against 4D. 3H W was the expected -3 but Gernot made 3H E; the opening lead was the club ace and then North led the heart jack at trick nine instead of a diamond. Ritold held declarer to the expected seven tricks in 2S E but Jeff made 2S W. Declaring no-trumps by East and North gave both sides a useful positional stopper. Glynneth did well enough posting 3NT E -3 but could have managed -5 with a diamond lead; Roman could have been held to eight tricks in 2NT N but managed nine.
?
2NT N +1; 3H W -3; 3NT E -3
2D N +2; 3C S +1
3C S =
2S E -1
2S W =
3H E =
4D N -2
?
3:
?
...............Q10
...............10
...............Q10765
...............K8765
AKJ9.....................7432
K72.......................AQJ96
9............................AK4
QJ1032.................A
...............865
...............8543
...............J832
...............94
?
This was the E-W slam. 6NT was almost a guaranteed make; hearts would have to split 5-0 with South holding the five and even most of those splits would let declarer get home with four club tricks. West's 1C opening bid kept North from any ideas of a 2NT overcall for the minors; after 1C-1H; 1S, East could consider slam but the weak spades might have been off-putting. Finding three-card support for hearts might allow East to head for 6H instead, a spot which would better 6S in a bidding competition. 6H is also almost guaranteed to make nearly as often as 6NT. Contracts were 3NT E, 4S W, 4NT W, 5S W, 6H E twice and 6S W four times. Jevin played in 6H after 1C-1H; 1S-2D; 3H-4NT; 5H-6H.
?
A spade lead reduces the chance of a thirteenth trick in 6H as declarer cannot draw trumps and then take the ruffing finesse in clubs. E-w top was a tie between Kevin in 6H E +1 and Willis in 6S W +1. Everyone else took twelve tricks, the limit in no-trumps. Willis had to drop the doubleton spade queen offside for the overtrick.
?
4S W +2; 5S W +1
3NT E +3; 4NT W +2
6H E =; 6S W = (3)
6H E +1; 6S W +1
?
4:
?
...............QJ86
...............942
...............7643
...............J10
K2...........................A1073
Q1085.....................AJ6
AK2.........................Q1095
A543........................96
...............954
...............K73
...............J8
...............KQ872
?
We got almost everyone into 3NT W. One pair played 4H W instead.
?
A key point to the auction was whether or not South doubled East's Stayman 2C for a club lead. Without such a double, a spade lead from North allows declarer eleven tricks and even a heart lead allows ten. After a club lead declarer has to resort to an endplay to make the contract if South keeps the heart Kx, and then declarer must guess to throw South in with a club, which could backfire if South began with four spades and two hearts and discards one card from each major on the diamonds. Lynn and Cindy doubled 2C and received the winning lead for a score of +100. The 4-3 heart fit plays neatly here with 3-3 trumps; it takes a heart lead to prevent an overtrick. After a spade lead Jeff was E-W top in 3NT +2, followed by Elizabeth in 4H +1; 3NT +1 was the middle score.
?
3NT W -1 (2)
3NT W +1 (6)
4H W +1
3NT W +2
?
5:
?
...............AJ73
...............10
...............K984
...............J1032
2.......................Q10954
AK....................Q962
AQ107632........J
987...................Q65
...............K86
...............J87543
...............5
...............AK4
?
After 1H from South and 2D from West, then next non-pass was usually a double from either North or South. West bid diamonds again if necessary and usually played the hand. Contracts were 2D W, 3D W thrice, 3Dx W twice, 3H S, 4D W twice and 4S N.
?
With exact defence N-S can come to six tricks against diamonds - North must lead a club to finesse dummy's queen and get a heart ruff as well. Willis in 4D -2 was the only declarer in diamonds not to take exactly seven tricks; South lead a third round of hearts at trick six and Willis was able to discard the spade loser. Either hearts or spades could have taken eight tricks. With all the E-W contracts going down declarers had to go all out for a make, resulting in 3H S -3 against Jevin and 4S N -5 against Gerlin for the E-W top.
?
3Dx W -2 (2)
4D W -3
3D W -2 (3); 4D W -2
2D W -1
3H S -3
4S N -5
?
6:
?
...............A7
...............A
...............AK1093
...............AQJ86
64...........................QJ9853
KQ762....................543
J76..........................Q2
1072........................K3
...............K102
...............J1098
...............854
...............954
?
Left to their own devices, North would almost surely have opened 2C and likely South would have declared 3NT, which was played twice. But a 2S opening bid from East made game a bit uncertain. 3NT N was played thrice but four pairs stopped in partials (2NT N, 3C N twice and 4D N) and one finished in 5C N. North has an uncomfortable hand with too many HCP opposite who knows how few South will hold; the difference between not having good play for game and having tolerable play for slam is smaller than one might think.
?
It takes a major-suit lead to hold either 3NT or 5m to game without overtricks, although a spade lead must be low against 3NT to prevent declarer's being able to get three tricks without the suit's blocking. After the normal lead of the queen, Gareth, Eric and Leigh Ann shared the N-S top on a score of +460. Then came a three-way tie between Kunal and Cindy in 3NT = with Roman in 5C N =. Declarer in 2NT also too eleven tricks to save a score of 3/9; the minor partials all scored -150 to split E-W top between Dallis, Gerlin and Nary.
?
3NT N +2 (3)
3NT S = (2); 5C N =
2NT N +3
3C N +2 (2); 4D S +1
?
7:
?
...............Q95
...............96
...............AQ65
...............J932
K742.....................J1086
QJ7.......................108543
1084......................92
AQ7.......................54
...............A3
...............AK2
...............KJ73
...............K1086
?
If N-S are left to themselves they are almost sure to reach 3NT from one side or the other. South opens 1m and North might well respond 1NT even over a double from West, or else raise to 2m. East will almost surely pass and South can invite game with 2NT, an invitation North can accept. Contracts were a bit wider-ranging than they should have been: 2NT S thrice, 3D S, 3NT N thrice, 3NT S twice and 5D N.
?
Diamonds by North turn out to be wrong-sided; E-W can get a club ruff off the top to hold declarer to nine tricks. Otherwise it all hangs on the club finesse, which does not succeed, although even making 5D won't score well against 3NT N with the club finesse working. 3NT might be at risk after a heart lead; when South declares a spade could be even trickier. Here, though, the layout is kind, as the hand with the club ace has only three hearts and the spades lie well for declarer. E-W have nowhere to go for five tricks but there could be some interesting moments. A spade lead from East results in nine tricks for declarer, as does a heart lead from either side. Even a spade lead from West allows defenders the timing to take their fourth trick before declarer takes the tenth. Both diamond contracts took ten tricks, East not finding the club lead. Myrne defeated 3NT S, which I suspect resulted because of North's holding the spade nine. If West leads a spade and North ducks, East can lay a cute trap for declarer by not playing the eight-spot. Say the ten forces the ace and West, in with club queen, plays another spade. Now declarer has a guess - did West lead from J8xx or K8xx? If East plays the eight on the first round declarer has no option on the second round but must play the queen. This gave Myrne a tie for E-W top with Still's 5D N -1. Roman and Steve (Y) shared the N-S top in 3NT N +1. Roman did it in an interesting way after a heart lead. West won the first round of clubs and established the hearts, Roman ducking the second round. Then West ducked the second club, allowing Roman to cash the diamonds before giving West the third club, which left West nothing to lead but a spade from the king. The queen scored and Roman had his overtrick.
?
3NT N +1 (2)
3NT N =; 3NT S =
2NT S +3 (2)
2NT S +1
3D S +1
3NT S -1; 5D N -1
?
8:
?
...............7652
...............AK3
...............A
...............KJ743
QJ1098...............K
J2........................Q106
9762....................KQ10853
105......................Q62
...............A43
...............98754
...............J4
...............A98
?
Does P-1C-1D-1H promise five? If it does, North can raise to 3H and N-S can reach 4H S. If not a 3D raise from West puts N-S under the gun. Support doubles don't generally go to the three-level; N-S could get stuck. Curiously, an uncontested auction could be trickier if it starts 1C-1H; 1S. What does South rebid - 1NT with no diamond stop? 2H on a poor five-card suit? 2C and risk playing in a minor? 2S and play in the Moysian fit? I suppose either 1NT or 2C would likely win out and then North has to find an advance in hearts, which should put South into Go Mode. Contracts were 3C N, 3D E, 3H S, 4D E, 4H N (1NT opening bid and transfer), 4H S four times and 5C N.
?
4H is not bad looking at the two hands. South will be able to ruff the diamond loser and then even after a spade lead, assuming 3-2 trumps, can play for 3-3 spades before committing to the club finesse. E-W cannot force the issue in both black suits, and not attacking spades lets declarer home on a 3-2 club split or a successful finesse, even better. Here the clubs have a loser but the spade block saves declarer - West never gets in. Declarer can even force an overtrick by winning the first trick, although that is on the Not Recommended list, as East could well be unblocking the king from Kx or West could hold the third trump. Roman had a relatively easy time of it in 4H N after a non-spade lead and was able to ruff South's second diamond and make the overtrick in comfort for the N-S top; one for the 1NT opening bid with the singleton ace. Haorge and Nary defended 4H -1 to tie Gerlin's 5C -1 for E-W top. Against Nary declarer played the third club too soon before drawing East's last trump; the suit got cut off. East took the expected seven tricks in diamonds; Jevin's reputation helped them escape with a decent score in 4D -3; a double would have given N-S the top score.
?
4H N +1
4H S = (2)
3H S +2
4D E -3
3C N =
3D E -2
4H S -1 (2); 5C N -1
?
9:
?
...............A102
...............K7
...............AK763
...............1084
J8.....................Q976
AQJ9832..........6
Q42...................J98
K.......................AJ532
...............K543
...............1054
...............105
...............Q976
?
This turned into a Battle of the Majors. There was a chance of a diamond contract if North upgraded the hand to a 1NT opening bid if South turned out to be willing to risk a double after 1NT-P-P-2H; P-P. Otherwise we usually began with 1D-P-1S-2H and then North might have made a support double. West might push on to 3H. Neither North nor South should probably push over that but a few pairs did and then it became a battle of which side could stop first. Contracts were 2H W thrice, 3H W thrice, 3S S twice, 4H W and 4S S.
?
Defensive ruffs were the order of the day. N-S had an easy six tricks against hearts after the fairly obvious diamond ruff. Gernot was the only successful declarer, making 2H after South either did not signal the doubleton diamond or North took the upside-down signal as being from Qxx and tried ace and another spade after the two diamonds. All the other declarers in hearts took seven tricks, giving Ritold the N-S top defending 4H -3. E-W can take seven tricks against spades if the club king is taken early to get ruffs in both clubs and hearts. Two of the three declarers in spades took a trick more than they could force but the E-W pairs had essentially won the hand by defending, with +150 sharing the top between Nary and Myrne.
?
4H W -3
3H W -2 (3)
2H W -1 (2)
3S S -2
2H W =
3S S -3; 4S S -3
?
10:
?
...............K865
...............73
...............A108
...............Q1087
QJ1093................7
KQ5.....................AJ102
----.......................K5432
AJ943..................652
...............A42
...............9864
...............QJ976
...............K
?
Had I been to predict a rainbow hand this might have been my choice. There are numerous possible starts to the auction: P-P-1S-P; 1NT-P-2C and then East may risk either a pass or 2S; South may come in with 2D or a double over either 1NT or 2C. 1C can go many different ways: 1C-1H; 2H, 1C-1R; 1S-1NT, 1C-1R; 1S-1NT; 2C; 1C-1R; 1S-1NT; 2S with South potentially coming in with 2D again if East responds 1H. But we were able to avoid no-trumps and hearts. Contracts were 2C W twice, 2D S twice, 2Dx S, 2S W, 3C W twice, 4C W and 4S W.
?
An opening heart lead holds spade contracts to seven tricks as North can ruff the third round and cut declarer off from dummy, although both declarers in spades took eight tricks. Clubs can force nine tricks despite the bad trump layout; if North preserves the three trump winners West establishes the spades for one loser with a good guess and South only gets the lead once by winning the first spade and setting up the ruffing finesse, which compensates for any good done by leading a diamond through from that side. Anne, Willis and Jeff took nine tricks in clubs; Marudy and Stindy held declarer to eight. Diamonds are easily held to seven tricks by force, most easily with spade ruffs; two declarers took seven tricks and one took six. Scoring +200 tied for top in both directions; Romel and Leighry N-S, Haorge and Nary E-W.
?
4C W -2; 4S W -2
3C W -1
2D S -1
2C W +1 (2); 2S W =; 3C W =
2D S -2; 2Dx S -1
?
11:
?
...............AK109
...............982
...............97
...............AKQ2
76...........................5432
A1076....................K43
AK52......................863
1075.......................J86
...............QJ8
...............QJ5
...............QJ104
...............943
?
This was a fun little hand. Those Wests who open everything with three Quick Tricks (in memory of Kate Weil) start with 1D, North doubles and then South likely bids 1NT, perhaps reaching 3NT after a move from North. Otherwise North opens 1NT and it's up to South to invite. The division was almost an even split, with contracts of 1D W, 1NT N thrice, 1NT S, 3NT N four times and 3NT S.
?
There could have been siding considerations had the red kings been switched; then a heart lead through South could have been repeated to good effect. As the cards lie the fate of 3NT comes down to the club suit, which declarer must try as soon as getting a heart trick. If E-W avoid hearts entirely, declarer wants to go after diamonds before cashing the black winners and squeezing the South hand in the red suits. Kunal, Roman and Eric tied for N-S top taking ten tricks in 3NT N when E-W avoided hearts entirely for a little too long and never took their two tricks. Elott were E-W top defending 1NT N =, followed by Jeff's taking the expected five tricks in 1D W -2. The trick distribution in no-trumps was seven, eight, nine (4) and ten (3). Myrne's 3H -1 came about after the lead of a high diamond and then a heart switch; after winning the third heart declarer thought it better to try to find the diamond ace and fourth heart in opposite hands rather than resort to clubs. Had E-W ducked the first or second heart in a classic entry-preserving move declarer would not have had that losing option.
?
3NT N +1 (3)
3NT N =; 3NT S =
1NT N +2; 1NT S +2
1NT N +1
1D W -2
1NT N =
?
12:
?
...............AK
...............KQJ63
...............64
...............AQJ8
8642.......................Q95
2.............................1054
QJ32.......................K98
K742.......................10953
...............J1073
...............A987
...............A1075
...............6
?
Can N-S reach their slam? Three pairs did by completely different routes. One North opened 2C and showed hearts, after which any South not to drive to slam would have been assigned the Chicken Dance. Grand slam would be more likely than stopping in game. The second slam auction was 2NT-3C; 3H-4NT; 5S-6H, reasonable enough if South did not have a good way to invite slam (especially if 3C was Puppet or Muppet Stayman rather than the normal variety). Kunbot were the one pair to reach 6H after a 1H opening bid after the auction 1H-3H; 3S-4D; 4NT-5H; 5NT-6H. A fourth pair looked for slam but stopped in 5H N; everyone else played 4H.
?
South's holding the spade ten hurt chances of declarer's to take all thirteen tricks, as it provided a losing option in the unsuccessful ruffing finesse. A diamond lead is the only way to hold declarer to twelve tricks by force; it will then be impossible to ruff two or three clubs, establish the fourth spade, draw trumps and reach the spade for the discard. After a trump lead play might go: heart to seven, club to ace, club ruff, spade to king, club ruff, spade to ace, club ruff, spade ruff (high), heart king, heart queen, diamond ace, spade jack and ruff the last trick. There were not many diamond leads but only two declarers took all thirteen tricks, Judy in 6H after guessing to ruff the third spade instead of running it and Harold in 4H. Everyone else took twelve tricks except for Elott, who were able to hold declarer to eleven.
?
6H N +1
6H N = (2)
4H N +3
4H N +2 (3); 5H N +1
4H N +1 (2)
?
13:
?
...............K763
...............KQ63
...............Q92
...............83
AQ8......................J1094
875.......................104
AJ106...................8
AK6......................QJ9754
...............52
...............AJ92
...............K7543
...............102
?
A surprising number of Wests opened 1NT, which turned out to be the majority contract, as East did not insist on clubs. Indeed, 1NT W was played six times, a bit of an upset. Given the presumed 1D opening bid, this was far from the hand I would have chosen for everyone to be playing in no-trumps, although 1D-1S; 2NT certainly seemed plausible. 2NT W was played thrice and 3NT W once.
?
Par on the hand was taking ten tricks in clubs. Declarer had eight top tricks in no-trumps. With the 4-4 hearts there was no chance of a sixth trick for the defence that might have occurred had hearts split 5-3 without a heart lead, had declarer gone for nine tricks. -120 gave seven N-S pairs a share of top. Three Norths ither led a spade or shifted to one after the hearts, as happened for Elizabeth in 3NT =. North could well have worked out?the danger of?the spade switch; give West 18-19 HCP and South cannot hold an ace, but neither a diamond nor a club is completely safe either. Best would be for South to win the fourth heart - take the first four tricks either in the order king, ace, queen, jack or ace, queen, king, jack depending on what the partnership leads from KQxx.
?
1NT W +1 (5); 2NT W = (2)
1NT W +2; 2NT W +1
3NT W =
?
14:
?
...............7642
...............Q3
...............KQ103
...............QJ6
Q.............................AK95
J42..........................K65
A8742......................J
K1082......................A9753
...............J1083
...............A10987
...............965
...............4
?
West has multiple possible calls over East's 1C opening bid that may reflect how one values the spade queen. West might answer 1D or else raise to 2C either Standard or inverted. Game may be reached after an immediate invitation or after 1C-1D; 1S-3C, with East probably choosing 3NT. Some Wests either responded or rebid 1NT, which was played twice, along with 2D E twice, 2D N (interesting), 3C E thrice, 3S N and 3NT E.
?
3NT makes after a heart lead because the suit blocks if North keeps the queen and declarer gets a second stopper with the jack otherwise. A diamond lead puts N-S in the driver's seat while a spade lead also suffices because it gives nothing away and declarer cannot time the hand properly. Leighry defeated 3NT for the only N-S plus score. Eleven tricks are possible in clubs if declarer is careful about timing the ruffs, taking one round of clubs at most. Three of the five declarers in clubs duly took eleven tricks; one took ten and one nine. Kunbot had the most successful defence, holding 3C to nine tricks. Declarer played clubs too soon and in the end position missed the chance of a heart trick. Myrne duly took their eight tricks against 3S N for the E-W top. Eric could have been -3 in 2D against a trump or low spade lead but escaped for -1; -2 would have been just as good. The 1NT contracts both yielded nine tricks, creating a five-way tie for second E-W on +150.
?
3NT E -1
2D N -1
3C E =
3C E +1
1NT W +2 (2); 2C E +3 (2); 3C E +2
3S N -4
?
15:
?
...............Q64
...............AK4
...............A32
...............Q974
82.........................AKJ73
Q63.......................107
KJ64.....................Q5
AK106...................8532
...............1098
...............J9852
...............10987
...............J
?
Whichever minor West opens North overcalls 1NT. This is were various pairs displayed unfamiliarity with the sequence, as East has a clear double of the 1NT overcall for penalty. Three Easts, however, bid 2S over 1NT and played the hand there, West interpreting the bid as showing a hand too weak for a double and passing. One West perhaps took a double as negative, resulting in a contract of 2C W. Three E-W pairs correctly followed the penalty usage. South tried to escape, resulting in 2Hx N, 2Sx N (misunderstanding of whether 2H should or not have been a transfer over East's double) and 3Hx N. The other three contracts were 2NT W, 4H S (undoubled!) and 4S E.
?
Against spades North has three top tricks but is powerless to avoid being endplayed in clubs due to the flat distribution. Mary (R) made 4S and two of the three declarers in 2S took ten tricks as well. Jevin, defending 2Sx N, played carefully to secure their top board rather than going all-out for the maximum penalty; they finished with -3 instead of -5, just enough for sole top. Hearts can be held to six tricks; a diamond lead sets up the defence for the lead of a fourth diamond through North to good effect, and drawing trumps earlier gives West a trick with the queen. Roman, though, was allowed a make of 2Hx N when East began with two top spades and gave West a ruff, which leads to -1 unless West, as was the case, refuses ever to lead the diamonds. Haorge were second E-W defending 3Hx N -2, Leighry second N-S defending 2C W =.
?
2Hx N =
2C W =
2S E +1
2NT W +1
2S E +2 (2)
4H S -3
4S E =
3Hx N -2
2Sx N -3
?
16:
?
...............J65
...............AKJ763
...............103
...............J6
Q32...........................K94
Q109.........................85
A72...........................96
A954.........................KQ8743
...............A1087
...............42
...............KQJ854
...............10
?
If West passes, North opens 2H and it may well go around. If West opens 1C, North overcalls 2H and East raises to 3C. South may come in with either 3D or 3H, East may push on but may also fear pushing N-S into a making 4H. Contracts were 2H N, 3C E, 3H N four times, 4C W twice, 4D S and 4H N.
?
The hand is a golden one for N-S in hearts. E-W don't have the time to draw South's trumps to come to two club winners and establish their spade trick. South's spade ten prevents a profitable attack on that suit and the diamonds establish quickly. Ten tricks in hearts cannot be stopped; Harold gilded the lily and made an overtrick in 4H for the top score. Roman also took eleven tricks in a heart partial; two declarers took ten tricks and two nine. Still were one of the pairs scoring -140; needing to get back to the North hand to draw East's last trump, declarer had to lead the spade ten from dummy at trick seven when South had only spades and diamonds left - low to the jack would have let East win and return the last spade to stick South on lead again, but the ten would either force the king and give North an entry with the jack or East would duck, take the jack with the king and then be unable to force South back on lead. Elott bettered par by one trick defending 4D -1; clubs could have been held to eight tricks but Willis saved half a board's worth of matchpoints getting out in 4C -1.
?
?
?
4H N +1
2H N +3; 4C W -2
3H N +1 (2)
3H N = (2)
3C E -1; 4C E -1
4D S -1
?
17:
?
...............K5
...............J1076
...............AJ73
...............A86
73.........................AQ42
Q98......................32
Q10986................542
K104.....................J532
...............J10986
...............AK54
...............K
...............Q97
?
With 26 HCP all the N-S pairs reached game, either 3NT or 4H, North declaring every time. I was a little surprised that 3NT was chosen over 4H by a 7-3 majority. Presumably when South checked back over 1NT North did not mention the four-card heart suit more than thrice, although that would be the expected course.
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3NT fails to a club lead, which lets E-W get their fourth trick established and cashed before South can pull off any sort of endplay - especially if North declares the ninth trick can be established but never cashed, though East should lead a diamond after taking the long club before South gets to run the spades; if South is allowed to keep ---- AK5 K ---- opposite North's diamond AJ West is squeezed. 4H can also be set at a more leisurely pace, East having more opportunities to find the club lead before the spades are established and run. Only three declarers succeeded, with Eric playing 3NT =, Roman 4H = and Marcia 3NT +1 after a spade lead and later a diamond from East instead of the club that could have held declarer to the contract. E-W top went to a four-way tie on -2 and +100, Myrne's result against 4H while Eubot, Dallis and Still posted two-trick sets of 3NT.?
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3NT N +1
4H N =
3NT N =
3NT N -1 (2); 4H N -1
3NT N -2 (3); 4H N -2
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18:
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...............KJ54
...............K1096
...............Q103
...............63
AQ1073...............982
A2........................QJ73
52.........................J97
J1054...................A97
...............6
...............854
...............AK854
...............KQ82
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It looks as if we all began P-1D-1S-1NT; 2S.? Then what? 2S ended the auction four times, but South or North often pushed on; higher contracts were 2NTx N, 3D S3S W twice, 3Sx W and 3NT N.
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Declarer in no-trumps is held to eight tricks if E-W go after diamonds early enough to cut communications. Declarer gets stuck in one hand or the other and cannot cash the ninth trick. Steve (Y) made 3NT after a spade to the ace and spade return - a diamond at trick two would have discombobulated him just enough. Harold in 2NTx was always going to be N-S top. He was heading for one overtrick when East unblocked the club ace at trick eleven in the hope that West could win the last two tricks; instead Harold emerged with two overtricks that he did not need anyway. Diamonds took the expected nine tricks for Kunal. A club lead from North holds West to six tricks in spades, which was the result?five times out of seven; Leighry better par by one trick on defence and George by one trick as declarer.
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2NTx N +2
3NT N =
3Sx W -3
3S W -4
3S W -3
3D S =
2S W -2 (3)
2S W -1
