1:
?
...............AQJ4
...............52
...............A1032
...............K43
109863...................K752
A104.......................K9
7..............................J864
9865.......................AQJ
...............----
...............QJ8763
...............KQ95
...............1072
?
It really looked as if this auction might have died quietly in 2H after 1D-1H; 1S-2H. South had the loser count for 3H or 3D on the second round and one could equally easily see 3NT N after a 3D rebid particularly; I just hoped not to see 4H. Of course, the game being what it is, naturally some Easts had to make an off-shape takeout double and a significant minority of contracts were by E-W, with spades as popular as hearts for trumps. Contracts were 2D N, 2H S thrice, 2S W twice, 2NT N, 3D N, 3S W, 3NT E, 4D N and 4S W.
?
The hand sits prettily for E-W. E-W can manage six tricks against a heart contract declared by South but requires the hair-raising defence of a club lead, low heart return to the ace, second club, cash the third club, then East leads a diamond, gets in with the heart king, and gives West a ruff. A diamond lead may well produce five tricks; declarer has to rise with the ace to get a club discard but E-W still get two club tricks, the top two hearts and a ruff (or else a diamond instead). Ritold did take six tricks on defence; Eric took nine in 2H as declarer. The hand lies beautifully for E-W in spades; Jatin emerged with E-W top in 4S = after a lengthy auction; I do not blame N-S for not setting 4S, as, despite the 4-0 trumps, North must lead the spade, ace, queen or jack for the set; North wants to play four rounds of trumps to reduce West's capacity for diamond ruffs. The hand went back and forth, with five changes in the double dummy outcome, N-S making the last inaccuracy. All the spade contracts made. 3NT E -5 against Conndy was just about on par. If North declares in no-trumps, East has some brutally bad leads from which to choose. The only lead to hold declarer to eight tricks by force is a club from AQJ, despite the auction's likely clarifying that declarer holds the king. How often will we see that sort of hand? The lead might be found just because the other leads are so bad, but even Bill might miss it.
?
3NT E -5
2H S +1
2D N +1; 2H S =; 3D N =
2H S -1
2NT N -2; 4H N -2
2S W = (2)
3S W =
4D N -3
4S W =
?
2:
?
...............AKQ3
...............KQ65
...............94
...............AJ8
J84........................9765
A93........................84
KQJ106.................A732
92..........................763
...............102
...............J1072
...............85
...............KQ1054
?
1D by West in third seat and a double from North. East might just squeeze out 2D; West played 2D and 3D. South can enter the auction over 2D, which seems to make it easier for N-S to find game. South declared in hearts at every other table: 2H twice, 3H six times and 4H thrice. One of the auctions to reach 4H was P-P-1D-X; P-1H-P-4H. 4H is too much but 3H seems reasonable enough, although a cue-bid of diamonds instead ought to do just as well. South has more than enough to accept a 3H invitation and might even give a look for game opposite 2H.
?
The play offered no surprises or mysteries. All Souths in hearts took exactly ten tricks, providing a tie for top to Lee, Dee and Serge. Similarly both Wests playing diamonds took exactly seven tricks, giving Glotin a perfect start in 2D -1.
?
4H S = (3)
2H S +2 (2); 3H S +1 (6)
3D W -2
2D W -1
?
3:
?
...............5
...............9
...............AQ1097654
...............532
Q2.............................AK107
AKQ1043..................862
83..............................KJ2
AQ8...........................KJ6
...............J98643
...............J75
...............----
...............10974
?
West opened 1H and the ball was in North's court. The popular choice of overcall was 4D, bid nine times. Three Norths were content with 3D while Connie went all the way to 5D. 3D seems to allow E-W to reach the top spot of 6NT; East may settle for 3NT over 3D and West has enough extras for a natural raise to 4NT, an invitation which East will be happy to accept. At twelve tables West played 4H; as Connie had bid 5D, East had to go to 5H, although the defensive potential of the hand might have made a double preferable despite the vulnerability (on the hand an 1100 penalty was in the air, second best to 6NT.
?
The whole hand came down to the opening lead. Would North lead the diamond ace and then give South a ruff? That lead was found by Connie, Liz, Doug, Jim (U), Deebot, Serbot and Marbot. The other Wests received a different lead, providing scores of +680 to Lynn, Leigh Ann, Jatin, Rich, Martin and Elaine.
?
4H W +1 (6)
4H W +1 (6); 5H W =
?
4:
?
...............J
...............QJ943
...............KQ
...............AQ1032
K952..........................A108743
1076...........................K852
6.................................984
KJ987.........................----
...............Q6
...............A
...............AJ107532
...............654
?
This one could get tricky after P-1H-2S-3D. If West raises to 3S as expected North can pass, letting South rebid 4D. If West passes, North has to find a rebid, in which case 4D may be the least of evils. One North apparently rebid 3H and regretted it when South raised to 4H. Contracts were 3D S, 3S E thrice, 4D S four times, 4H N, 4S E, 5Cx N (not the wisest of doubles, as N-S could easily have gone back to 5D) and 5D S twice. The 3D contract came about after North misclicked and opened the bidding 1S, which shut E-W out of the auction, much to their distress.
?
Pharah did find some good fortune in the misclick, as Phyllis led a club rather than a spade. This made Pharah the only E-W pair to hold a diamond contract to ten tricks; five declarers took twelve tricks in diamonds and one took eleven, giving Eric and Dianne a tie for N-S top. E-W top was Haorge's for 5Cx N -3. Lernot were second, defending 4H -4. Nine tricks could have been the limit in spades as long as N-S were careful not to allow an extra entry to the West hand. Serbot did defeat 4S but Gisela took eleven tricks and Geoff ten in 3S.
?
5D S +1 (2)
4D S +2 (3)
4D S +1
3D S +1
4S E -1
3S E =
3S E +1
3S E +2
4H N -4
5Cx N -3
?
5:
?
...............A92
...............K1063
...............Q108
...............AK2
QJ85.......................K4
97............................AQJ54
A9763......................J42
86............................Q109
...............10763
...............82
...............K5
...............J7543
?
1NT N was only left in five times, matching 2H E for the most frequently declared contract. The other three contracts were 2S W, 3H E and a perplexing 2D E.
?
Why a balance hand would want to interfere over 1NT is beyond me. Unless East insists on establishing hearts (which allows a make if declarer guesses the spade and diamond position accurately) 1NT should be defeated while 2H does well to get out for -1. Henry, NJ and Judy (P) made 2H to tie for E-W top. Conndy were N-S top defending 2H -3, receiving a trick at trick two when West led a spade and another at trick eight when a diamond was ruffed and overruffed. Curiously, 1NT never took seven tricks; Ken and Jim (U) took eight tricks while the other three declarers took six; maybe E-W allowed them four club winners? 2D E = seemed the most normal of successful contracts for Haorge, begging only the question of how they got there.
?
2H E -3
1NT N +1 (2)
3H E -2
2H E -1; 2S W -1
2D E =
1NT N -1 (3)
2H E = (3)
?
6:
?
...............93
...............1064
...............AJ987
...............QJ2
K108......................J764
J52.........................Q983
Q1042....................K
986.........................K543
...............AQ52
...............AK7
...............653
...............A107
?
1NT S was left in only once. All the other Norths made at least a move towards game and eventually South declared 3NT. The invitation seems reasonable enough, the good diamonds counting for something beyond the honour value.
?
The hand is quite straightforward to play as well, with ten tricks coming in when diamonds and clubs behave, North's good diamond spots making the 4-1 split of no consequence. Declarer just has to know to finesse an intermediate first. If anything the 4-1 split is a help, as it spoils the likely falsecard of king or queen from H10x. Six Souths managed to take ten tricks, dividing the top between Cindy, Phoebe, Erik, Dee, Serge and Marjorie. Three declarers in 3NT were defeated, with Stenj taking E-W top on their score of +100.
?
3NT S +1 (6)
3NT S = (3)
1NT S +1
3NT S -1 (2)
3NT S -2
?
7:
?
...............A96
...............KJ987
...............A
...............Q754
K52.........................J4
104..........................AQ52
Q92.........................KJ876
J9832......................106
...............Q10873
...............63
...............10953
...............AK
?
Pairs that play Flannery may have had an advantage on this auction, as it is fairly common for Flannery pairs to play that the auction 1H-1S shows five, given that opener would not hold four spades unless the hand were good enough for a reverse. Of course, North might find it difficult to decide between 2S and 3S. Otherwise the auction would likely begin 1H-1S; 2C-2H; 2S, over which South could have made one more move and North may well have accepted. 4S S was reached thrice. One North rebid 1NT instead of 2C and was left there, one East was left in 2D, four Souths played 2S, one North played 3H and South played 3S thrice.
?
The four and three of spades play potentially crucial roles in the play of 4S. After, say, a diamond lead, followed by two clubs and a heart to East, five rounds of ruffs in the minors, if East sacrifices the jack and four of spades, will be followed by a heart to East's ace, leaving West with the spade K52 over South's 1083; as long as West does not then overruff, the spade five promotes for the setting trick. There are plenty of pitfalls; if E-W begin with three hearts South must ruff with an intermediate spot. A key point, though, is that, if South can slip in a ruff with the spade three, five ruffs in the minors will bring declarer ten tricks as there will be two trump winners to come in the end position. Ruffing the low club first forces East to ruff; then, after the second diamond ruff, the spade ace and club queen can be cashed to produce the same result. But declarer is unlikely to guess that clubs will be 5-2 and that it will be necessary to lead low from the North hand on the third round. Glynneth managed to set 4S when declarer led the club queen too early; the other declarers in 4S also went down. Liz and Dianne were the only declarers to take ten tricks in spades.
?
2S S +2; 3S S +1
2S S +1 (2); 3S S = (2)
1NT N +1
2S S =
2D E -1
3H N -1; 4S S -1 (3)
?
8:
?
...............1097
...............J85
...............J73
...............J1082
A32.........................QJ854
A6...........................K9
95............................AQ84
KQ7654...................A9
...............K6
...............Q107432
...............K1062
...............3
?
1C-P-1S and then does South act? If not we get 2C-2D; then 2S (or perhaps East chooses 3NT on the second round. 2H may elicit a Support Double. 3H seems likely to be passed around to a reopening double by East, with West bidding 3S. E-W always reached game, but not always 4S. Contracts were 3NT E six times, 3NT W, 4S E five times and 5C W.
?
Spade contracts can take twelve tricks by force, but, after a heart lead, declarer has to be careful because of the spade three-spot and four-spot again. If the opening lead is a heart then two rounds of spades followed by the top clubs and a club ruff force declarer to draw the last trump while there is still control of the hand and there is an entry to dummy. If declarer makes the common play of leading a heart to the ace to play the next club then North ruffs and there is no entry to dummy for the last club. Oops! Larry, Sandy and Sarah were the three Easts to take twelve tricks in 4S. 3NT never took more than ten tricks; Keianne and Dane posted a set to tie for N-S top. 5C made the expected eleven tricks.
?
3NT E -1; 3NT W -1
3NT E =; 5C W =
4S E = (2)
3NT E +1 (4)
4S E +2 (3)
?
9:
?
...............Q7
...............AJ103
...............AQJ3
...............AK4
53...............................A42
9752...........................K4
1092...........................K874
QJ83..........................9652
...............KJ10986
...............Q86
...............65
...............107
?
This auction usually began with 2NT from North, South then driving to 4S, often with a Texas transfer. One pair reached 6S N, a possible outcome if South starts with a Jacoby transfer and then bids 4S, which North takes as showing some slam interest. One North declared 4NT one way or another. Jerik's auction began with their forcing 1C, to which Erik responded with a semi-positive 2S, showing limited HCP but a decent six-card suit. Jim opted for 3NT.
?
A diamond lead from West if South were to declare in spades prevents declarer from getting rid of the loser. That holds South to ten tricks. With North declaring there is time to play hearts, as West never gets in. Two declarers managed to hold themselves to ten tricks by finessing in diamonds first, the others all took eleven. Jim (U) and Dee in 3NT and 4NT had very good luck that East held the heart king, which was the only way dummy could be reached to run the spades. Even so, a club lead would have been disastrous for either declarer, but they both avoided that unpleasant fate and emerged with a tie for top.
?
3NT N +2; 4NT N +1
4S N +1 (8)
4S N = (2)
6S N -1
?
10:
?
...............J76
...............AKQ
...............A42
...............Q965
AQ8......................952
72.........................J10643
KQ1065................J97
KJ10.....................72
...............K1043
...............985
...............83
...............A843
?
We saw 1NT by West and a transfer from East eight times, finishing in 2H W. One West was left in 1NT. Two Wests opened 1D and North overcalled 1NT, left in once and doubled the other time. The last two Wests somehow both declared 2NT, a strange outcome.
?
1NT N favours N-S because East only gets the lead once. A spade lead lets E-W establish four diamond tricks, but the North can establish two spades. Otherwise North can establish three club tricks for seven tricks either way and perhaps an eighth. Giselaine were able to set 1NTx two tricks for the E-W top, a bit lucky. Bob made 1NT N and was a little unlucky not to score well for +90. 2H could have been set two tricks, although the contract was made four times, by Leigh Ann, Rich, Carl and Rita. Rich had the contract secured after three tricks - North led the top three hearts. A low diamond lead at trick two would have saved -2,?while a low club or spade at trick three could have saved -1.
?
2H W -2; 2NT W -2
1NT W -1; 2H W -1 (3); 2NT W -1
1NT N =
2H W = (4)
1NTx N -1
?
11:
?
...............8
...............QJ7
...............93
...............KJ108532
AK6............................QJ10732
A1083.........................K65
AJ1082.......................654
4..................................6
...............954
...............942
...............KQ7
...............AQ97
?
This was Heve's moment of glory and a most surprising double game swing. Game was reached at almost every table; after P-1D-3C West had a double to reopen and the field as a whole did rather well not to get East stuck in a partial. One North stole the bid in 4C. Seven Easts played 4S and four auctions went higher, two ending in 5Cx N and two in 5S E. Hank passed 3C rather than raise at once and received a most curious reward. West reopened with 3D rather than a double. This was passed back around to Hank, who reopened in turn with 3NT, ending the auction.?
?
Spades were cold for eleven tricks, although Lark's opponents managed to go down in 4S. All the club contracts took the expected nine tricks. Hank could have finished -5 in 3NT but he made the contract. West led an intermediate diamond and Hank was sure of -1 after running the clubs. But West discarded all the low cards in the majors, could not reach East in the end position, and had to give Hank another diamond trick.
?
3NT S =
4S E -1
4C N -1
5Cx S -2 (2)
4S E +1 (2); 5S E = (2)
?
12:
?
...............76
...............102
...............A10983
...............10873
10.............................9532
K4............................AQ9763
KQ654.....................72
KQ542.....................A
...............AKQJ84
...............J85
...............J
...............J96
?
The first six calls seem likely to be 1D-P-1H-1S; 2C-P; is East then content with 2H or will we see 3H? One South played 2S and one West played 3D but all the other auctions went to 3H E or 4H E, with the game surprising taking a 9-2 majority.
?
The natural diamond lead does no good against 4H, which is set only if South begins with a low heart. The key to the hand is that, if East draws trumps, it is impossible to get discards on the clubs in time. If East takes two discards on the clubs, there is no way to draw the last trump and the contract loses to a diamond ruff or overruff of a club. Curiously the two declarers in 3H justified their conservative bidding by going down against Boric and Lark. But 4H made six times (with overtricks for Harold, NJ and Geoff, Geoff after a spade lead and spade ruff), failing only three times, with Jaz taking the N-S top for 4H -3, just ahead of Erik's 2S S =.
?
4H E -3
2S S =
3D W -2
3H E -1 (2); 4H E -1 (2)
4H E = (3)
4H E +1 (3)
?
13:
?
...............9732
...............QJ87
...............984
...............83
84...........................AJ1065
A943.......................10
AK73.......................J1062
K64.........................Q107
...............KQ
...............K652
...............Q5
...............AJ952
?
One South opened 1C and was left in. Three Souths were left in an opening bid of 1NT. The next contract up the line was 2C S, with West playing 2NT thrice and East declaring the other five times, once in 2H after an accident in the auction (South opened 1NT, West overcalled 2D and East apparently misread the auction, bidding 2H) and four times in 2S. I was looking for a possible 3D E and a rainbow, but East never bid 2S as a balance against 1NT showing spades and a minor, or if East did, West left it in 2S.
?
This was a particularly unlucky 5-4-2-2 1NT, as the two doubletons mean that the diamond queen drops and the spades can run as well, allowing E-W to force 1NT -3. Erik made 1NT, much to his own astonishment. E-W never played a second diamond, so that his Qx was of some value after all. After that West had two chances to win a heart lead with the ace and passed them both up. The club switch and each heart duck contributed one trick to Erik's favourite charity and his seventh trick came in with both spades and diamonds wide open at the time. 2S took nine tricks three of the four times and eight the other. At least as heroic as Erik's 1NT = was declarer's escaping in 2H -1 against Conndy, but that only scored 1/12, as two of the three 2NT contracts were defeated, although Phyllis managed 2NT W +1, impressive enough, although West has an easier time declaring if the auction flagged most of the high cards via a 1NT opening bid or a sequence starting 1C-P-P. E-W top was a tie between Louff's 1NT S -2 and Randi's 2C S -2.
?
2H E -1; 2NT W -1 (2)
1NT S =
1C S -1; 1NT S -1
2S E =
2S E +1 (3)
2NT W +1
1NT S -2; 2C S -2
?
14:
?
...............AKQ32
...............K74
...............----
...............QJ763
1087..........................J654
QJ963.......................A5
65..............................KQ104
AK2...........................985
...............9
...............1082
...............AJ98732
...............104
?
South opened 3D at almost every table although did not do so at least once, as the auction ended in 3C N, which is easier to see if South passes rather than after South opens 2D (P-P-1H-2H; X-2NT-P-3C seems plausible). 3D S was left in six times. There was also a contract of 3H W, suggesting that the opening bid was not 3D, as the West hand is too weak for a direct 3H and East over such an overcall is quite good enough for 3NT. Two Norths tried 3NT and were left there. After a 3S response from North two Souths returned to 4D and played the hand there. The most unfortunate example of bidding One More Time resulted in 4H W.
?
This hand proved to be the big declaring trap of the day, twelve contracts failing by a total of 34 tricks. The one successful declarer was Liz in 3C =. 3C -2 can be forced - a club lead and heart switch allow East to ruff a club and E-W to draw South's trumps; declarer will be -1 and will still have a spade to lose. A three-trick set can be forced against either 3D or 3NT, 3D -2 scoring just above average for Eric and Serge as declarer. Doug got out for 3NT -1 and Lee for 3D -1, Lee after a high club lead and a switch to the heart nine, perhaps a mouse slip. Only two contracts were set more than three tricks, Pharah gaining one trick on par to defend 4D S -5 and Marbot managing to defend 4H W -6, a result which can actually be forced. North starts with three spades, on which South discards the clubs, then N-S score the next six tricks cross-ruffing in the minors, the minor defensive trap there being that, if South leads the diamond ace on the first or second round North has to ruff it.
?
4H W -6
3C N =
3H W -2
3D S -1; 3NT N -1
3D S -2 (2)
3D S -3 (3); 3NT N -3; 4D S -1
4D S -5
?
15:
?
...............J1043
...............5
...............Q1054
...............6543
K5.......................AQ92
AKQJ9643..........1087
J72......................A963
----.......................A10
...............876
...............2
...............K8
...............KQJ9872
?
Had West been dealer, the auction might have been vastly different, especially perhaps for Paun if their variant of Namyats allows the bid to hold a void. East has the perfect hands opposite Namyats as long as West's four-loser hand includes sufficiently solid trumps. They might even have found the seven-level if East, who would have initiated an asking sequence, could have found the king of spades.
?
The usual beginning of the auction was 3C-4H. Had the vulnerability been equal or favourable, there would have been far fewer than the six 4H contracts we actually had, with one pair in 5H and the other six in 6H: Pharah, Haorge, Marudy, Glynneth, Leighry and Randi. Randi's auction was 3C-4H-5C-5H; P-6H. All thirteen declarers took all thirteen tricks.
?
4H W +3 (6); 5H W +2
6H W +1 (6)
?
16:
?
...............Q87
...............J
...............J842
...............AQ864
J643.......................K92
109.........................KQ652
109653...................AQ7
K5...........................109
...............A105
...............A8743
...............K
...............J732
?
Two passes to East and then likely a 1H opening bid; I don't know whether our upgraders would consider the hand worth 1NT. Two Norths did not balance when 1H was left in(!) while one South left in a balancing double for penalties. One South declared 1NT, presumably also after a balancing double. Higher contracts were 2C N, 2Cx N, 2C S, 2D E, 2H E twice, 2S W, 2NT S and 3D W. There was not really any denomination that was much of a surprise when it turned out to be trumps.
?
The layout favoured N-S, even more so when East or West declared and missed the dropping of the diamond king offside. No E-W contract made and all were at least -2 except that Judy (P) bettered expectations as declarer and took seven tricks in 2D E -1 for the E-W top. N-S top went to Serbot defending 1Hx E -2. Rich bettered par by one trick in 2S W -2. N-S declaring could force eight tricks in no-trumps or a stunning eleven in clubs, as everything sat perfectly. Not only were clubs 2-2 with the king onside, but the diamond queen ruffs out to establish the jack and the hearts provide a ruffing finesse for discards of the two spade losers after a lead of jack/queen/ace and the first heart ruff allow South's 87 to cover two of North's spades for the price of only one trick scored by East's king. The spades were practically frozen for both sides; E-W could not force a trick in the suit; N-S could only force two by running the queen and then the eight, an unlikely line. Doug took eleven tricks in 2Cx, just missing out on the N-S top by twenty points. The other club contracts took ten or eleven tricks, no-trumps overperforming with nine or ten, as East had numerous dangerous leads and West no entries.?
?
1Hx E -2
2Cx N +3
2H E -4 (2)
1H E -3; 3D W -3
1H E -2; 2S W -2
2NT S +2
1NT S +2; 2C S +3
2C N +2
2D E -1
?
17:
?
...............85
...............AQ97
...............A6
...............KQ843
Q43........................AKJ107
J3...........................865
Q85........................974
J10732...................96
...............962
...............K1042
...............KJ1032
...............A?
?
Almost everyone got to game. Possible auctions include 1NT-2C; 2H-4H; 1C-1S-X-2S; 3H-P-4H; 1C-1H; 3H-4H, etc. One South was left in 2D, one East in 2S and one North in 3H. Games were 4H N nine times and 4H S.
?
Declarer could force eleven tricks in hearts. Connie took all thirteen after a diamond lead but nobody else took more than eleven. Pharah, Marudy, Stenj and Glynneth all held declarer to ten for good scores. Sandi was E-W top playing 2S E -2.
?
4H N +3
4H N +1 (4); 4H S +1
4H N = (4)
3H N +2
2D S +2
2S E -2
?
18:
?
...............J95
...............Q83
...............J6
...............AJ874
AQ108432........K7
6........................1095
97......................AK1053
Q96...................K105
...............6
...............AKJ742
...............Q842
...............32
?
West has a loser count that makes the hand worth eventually reaching 4S, likely as a second-round rebid. After 1D-1H-1S-2H; P-P(or 3H)-3S, East can reasonably accept the invitation with good cards and an encouraging heart holding (especially if the auction suggests that N-S hold nine hearts). One pair had some sort of bidding accident and played 3D E, 3S W was played thrice, 4H S and 4S W eight times.
?
Spades could take eleven tricks with a correct guess in clubs. Gernot, Jatin and Rich all posted scores of +450 to share E-W top. Vioebe were the one N-S pair to defeat 4S. Declarer led a diamond at trick seven instead of drawing trumps, then passed up the club finesse at trick ten. Conndy were N-S top defending 3D E -2.
?
3D E -2
4S W -1
4H S -1
3S W +1 (2)
3S W +2
4S W = (4)
4S W +1 (3)
