1:
?
...............KQ9863
...............953
...............KQ3
...............A
107............................4
A1042.......................KQJ7
1095..........................82
Q542.........................KJ10873?
...............AJ52
...............86
...............AJ764
...............96
?
We began with a simple enough game with only a question of whether or not E-W would sacrifice. 1S-2C-3C may have kept West quiet, as only two N-S pairs were pushed to the five-level. It is possible if 3C shows a limit raise or better that bidding 4C will help North accept the invitation, and if North is not going to accept then an immediate 5C could be precipitate. North might have high hopes. Slam is cold opposite Axxx x Axxxx xxx and one may be able to steal 6S opposite something like Jxxx Ax AJxxx xx; North may show the club control with 4C and then retire to 4S over 4D. South will pass with no control of hearts. Contracts were 4S N eight times and 5S N twice.
?
It surprised me that four of the ten declarers took twelve tricks. Even without the road map of N-S's showing controls, East has a perfectly natural heart lead from KQJx . I can only suppose that having a suit bid and raised hypnotizes some people on opening lead. Connie, Kent, Larry (St) and Marcia were the lucky Norths not to receive a heart opening lead. Laurie, Gareth, Sarah, Betty, Rich and Harold found the winning lead and held declarer to eleven tricks. Note that, if the North hand were changed to KQxxxx Axx KQx x, declarer would take twelve tricks against either lead and we might be sending the hand in to a bidding contest; North would need KQxxxxx Ax KQx x for the club lead to gain a trick and with that holding I hope every North would have been in 6S.
?
4S N +2 (3); 5S N +1
4S N +1 (5); 5S N =
?
2:
?
...............9
...............KQJ105
...............K92
...............A842
J10863......................AKQ7542
7632..........................A
A106..........................J54
Q................................J9?
...............----
...............984
...............Q873
...............K107653
?
1S from East (the hand is a trick short of a 2C opener) likely keeps South quiet at this vulnerability and then 4S from West likely does the same to North. That is too bad as, even at the adverse vulnerability either 5C or 5H can only be set one trick and E-W have to dance around a bit to find the ruff for the third trick; East must lead a club against 5Hx while against 5Cx the defence must find a heart lead and diamond switch. Only one N-S pair found the five-level and pushed East to 5S; everyone else was able to play 4S.
?
While E-W have to manoeuvre to hold a N-S contract to ten tricks, all N-S have to do is avoid either breaking the diamond suit or either defender discarding down to three cards in the suit. Here South has no clear-cut lead, alas. A heart is the most passive lead, least likely to give anything away, but the E-W hands could be something like:
?
Axxxx.....KQxxx
Jxxxx......KQx
xxx..........Axx
----..........xx
?
when a diamond lead would be the only way to prevent declarer from taking twelve tricks. A 1M-4M auction is less likely to reward passive leads than an auction with a splinter raise, but this time that was just what happened. South led a diamond against Ken, Jim and Betty and gave those three declarers an eleventh trick, especially helpful to Jim, who had been pushed to 5S. Three tricks were banked by Louff, Heve, Kerry, Jurcia, Gel, Boric and Marudy.
?
4S E = (7)
4S E +1 (2); 5S E =
?
3:
?
...............32
...............KQJ5
...............Q1042
...............Q32
10986.....................KQ4
3.............................A10987
AKJ........................5
10984.....................K765
...............AJ75
...............642
...............9876
...............AJ
?
I did not get to check but suspect that Bob borrowed a page from Jevin and opened 1H in third seat. He ended up declaring 2H, a highly likely contract if Eric replied with Drury, and I don't see North's playing the hand in 2H if East opens 1H. Three Easts opened 1H and left in West's response of 1S. Three other Easts rebid 2C and played the hand there. That left three one-off E-W contracts of 2H E, 3C E and 3NT W.
?
Neither side can make any contract in hearts by force. The opening lead allows the defence to take seven tricks. Against 2H N, a diamond lead leads to -2 if West avoids giving East a diamond ruff and instead leads a heart through North so that East's ace will take an honour and East can draw trumps for two losers before North can organize a ruff of the third club. When East declares a spade lead allows N-S two ruffs, one in each black suit. The spade ruff can be prevented by cashing the top diamonds for a discard but then North gains control of the hand by forcing East in diamonds. Lernot were one of only two N-S pairs to go plus defending 2H E -1; Bob also bettered par as a trick by declarer to score 7/9 playing 2H N -1. Black-suit leads help N-S against spades or no-trumps as well. No-trumps can be held to six tricks, spades to seven. Vioebe did not extract the maximum but still tied for N-S top defending 3NT -1. Kerry scored well holding 1S to the par seven tricks. In club contracts par was nine tricks. Harold, Laurie and Jim took nine tricks declaring in clubs to tie Carol and Sandi in 1S +1. Ken was E-W top in 2C +2 when South trumped trick eleven instead of letting North do so.
?
2H E -1; 3NT W -1
2H N -1
1S W =
1S W +1 (2); 2C E +1 (2); 3C E =
2C E +2
?
4:
?
...............1076
...............98
...............AKJ84
...............A97
92...........................KJ854
K762.......................AQJ1043
932..........................6
J1064......................8?
...............AQ3
...............5
...............Q1075
...............KQ532
?
After 1D-2D South might bid 2H to show a good hand with clubs or 2S to show an invitational-or-better raise if the pair plays Unusual-Over-Unusual, or perhaps 2S to show good values with that suit stopped. With the extra distributional values, East is likely to keep going, potentially making the auction tricky for North. Several auctions had unfortunate conclusions for N-S, with contracts of 3Hx W, 3S S, 4D N twice, 4H E, 4H W, 4Hx W and 5D N thrice.
?
In diamonds N-S have an easy twelve tricks by establishing clubs with a ruff; the double spade stopper allows declarer to use the thirteenth club. Connie and Gene played 5D +1; Larry (St) dropped a trick but still scored well just for being in 5D =. E-W have nine tricks in hearts and everyone took them, giving Marie E-W top in 3Hx W =. 3S was always going down, Keianne eventually finishing with -2, although anything from -1 to -7 would have scored 8/9.
?
5D N +1 (2)
5D N =
4Hx W -1
4D N +2 (2)
4H E -1; 4H W -1
3S S -2
3Hx W =
?
5:
?
...............A10964
...............AQ32
...............964
...............K
QJ73............................852
1054.............................KJ9876
A1073...........................52
105...............................A9?
...............K
...............----
...............KQJ8
...............QJ876432
?
South would likely much rather have East open the bidding than North. One South doubled a 3H overcall and North left the double in. One other East declared, playing 4Hx. At the other tables South declared in either 4C or 5C, 5C winning out by a 5-3 margin.
?
Against hearts, N-S can take six tricks just by not letting declarer lead trumps enough times from the West hand, winning the ace if the ten is led and ducking if West leads low. Both declarers in hearts finished -2, although 4Hx -3 would still have beaten 5C =. Clubs can be held to ten tricks but West has to find the opening lead of a low diamond to allow East to force a ruff. Only Jerik were able to take three tricks on defence for the E-W top defending 4C =. 5C = split the N-S top between Geoff, Larry (Sh), Gernot, Eric and Martin.?
?
5C S = (5)
3Hx E -2; 4Hx E -2
4C S +1 (2)
4C S =
?
6:
?
...............K982
...............98
...............63
...............AQJ76
AJ76...........................543
Q102...........................AJ654
QJ85...........................AK1072
K4............................... ----
...............Q10
...............K73
...............94
...............1098532
?
Even if E-W make 2NT raises on three-card support, if anything that only encourages North to overcall 3C, allowing a 5C sacrifice. Otherwise, one way or another E-W seem headed for 4H if they don't get pushed to the five-level - quite the theme of the early rounds. Most auctions did reach the five-level this time and all ended in game; contracts were 3NT W, 4H E thrice, 5Cx N twice, 5D W, 5H E twice and 6H E when one partner thought the other was encouraging slam rather than just taking a push.
?
The spade blockage allows declarer an eleventh trick in diamonds but no more than ten are available in hearts as North will eventually have to come to a second spade trick. Everyone in hearts took ten tricks (4H = for Harold, Ken and Medvigy) while Marie played 5D W =. Finessing in trumps would have taken nine tricks for N-S but both declarers played the ace first, sharing the middle score on -500. Vioebe took their par six tricks against 3NT W when the heart finesse failed to tie Kerry's 6H -2 for N-S top.
?
4H E = (3)
5D W =
5Cx N -3 (2)
5H E -1 (2)
3NT W -2; 6H E -2
?
7:
?
...............A
...............AK532
...............A104
...............Q932
Q754.........................K108632
86.............................Q94
K976.........................QJ5
AKJ...........................4?
...............J9
...............J103
...............832
...............108765
?
P-1D-1H-1S; P-2S and then North almost certainly pushes the auction up higher and it is just a question of how high North pushes or East in particular goes. Contracts were 2S E, 3S E five times, 4S E thrice and 5Sx E.
?
Par in spades was nine tricks. Nobody took more. Gel were N-S top defending 5Sx -2. Three pairs of defenders held declarer to eight tricks, Boric by starting with three rounds of hearts against 3S. Had East's heart queen been a lower card declarer would likely have come to nine tricks anyway by leading a low spade from West after ruffing the third round. But when East won the queen, declarer let the queen win, then led a spade to queen and ace, letting Bob push through a fourth heart and promote Eric's spade jack. Remembering North's showing almost all the strength of the defence might have convinced declarer to save West's spade queen. Sarah, Betty and Ken shared E-W top in 3S E =.
?
5Sx E -2
3S E -1 (2); 4S E -1 (3)
2S E =
3S E = (3)
?
8:
?
...............AK64
...............98
...............K952
...............K92
QJ2.......................10
Q...........................KJ6543
AQ73.....................J10864
AQJ104.................3?
...............98753
...............A1072
...............----
...............8765
?
West opens 1C; North may overcall 1S, which likely sees South going directly to 4S. Eight auctions ended in games, with contracts of 3NT W thrice, 4D W twice, 4H E twice, 4S N twice and 4S S (North beginning with a double rather than 1S).
?
A club lead holds spade contracts to eight tricks - even if declarer reads West for the remaining three trumps after the ruffing finesse declarer cannot draw trumps anyway. Bob escaped with 4S N -1; the other 4S declarers were the par 4S -2. None of the games should have made. With hearts 4-2, East in 4H should lose two trumps, one spade and a diamond. Jim made 4H for E-W top. The second heart loser goes away in 4D =, posted by Rita for a 7/9 score. A spade lead holds 3NT to six tricks, which is where Lynn was headed for most of the hand until suddenly at trick nine North led a club when her three winners in the suit were stranded. Conndy and Marudy both posted 3NT -2 to share N-S top.
?
3NT W -2 (2); 4H E -2
4D W -1
4S N -1
4S N -2; 4S S -2
4D W =
3NT W =
4H E =
?
9:
?
...............KQJ4
...............KJ53
...............106
...............J106
53.............................108
10964.......................AQ872
J7.............................KQ43
AKQ85.....................93?
...............A9762
...............----
...............A9852
...............742
?
North might well open 1S in third seat or East might violate the Rule of Fifteen in fourth seat at one's own peril. Lernot/Keianne passed out. When anyone did open the bidding most of the auctions ended in game. Contracts were 2S S, 3H E, 3S S, 4H E, 4S N four times and 4Sx S. North might have declared in spades either by opening 1S rather than 1C, or if East opened 1H and South made a Michaels cue-bid.
?
The 3-3 clubs hold spade contracts to nine tricks and declarer takes ten only if East leads a heart. Hearts take ten tricks if East takes the double finesse though North, although finessing the queen first offers a slightly better chance of drawing trumps without a loser in the suit. Laurie played 4H E = for the E-W top; Rich scored well playing 3H E =. Kent received the opening lead of the heart ace and made 4S for a double game swing. All of the other three 4S N contracts finished -1. Two declarers in spades took eight tricks, giving Mirol a score of 8/9 defending 4Sx S -2. Medbot produced the best defensive trick result of six, posting 3S -2 when North on lead at trick seven made a lurker check and followed with a heart instead of a diamond.
?
4S N =
2S S =
Passed Out
4S N -1 (3)
3S S -2
3H E =
4Sx S -2
4H E =
?
10:
?
...............105
...............AK742
...............76
...............Q1084
KJ743.......................Q82
J85............................----
108............................AQ9432
962............................A753
...............A96
...............Q10963
...............KJ5
...............KJ
?
1D-1H-1S and then it became a Battle of the Majors. The most common contract was only 3H S, with the other six contracts all at game - 4H S twice, 4S W thrice and 4Sx W. Most of the 4H bids from North that occurred pressured East into 4S.
?
A spade lead holds heart contracts to ten tricks; declarer does not have the time to establish the clubs. Declaring results ranged from nine tricks to eleven, Gernot and Martin both making 4H. Spade contracts can be held to seven tricks. This was only done once, but to maximum effect when Kerry defended 4Sx -3 for the N-S top. 4S -2 was posted twice for the middle score. Phyllis made 4S to create another double game swing. The play went: heart ace ruffed, diamond ace, diamond to jack, spade ace, spade, leaving the club ace in dummy as the entry to the good diamond after Phyllis ruffed the third round.
?
4Sx W -3
4H S = (2)
3H S +2 (2); 4S W -2 (2)
3H S +1
3H S =
4S W =
?
11:
?
...............AK1072
...............K73
...............Q10
...............1098
6.............................J9
A4...........................QJ62
A543.......................K9872
AK5432...................Q7?
...............Q8543
...............10985
...............J6
...............J6
?
This deal turned out to be far more difficult than it looked. After P-1C-1S-X 3S may strike the right balance as one wants to let E-W have the bid in 4m. If West bids 4C East likely passes; 4D is a little more encouraging as East has well-fitting cards in the minors but the lack of control of either major is a concern. Contracts were 3D W, 3S N thrice, 4C W thrice, 4D W twice and 5C W.
?
With 2-2 diamonds and 3-2 clubs there are twelve tricks in either minor; especially with West declaring and the chance of a heart lead from South to give declarer a guess well down. Diamonds would score higher in a bidding contest, being perhaps able to cope with 4-1 clubs. Heve held declarer to eleven tricks; all the other Wests took twelve. Par in spades was seven tricks, losing one spade, one heart and two tricks in each minor. All three declarers bettered par, almost surely with a ruff-and-discard in diamonds, although it made almost no difference. Larry (St) was N-S top in 3S -1; Medbot were the only E-W pair in game after P-1C-1S-X; 3S-4C-P-5C.
?
3S N -1
3S N -2 (2)
3D W +3; 4C W +2 (3); 4D W +2 (2)
5C W +1
?
12:
?
...............J10986
...............K5
...............1053
...............987
A7...............................KQ5
873.............................AQ6
A762...........................984
A532...........................KQJ4
...............432
...............J10942
...............KQJ
...............106
?
Easts managed to restrain themselves and not look for slam even when West opened the bidding at most tables. One pair played 1NT E on the auction 1D-1NT. Everyone else played 3NT, with East declaring eight times and West once.
?
A heart lead is required to hold declarer to ten tricks. When East declared South led a heart every time and declarer took the par ten tricks. Connie had to lead from the North side and understandably did not lead a heart. However, declarer perhaps forgot that the game was matchpoints - top was available by ducking two diamonds and deriving the benefit of the 3-3 split but West cashed out for nine tricks and Conndy scored 8/9.
?
1NT E +3
3NT W =
3NT E +1 (8)
?
13:
?
...............KJ3
...............QJ1097
...............Q5
...............AJ10
A93..........................Q87
K8............................54
974...........................AKJ1063
Q8743......................96?
...............10642
...............A632
...............82
...............K52
?
1H-2D-3H likely ends the auction; South's raising to 2H should not; either East or West might compete. With nine-card fits for both sides, 3H seemed likely to be the most popular contract and it was - 2H N thrice, 3D E, 3H N five times and 4D E.
?
The Law turned out to underperform, with eighteen total trumps and par of only seventeen tricks. That each side held 2-2 in the other side's suit and that N-S in particular had practically identical hand patterns presumably made most of the difference. Everyone in hearts took the par eight tricks, creating a three-way tie for N-S top between Kent, Bob and Judy (P). Louff took ther par four tricks against 4D to score 6/9. Harold was going to be E-W top in 3D = anyway but made an overtrick when North, down to QJ10 in hearts and AJ10 in clubs, led a heart for a ruff-and-discard when N-S needed to cash two club winners.
?
2H N = (3)
4D E -1
3H N -1 (5)
3D E +1
?
14:
?
...............A10
...............AKJ10
...............KJ65
...............K107
9872........................KJ64
43............................Q985
10874......................32
J94..........................A62?
...............Q53
...............762
...............AQ9
...............Q853
?
3NT was played at nine tables out of ten. Perhaps a little surprisingly North declared five times and South four, Marduy appropriately comprising the casting vote with a 2D opening bid and transfer response. The last auction was P-2NT; 4C-4S; 6NT. North's decision to upgrade the hand to a 2NT opening bid would have been approved by Mr Bergen. The hand had three aces and no queens, with strong intermediates. South's Gerber was just an overvaluation of the hand.
?
Eleven tricks can be taken regardless of which hand declares, even if West leads a spade, as the clubs behave perfectly. Bob and Judy (P) took twelve tricks as North; after a spade lead from East there is a squeeze if declarer establishes club s first and East does not duck two rounds, which would make it impossible to cash the minor winners ending in the South hand. Mirol were E-W top taking their par two tricks against 6NT -1. Connie also took eleven tricks in 3NT N +2. Four declarers took ten tricks, two from each side, and two Souths declared 3NT =. Against Matty, after spades from the beginning, declarer finessed in hearts instead of playing clubs and nine tricks were all that could be forced. Ritold and Randi tied for E-W top on -400.
?
3NT N +3 (2)
3NT N +2
3NT N +1 (2); 3NT S +1 (2)
3NT S = (2)
6NT N -1
?
15:
?
...............KJ1096
...............76
...............AQ984
...............4
AQ753........................84
5.................................QJ98
K75.............................10
K852...........................AJ10763?
...............2
...............AK10432
...............J632
...............Q9
?
South usually opened 2H, and West usually overcalled 2S, although 2H was left in once. 2S ended the auction four times. One North broke tempo to pass, over which South bid 3H. West found the action dubious, but was quite pleased after getting a look at the substantial trump holding in dummy. One East bid clubs, eventually playing 5C. The other three auctions ended at the four-level, 4D S, 4H S and 4Hx S.
?
Despite North's fearsome trump holding West can escape with seven tricks in a spade contract; North gets endplayed and the forces eventually work in West's favour over North. The table results, though, were less happy for declarer in 2S, with -2 the best result. Marudy and Heve posted 2S -4 and Conndy 2S -5 for the N-S top. Against Marudy West led the club king at trick five instead of a low club, then made the fatal error of leading a spade at trick nine when a club would have led to -2 and a diamond to -3. Par in hearts was nine tricks, with declarers in the partials taking nine and ten while the declarers in game took seven and eight. This gave Keianne E-W top defending 4Hx -3. In club declarer could lose one trick in each side suit for -1 but Louff managed -3. 5D can make but declarer has to play East for the heart queen-jack to do so; 4D N = was a reasonable result for Bob.
?
2S W -5
2S W -4 (2)
3H S +1
5C E -3
2H S +1
4D N =
2S W -2
4H S -2
4Hx S -3
?
16:
?
...............K9854
...............84
...............4
...............AQJ75
Q............................A107
A972......................QJ1063
Q8632....................AJ109
642.........................K
...............J632
...............K5
...............K75
...............10983
?
This was another Battle of the Majors. E-W may find 4H if East has a chance to make a trial bid in either spades or diamonds; if North opens 1S the bidding reaches 3S quickly but that may push West into 4H and North then into a 4S sacrifice. Contracts were 2Sx N, 3H E twice, 3S N thrice, 4H E twice, 5H E and 5Sx N.
?
In spades North may get lucky due to the lack of entries to the South hand. Perfect defence can bring in six tricks for E-W; East leads the club king as opening lead or a shift after the diamond ace and then West can be given the lead twice in hearts for ruffs. Only Randi produced the best line of defence, necessary for them defending 2Sx -1. The three 3S contracts all finished -1 and 5Sx -2 against Conndy. Par in hearts was eleven tricks, losing a diamond and a club. Four of the five declarers in hearts took eleven tricks, with Michele and Laurie scoring +650 to share E-W top. Marudy defended 4H -1; the diamond queen was run to the king at trick seven, blocking the suit; then at trick nine West ruffed instead of East, which would have allowed the heart finesse.
?
4H E -1
3S N -1 (3)
2Sx N -1
3H E +2 (2)
5Sx N -2
4H E +1; 5H E =
?
17:
?
...............J
...............K1072
...............973
...............J9432
AQ54......................K873
QJ96.......................A83
J102........................A654
AQ...........................K7
...............10962
...............54
...............KQ8
...............10865
?
With 30 HCP and a 4-4 spade fit between them E-W might have been in danger of overextending and looking for slam. Fortunately 14 HCP for opener and 16 for responder was much better than 15-15 would have been. As it was only one pair ventured to 6NT after West channeled Pat Ardolino and went to Gerber on the second round. The main contract was 4S E, played six times. Two Easts declared 3NT after a 1NT rebid instead of 1S, according to partnership style, when West decided to stay in no-trumps rather than check back for a spade fit. One West declared 4S after a 1NT rebid as well.
?
The club wastage and bad trump split put 4S in jeopardy. East declaring can force ten tricks, taking two hearts and clubs along with one spade, won in dummy. West then runs the diamond jack to South. A ruff-and-discard or diamond return gives up the tenth trick easily. A high spade return lets declarer draw trumps but that is a trap. West has to win the queen to follow with ace and a third diamond, the only way to reach the fourth and winning diamond. South is on lead with declarer needing three tricks:
?
...............----
...............107
...............----
...............J9
54......................K8
96......................8
----.....................6
----.....................----
...............96
...............----
...............----
...............108
?
Now the ruff-and-discard works as before and a low spade leaves East on lead rather than West after the fourth round - to be able to cash the thirteenth diamond.
?
4S W can be sunk by a diamond lead; South can then be endplayed only once instead of twice and a high spade leaves declarer unable to draw trumps and cash the last diamond. Louff duly defeated 4S W. Heve were the only pair to defeat 4S E despite the endplay's being hard to find, largely because South has the natural opening lead of a diamond. Sarah, Betty, Rich, Ken and Laurie all made 4S to score 6/9. In 3NT against a club lead declarer has to pull together three heart tricks to come to nine before the clubs are ready to go. Conndy held 3NT to nine tricks for a good score but Harold was E-W top in 3NT +2 after a diamond lead instead of a club.
?
6NT E -3
4S E -1; 4S W -1
3NT E =
4S E = (5)
3NT E +2
?
18:
?
...............J1073
...............A63
...............984
...............A52
Q965.....................AK4
KQ104...................8
52..........................AKJ763
QJ7........................K94
...............82
...............J9752
...............Q10
...............10863
?
Everyone ended in 3NT. East might have rebid 3D after 1D-1H, which would likely have elicited 3NT from West. East might have upgraded the suit to a 3NT rebid or possibly rebid 2NT. Everyone finished in 3NT, with a surprisingly close 6-4 margin of West's declaring.
?
Looking at just the E-W hands one would want West to declare; heart leads through from South could be uncomfortable but with North on lead there is a solid double stop. With no chance of a length winner in hearts or clubs establishing in time, declarer has ten or eleven tricks depending on whether the diamond finesse is taken or the queen is dropped. Betty and Carol dropped the queen to tie for E-W top; -430 scored 5.5/9 for Conndy, Louff, Heve, Lernot, Gel, Vioebe, Boric and Marudy.
?
3NT E +1 (3); 3NT W +1 (5)
3NT E +2; 3NT W +2
