1:
?
...............A
...............J84
...............K952
...............109652
10.......................KQJ9843
AKQ1073...........62
J1074.................A3
83......................QJ
...............7652
...............95
...............Q84
...............AK74
?
This was a brutal hand for E-W. It?is just possible for East to stop in 2S after 1S-1NT; 2S. This happened twice. One West stopped in 3H after a 3H response to 1S but everyone else went to game, 3NT W thrice, 4H W and 4S E thrice.
?
All games are easily defeated. 3NT is -2 off the top, although Gernot managed to escape for -1 and a middle score. Jerik were N-S top posting 3NT -4; declarer discarded hearts and could not cash out enough tricks on getting it. 4S can be set in either of two ways. Either N-S can establish their fourth trick in diamonds before the spade ace is gone or two round of hearts can be played while South still has trumps to cut declarer off from the source of discards. This seems quite easy, yet three of the four declarers in spades took ten tricks, including 4S = for Kevin and Gareth to tie for E-W top. When hearts are trumps both objectives are attained by leading diamonds. Par is eight tricks in hearts, the trick count for Frank in 3H -1, but the Robots (Arthur registered with a Robot but lost connection after game started and never returned) managed an extra undertrick, presumably avoiding having to give declarer a diamond winner.
?
3NT W -4
4H W -3
3NT W -2
3NT W -1 (2); 4S E -1
2S E +1
2S E +2
4S E = (2)
?
2:
?
...............K872
...............J5
...............K5
...............AKJ74
QJ95.........................A4
1097..........................AK8632
A9.............................6432
Q1096.......................2
...............1063
...............Q4
...............QJ1087
...............853
?
1H-P-2H and then North should come in. It's unfortunate that the hand was not directly over the 1H opener, as then it could overcall 2C and later come in with 2S over 2H. After the hearts have already been raised, North can try 3C or double (inviting a reply of 3D. East should go on to 3H either way. Maybe some Wests began with some form of invitation, as fully half the tables finished in game. Contracts were 2H E, 2S N, 2NT W, 3H E twice and 4H E five times.
?
E-W get an incredibly friendly layout. With 2-2 hearts and the spades nicely positioned 4H sails in, with the chance of an overtrick if N-S leave their club trick sitting too long, especially if the opening lead is an unfortunate spade. Hank (B) was E-W top in 4H +1; all the other heart contracts yielded ten tricks, except against Conndy, who defended 3H -1 when declarer ducked a heart at trick seven. 3NT similarly yields nine tricks after the lead of a minor; declarer cashes out with the chance of doing better, particularly if North covers the spade queen. Jeff, the only declarer in 2NT, took eleven tricks for the best score among the partials. Defending 2S N could have resulted in E-W top. E-W can draw trumps and finish with ten tricks, 2S -5 scoring +500 and bettering the +450 Hank scored in 4H +1. Northbot managed a great escape in 2S -1 and scored 8/9.
?
3H E -1
2S N -1
2H E +2; 3H E +1
2NT W +3
4H E = (4)
4H E +1
?
3:
?
...............4
...............64
...............KQ1095
...............K8654
7532........................AK98
AQ105.....................KJ973
32............................A6
Q97..........................J2
...............QJ106
...............82
...............J874
...............A103
?
Jerik have apparently given up their Unusual 2NT opening bid. This is too bad, as, if N-S get to play 3D -1, that should score well, and an immediate 3H overcall from East could well meet with 4H from West on the nice support, although the club queen may be downgraded. North did once declare 4Dx and once in 4C, but E-W played every other time in hearts, 2H E thrice, 3H E twice, 4H E and 4H W twice.
?
Hearts are held to nine tricks. If South avoids leading a spade, nine tricks will be the result almost surely. After a high spade lead there is a chance of an endplay if declarer is allowed to discard a diamond on the third club. That probably should not happen but Judy (S) made 4H E for E-W top. Eileen, who played 2H +2, did not even need the endplay; South led the spade queen and then, on lead at trick five, followed with the spade jack. Irene also scored +170 in 2H +2. Both minors should be held to eight tricks, losing one spade, two hearts, one diamond and eventually one club, but Harold made 4Dx for N-S top; East may have begun with the ace and king of spades - oops!
?
?
4Dx N =
3H E -1; 4H W -1 (2)
4C N -2
2H E =
3H E =
2H E +2 (2)
4H E =
?
4:
?
...............KQJ10742
...............K642
...............6
...............J
53.............................9
85.............................QJ93
AQJ1097..................K5432
A75...........................Q83
...............A86
...............A107
...............8
...............K109642
?
West has the honour strength to open 1D instead of 2D. North comes in with some number of spades and East raises diamonds. South makes an invitational noise if possible. If North is counting points then North might stop (if E-W permit); if North is counting losers North goes. The quicker E-W get to 5D likely the better, although it would likely take an opening 2D from West to get East to 5D immediately. Contracts were 3S N, 4S N four times, 5D W thrice and 5S N twice.
?
As E-W can take nine tricks in diamonds (thanks to the 6-1 club split, which gives declarer time to establish a heart for a discard) it makes relatively little difference whether 5D is or isn't doubled, but only Lynn took her nine tricks in 5D; the other two declarers likely covered the club jack with the queen and finished -3. Declarer comes to eleven tricks in spades so long as enough entries to the South hand are preserved to be able to discard two hearts on the clubs, not just one. Two declarers in spades took only ten tricks, giving Pharah the E-W top defending 3S N +1. Eric took twelve tricks in 5S for N-S top when West allowed him a ruff-and-discard by leading a second diamond when in with the ace.
?
5S N +1
4S N +1 (3); 5S N =
4S N =
5D W -3 (2)
5D W -2
3S N +1
?
5:
?
...............KJ954
...............Q6
...............10763
...............Q9
AQ3......................1072
J...........................107542
KJ9852................4
A74.......................K652
...............86
...............AK983
...............AQ
...............J1083
?
1H-2D and then the auction never got that much farther, although North or South might double. 2D W was left in four times. 2H S was left in once and 2NT S as well. Four Wests carried on to 3D, twice left in as it was and twice left in doubled.
?
Playing in diamonds declarer should lose two spades, one heart, two diamonds and one club, there not being much of value to do when in dummy. Conndy and Gel produced the par defence to take six tricks against 3Dx and share the N-S top. Four other pairs defending diamonds also held declarer to seven tricks. Judy (X) took the par eight tricks in 2NT S (E-W should establish a fifth trick before N-S can establish a ninth). A club or trump lead should hold hearts to eight tricks, but Rita managed a ninth. Jatin made 2D and Gernot was E-W top in 3D W =. North began with the heart queen and followed with a low heart when the club queen was necessary to maintain -2; later South got in with the ace of trumps and led a low heart instead of the ace or any other suit, allowing Gernot to discard a losing spade while the ruff simply exchanged places with North's natural trump trick.
?
3Dx W -2 (2)
2H S +1
2NT S =
3D W -2
2D W -1 (3)
2D W =
3D W =
?
6:
?
...............98763
...............93
...............Q
...............AJ1083
J4...........................AK2
AQJ74....................K106
AK32......................J974
96...........................K74
...............Q105
...............852
...............10865
...............Q52
?
This looked like a relatively easy game, with only the question of whether E-W would choose 3NT or 4H. Each contract ended up being played four times, but the other two contracts were both in hearts, 2H W at one table and 6H W at the other.
?
6H is well against the odds, needing the diamond queen to drop doubleton (or for South to hold the singleton queen) as well as finding the club ace onside. Hearts ought to do a trick better than no-trumps. In this case, though, the singleton diamond queen gives declarer ten running tricks in diamonds and the majors, so that the club lead garners no advantage from knocking out the stopper. In hearts declarer will lose one diamond and one club. Qxx with either opponent or either Qxxx or all five diamonds with North will allow hearts one trick more than no-trumps. George actually made 6H when South misclicked and dropped the spade queen under East's ace. Jerik were N-S top defending 2H W +3. In the games, although eleven tricks should be the outcome in either 4H or 3NT on this layout, both denominations had a range from ten to twelve, 2-1-1 for 4H and 1-2-1 for 3NT. Phyllis (B) took twelve tricks in 4H when South ducked the diamond seven at trick seven instead of playing the eight to force the king. Kevin took twelve tricks in 3NT E, perhaps after a diamond discard from South.
?
2H W +3
4H W = (2)
3NT E +1
4H W +1
3NT E +2 (2)
4H W +2
3NT E +3
6H W =
?
7:
?
...............Q10
...............Q832
...............965
...............QJ98
3..............................A742
A106.......................K54
AKJ103...................Q87
AK52.......................1076
...............KJ9865
...............J97
...............42
...............43
?
After 2S from South, West usually doubled. Two Easts decided to take a crack at defending and passed. One West played in 3D, probably after a direct overcall. The majority contract was 3NT, twice by East and four times by West, likely after an initial pass from South, after which E-W would likely have an uncontested auction starting 1D-1S. The last contract was 5D W.
?
Declarer can take eleven tricks in diamonds, ruffing the fourth club and losing only one club and one heart. Gel set 5D for the N-S top when declarer drew some trumps too soon. Matty's opponents took their eleven tricks in 3D +2. 2Sx could have been set two tricks; Erik escaped for -1, although it made relatively little difference. Declarer's ten top tricks were par in 3NT. When East declared the par ten tricks were taken both times. West declaring (not after a 2S opening bid, clearly) likely received the lead of the queen of clubs, establishing an eleventh trick every time and Gernot even acquired a twelfth on a pseudo-squeeze in the majors.
?
5D W -1
3D W +2
2Sx S -1
2Sx S -2
3NT E +1 (2)
3NT W +2 (3)
3NT W +3
?
8:
?
...............J652
...............A875
...............3
...............A973
A8.......................Q10973
Q.........................KJ964
Q1098762...........J4
542......................J
...............K4
...............1032
...............AK5
...............KQ1086
?
West may have opened 2D or 3D at every table. 3D ended the auction three times. South occasionally came in with 3NT; 3NT S was played four times. Higher contracts were all in the minors: 4C S, 4D W and 5C S.
?
3NT makes in quite a pretty way if declarer assumes West holds the ace of spades. Assume West leads a diamond to jack and king. Declarer wins the first trick, then runs the clubs and even cashes the ace of hearts. Does West save two spades or bare the ace? (Declarer can have lost up to three tricks at that point but must still hold one high and one low diamond, which unfortunately precludes ducking any hearts - E-W would lead a second diamond at once.) If the space ace has been bared then South leads a low spade and has the second diamond stopper as the entry to the king. If West has saved both spades and discarded only diamonds South plays the second and third diamond to force West to lead from the ace.? There is almost a different make if declarer ducks the first diamond and wins the second: on the last club East will have to discard in the position:
?
...............J652
...............A8
...............----
...............----
A8.......................Q109
Q.........................KJ96
Q109...................----
----......................----
...............K4
...............1032
...............A
...............----
?
If East discards a heart declarer plays two more and East must break the spades with the defence having won three tricks. But East discards a spade. South's best try is the spade king to West's ace (a low spade to East is followed by a low heart to the queen, which North must win and then there is no entry to the good spade). A second spade or diamond will see declarer home but the heart queen, which North must duck, is overtaken by East to duck a second heart to North and the result is -2. The problem is that the second diamond and fifth club squeezed North. Had North kept three hearts and three spades East would have ducked the heart queen and then the second spade from West would have stranded the diamond ace. Close but not quite! Cindy and Rita made 3NT, while Jevin posted 3NT -1 and Leighry 3NT -2. Del took the par ten tricks in 4C, although Pheileen defended 5C -2. Par in diamonds was only six tricks but all the declarers overperformed. This seems odd, as South can see to draw East's trumps and cash clubs, but a spade lead does help declarer. Three declarers in diamonds took seven or eight tricks, all finishing -2. Frank made 3D after a spade lead, a switch at trick five to the club ace and then a spade ruffed low by South at trick six instead of high.
?
3NT S = (2)
4C S =
3D W -2 (2); 4D W -2
3NT S -1
3D W =
3NT S -2; 5C S -2
?
?
9:
?
...............A1043
...............A5
...............AQJ96
...............53
J98........................652
Q10963.................K72
75..........................43
KQ9.......................AJ1082
...............KQ7
...............J84
...............K1082
...............764
?
Apparently several Norths opened 1NT, as 2NT N became the most common contract, played four times. 3D N was played thrice, along with 2D N, 1NT S and 3NT S. 3NT S was reached after a misclick on North's rebid: 1D-1NT; 2C-2NT; 3NT. North meant to rebid 2D.
?
The misclick made relatively little difference, as West had a natural heart lead and Erik rolled in with eleven tricks for the N-S top (ten seemed usual). Also against a heart lead, Marie posted 1NT S +3. 2NT N yielded eight tricks all four times, as East made the natural club lead and the defence took the first five tricks. All four declarers in diamonds took the par ten tricks to beat out the declarers in 2NT, +130 to +120.
?
3NT S +2
1NT S +3
2D N +2; 3D N +1 (3)
2NT N = (4)
?
10:
?
...............A6
...............52
...............AK8754
...............Q109
Q932........................J874
Q9............................A1063
Q62..........................J3
J852.........................K65
...............K105
...............KJ874
...............109
...............A73
?
I thought we had a chance to get everyone into 3NT S after P-1D; 1H-2D; 2NT-3NT. But three Souths passed 2D. One East made a light takeout double that resulted in a contract of 2S W. One North left South in 2NT but the remaining five raised 2NT to 3NT, in keeping with North's likely source of tricks in diamonds.
?
A spade lead is required to hold no-trumps to nine tricks, although after that lead declarer will have to guess the hearts correctly. Erik and Southbot took ten tricks in 3NT to share N-S top; the other declarers in no-trumps took nine tricks. Par in diamonds was ten tricks, taken at two tables while Lernot held declarer to nine. Phyllis (B) was E-W top in 2S W -1. A diamond lead could have led to -3. N-S contributed two tricks to the cause when South led the club ace instead of a spade and later when North led the club queen instead of a major. The second trick gifted contributed four matchpoints, turning Phyllis' result from just above average to top.
?
3NT S +1 (2)
3NT S = (3)
2NT S +1
2D N +2 (2)
2D N +1
2S W -1
?
11:
?
...............A53
...............K105
...............83
...............K9765
KJ7.........................Q10
84...........................AQJ62
Q9764....................AKJ
1043.......................A82
...............98642
...............973
...............1052
...............QJ
?
If North passes, the most likely auction would appear to be 2NT-3NT for E-W, although that did not happen very often, only four times. 3NT W was played thrice, perhaps via 1H-1NT; 3NT. A 1C opening bid may have led to at least two of the three outliers: 2H E (although after P-P-1C-X; P-1D West is close to a maximum non-jump response and should keep the auction open long enough to reach game), 4H E (there are times when one may not think a single stopper in the opponents' suit sufficient) and a strange 4S W.
?
Both 3NT and 4H require a club lead for optimal defence. Otherwise declarer can take twelve tricks in no-trumps and eleven in hearts, although it requires sacrificing a spade winner to do so. No-trumps does a trick better because the diamonds can be run before finishing the hearts, which also conveys an entry to the West hand for a heart finesse. An entry to the West hand in spades can be forced by overtaking the ten with the jack, setting up to overtake the queen with the king. Judy did play 3NT +3 for the E-W top, but was the only declarer to take more than ten tricks. After a spade to the ace and a club return, most declarers probably ducked two clubs, planning to play safely for = or +1 rather than risk the contract for overtricks. Ritold held declarer to nine tricks after such a line; in the end position East cashed out for nine tricks rather than risk the heart finesse for a tenth. The Robots even set 3NT, which took some ingenuity on declarer's part, given the club blockage. Heve and Jurcia split the N-S top, defending 4H -2 and 4S -2. Hearts are held to ten tricks by a club lead with best play; declarer can force nine in spades, though it is necessary to use the club blockage to do so.
?
4H E -2; 4S W -2
3NT E -1
2H E +2
3NT E =; 3NT W =
3NT E +1; 3NT W +1 (2)
3NT E +3
?
12:
?
...............5
...............A1098
...............AK98
...............10763
AJ10832............K6
Q76....................K543
Q........................107632
984....................KQ
...............Q974
...............J2
...............J54
...............AJ52
?
2S from West was left in thrice but it seems that at least half the Norths doubled. 2Sx was left in once. South declared twice, in 3C and 5C. The remaining four contracts were all 3S W, with East either going to the three-level immediately after the double or waiting and competing after South bid 3C.
?
Clubs are held to nine tricks by getting West a diamond ruff. Even if South is allowed to discard the losing heart on the fourth diamond declarer will not have enough trumps left to cover everything. Cindy was N-S top in 3C =. The Robots were headed for a score of 1/9 in 5C, but West led the spade ace, which established South's queen when the king came down on a ruff of the second round; -1 instead of -2 scored 4/9. Declarer comes to eight tricks in spades. If allowed a club ruff, declarer also scores one club, one heart and five spades. N-S can prevent the ruff by leading spades twice, but West can ruff two diamonds in hand and wait to score the spade AJ. Henry made 3S; Matty scored 6/9 and Jerik 8/9 for defending 2S -1 and 3S -2; five declarers took the par eight tricks, giving Phyllis (H) the E-W top for declaring 2Sx =.
?
3C S =
3S W -2
2S W -1; 3S W -1 (2)
5C S -1
2S W = (2)
3S W =
2Sx W =
?
13:
?
...............Q6432
...............2
...............Q86
...............KQ75
----.......................A1097
K10854................Q73
AK532.................1094
A102....................943
...............KJ85
...............AJ96
...............J7
...............J86
?
If South passes in third seat West opens in fourth despite the void spade. We might consider this hand the Revenge of the Rule of Fifteen. West bids 1H (as no South opened 1S, I expect), East raises to 2H and North comes in with 2S. West does something more, reopening with a double or trying for game with 3D (some Wests might even go directly to 4H). East will decline the invitation, although xxxx Axx Qxx xxx instead would be quite likely to make 4H and might provide an overtrick. Contracts were 2Sx N, 3H W twice, 3Hx W, 3S N thrice and 4H W thrice.
?
Spades can force nine tricks but it's not very realistic to play for 4-0 trumps. The more sensible eight tricks were taken all four times spades were played, giving Jevin the N-S top in 2Sx = and sharing E-W top between Glotin, Lourene and Leighry defending 3S -1. Against Lourene a heart to the ace was followed by the spade king, for instance. All the heart contracts were defeated, as they should have been; declarer can never force more than eight tricks in hearts. A little strangely, it does not seem to matter whether N-S avoid leading spades. After a spade lead forces prevent declarer from getting full use of the diamonds and it comes to the same thing both ways, as, even if E-W avoid leading spades until three rounds of both minors are played, eventually they have to allow declarer access to dummy. The hand proved a bit too hard for declarers in hearts as well as in spades; seven tricks were taken five times, with Gel defending 4H -4 to score 8/9.
?
2Sx N =
3Hx W -2
4H W -4
4H W -3 (2)
3H W -2 (2)
3S N -1 (3)
?
14:
?
...............J87
...............J
...............QJ107
...............108764
10962......................Q5
1096........................AQ842
832..........................K96
AJ2..........................Q93
...............AK43
...............K753
...............A54
...............K5
?
1H-1NT might go around or West might raise to 2H; each was played three times. Three Norths got busy over either 1NT or 2H and drove the contract up to 2NT S and 3C N twice (a little lucky that South knew to take the bid as weak).
?
Despite the flimsy trump suit declarer can force nine tricks in clubs. East is strangely endplayed on opening lead and can only keep North out of hand with a trump lead; then after two trumps and the spade ten declarer has nothing better than to drop the spade queen and let East ruff the jack - but that ruff is with the queen of trumps and just uses up the defence's natural third trump trick. It still looks difficult for declarer to produce the winning line, and it may not be much surprise that Northbot did make 3C while Leighry scored 8/9 defending 3C N -2. E-W come to eight tricks in hearts in a similar way; eventually South runs out of things to lead and has to break a minor, the key to the hand being to save an entry to dummy to reach the fourth spade if South manages to avoid leading diamonds. The queen turns out to pull a good deal of weight after all. As was the case with 3C, declarer had a hard time being sufficiently passive in 2H; Jurcia defended 2H -2, Larry made the contract and the third declarer finished -1. Against Jurcia East began the clubs by leading the queen, then later stranded the ten of spades when it was good. 1NT is a bit more straightforward, taking seven tricks after the lead of a major, especially hearts. Declarer has to get lucky cashing out quickly for seven tricks once the hearts are established, as E-W have seven winners in hearts and clubs if they get the lead. Three declarers did take the par seven tricks; Sandi was N-S top in 1NT S +2. An eighth trick is possible if East covers the first or second diamond (or E-W lead a diamond); I am not sure where the ninth was found - maybe in hearts if East began the suit with the ace and then the queen?
?
1NT S +2
3C N = (2)
2H E -2
1NT S = (2)
2H E -1
2NT S -1
3C N -2
2H E =
?
15:
?
...............104
...............Q1063
...............865
...............AK104
63..............................Q82
K54...........................A98
AKQ3........................942
J765..........................Q932
...............AKJ975
...............J72
...............J107
...............8
?
2S from South went around thrice with West afraid of doubling with only three hearts. When West did double East answered 3C, which became the contract five times. One North competed to 3S. At one table the double might have come from East in the balancing seat, as the contract was 3C W.
?
With West on lead against spade to start with the three top diamonds all the declarers in spades took the par eight tricks. 3C E is much easier than 3C W, as South has to begin with the top spades and the third round of the suit lets declarer discard the heart loser from the West hand. With West declaring the spade jack is a winner and South's spade led for the third round is high. Against Randi declarer tried discarding the heart loser on the third spade, but North did not have to ruff and the trump split was just bad enough to allow a two-trick set. Ruffing with the club jack would have kept a chance for declarer to get home, but it was not easy to see that at the table, especially as one would probably have to play for South's club singleton to be the eight.
?
2S S = (3)
3C W -2
3C E -1 (5)
3S S -1
?
16:
?
...............543
...............42
...............AK9
...............K8742
AKQ9....................102
AK73.....................Q9865
QJ.........................86542
QJ5.......................3
...............J876
...............J10
...............1073
...............A1096
?
E-W closed with three big hands. On this hand some Wests devalued the diamond queen-jack and opened 2NT, while some just went with the HCP count and opened 2C. West was left in 2S once (usually East should take another bid, although some pairs may allow a responder who makes a double negative response to pass a non-jump rebid in a suit) and 2NT thrice. West played 3H, 3NT and 4H four times.
?
The even suit splits allow 4H to make, even against the optimal defence of the club king lead and another club which dummy must ruff. Most declarers in hearts apparently received a spade lead, allowing trumps to be drawn and East's losing club to be discarded on the third spade, after which the diamonds establish in time; four of the five declarers in hearts took eleven tricks, with only the Robots cashing a club early. +650 shared the E-W top between Jeff, Louise and Henry. (Jeff's LHO began with three rounds of diamonds.) Against no-trumps the diamond ten is N-S's fifth trick, although establishing clubs lets declarer run nine tricks, ten if the spades get unguarded along the way. 2NT W took ten tricks thrice and nine the fourth time; only Conndy managed to take five tricks on defence against 3NT for the N-S top. Par in spades was nine tricks, the result in 2S +1 that scored 8/9 for Wendric.
?
3NT W -1
2S W +1
2NT W +1
2NT W +2 (2)
3H W +2
4H W =
4H W +1 (3)
?
17:
?
...............AQ96
...............Q103
...............J9
...............9875
854.......................732
AKJ......................97
Q10.......................K76543
AKQJ3..................104
...............KJ10
...............86542
...............A82
...............62
?
West opened 2NT at most tables. This gave East no margin or wiggle room. Pass and West might hold A1092 in diamond with more than enough stoppers and top winners outside to make 3NT; bid and West might hold a doubleton diamond or even the singleton ace. Six times East passed 2NT. Twice West played 3NT. Twice West opened 1C and then played? 2C and 3C.
?
It looked difficult to deviate from par. Even if North led a heart against no-trumps, N-S could cash four spades on getting in with the diamond ace and there was no way to prevent a heart ruff in a club contract. Par in no-trumps was eight tricks; par in clubs was nine. Everyone matched par. This gave Conndy and Jurcia a tie for N-S top defending 3NT -1 and made E-W top a six-way tie between Phyllis (B), Phyllis (H), Jatin, Louise, George and Henry.
?
3NT W -1 (2)
2C W +1; 3C W =
2NT W = (6)
?
18:
?
...............Q874
...............Q108
...............J52
...............Q98
109632...................AKJ5
954.........................AKJ6
K83.........................A9
AJ...........................K42
...............----
...............732
...............Q10764
...............107653
?
This time East had a 2C opening bid. Control-showing responses would have come in handy; when West showed three controls East could have rebid 2NT and then once the five-card spade suit had been shown East would have been willing to undertake 6S, although finding a good 7S would have been tough. As it was, after 2C-2D; 2NT, West was rarely inclined to go beyond game. East played 3NT thrice and 4S thrice; West played 4S and three auctions made it up to slam: 6S E, 6NT E and 6NT W. 6S is the contract for choice, reached by Pharah on the auction 2C-2D; 2NT-3H; 3S-3NT; 4S-4NT; 5C-6S, Phyllis feeling sufficiently encouraged by Sarah's returning to 4S to be willing to venture beyond game.
?
6S is quite nice, with the heart finesse in reserve if the spade queen drops. Here the finessable queen when the suit splits 4-0 pushes declarer into looking for either the club or heart finesse to work. Here the spade and heart finesses work and the 4-0 spades mean that spades and no-trumps play essentially the same. Still it proved a good deal easier to play spades for some reason; the five declarers in spades took 62 tricks while the five declarers in no-trumps took 57. Jerik were N-S top defending 6NT W -2; Phyllis (B) E-W top in 6S +1. It was easier to play 6NT from the East side than from the West as North would surely lead a diamond, the most neutral choice, against 6NT while South would either lead a heart into East's AKJ or lead a club and flag for declarer without loss of a trick that that queen was offside.
?
6NT W -2
4S E +1
3NT E +2 (2)
4S E +2
3NT E +3
4S E +3; 4S W +3
6NT E =
6S E +1
