?
...............AQ
...............107
...............J109642
...............J97
962..........................K75
J95..........................K863
AK75.......................Q8
542..........................AKQ3
...............J10843
...............AQ42
...............3
...............1086
?
North appears not to have opened the bidding at all. East opened 1NT and played the hand there six times, with a seventh West deciding to invite game, leading to 3NT E. The final contract was 2S S after a 1C opening bid from East.
?
Jeff got out for -1 in 2S when the defence could have forced -2 but it did not matter. E-W played a second diamond at trick three when it was necessary to cash the remaining clubs. Contracts in no-trumps were held to eight tricks by the natural spade lead, giving Leighry the N-S top defending 3NT E -1. Louise and Marcia took nine tricks in 1NT to tie for E-W top.
?
3NT E -1
2S S -1
1NT E +1 (4)
1NT E +2 (2)
?
2:
?
...............A7643
...............6
...............A76
...............KQ93
KQ9.......................----
KQ74.....................AJ109
KQ3.......................109842
A102......................8764
...............J10852
...............8532
...............J5
...............J5
?
Marudy were playing N-S, which meant there was no opening bid of the Mexican 2D. How high was South willing to go at the vulnerability after P-P-1C-1S-X? West was always going to game opposite any sign of life from East; it was just a question of whether any South would brave the four-level vulnerable and without a shortage.? In the end only two Souths braved the four-level; contracts were 3NT W thrice, 4H E, 4H W twice and 4Sx N twice.
?
Game turned out to be settable in any denomination, although trickiest for N-S against no-trumps. Against hearts N-S need to cash their clubs early. Because of the 4-1 trumps declarer needs to knock out the diamond ace before drawing trumps. If North waits for the second diamond South can be given a ruff. But that lets declarer come to three hearts, three diamonds, two ruffs, the club ace and the spade king after a ruffing finesse. But if the clubs have been cashed a diamond ruff is the setting trick. The interesting line might be: heart to nine, diamond to king, spade ruffing finesse, diamond to queen. If North wins, either South must be given the ruff right away or declarer has control and takes ten or eleven tricks. But if North ducks the second diamond declarer ruffs the third spade and then has two diamonds, one spade, one club, two ruffs and four high trumps. 3NT is similarly set by a club from North and avoiding the suit's blocking, either by a low lead or a careful dance after leading the king or queen. 4Sx can be set for more than game thanks to West's holding the nine of spades. With KQ9 behind South's J10xxx West has two trump tricks to go with the trick in each of the other three suits. East must lead a red suit, however. With West opening 1C Teresa and Susan both escaped for -1 after a club lead. This put them in the middle as half the E-W games were set. Marudy defeated 3NT while Jevin and Study set 4H. Frank played 3NT W +1 for E-W top after a low spade lead; North still has time to find the low club switch if the ace of spades is led. Louise made 4H and Mark made 3NT to score above average.
?
3NT W -1; 4H E -1; 4H W -1
4Sx N -1 (2)
3NT W =
4H W =
3NT W +1
?
3:
?
...............KJ62
...............9753
...............A52
...............J10
A1084....................97
KQ82.....................AJ64
Q............................K76
Q983......................AK62
...............Q53
...............10
...............J109843
...............754
?
South had the vulnerability for coming in but too weak a hand for first seat action (I'd expect Bill to open the hand in third seat. We got everyone into the contract of 4H E and there is no reason to suspect the auction was anything other than 1C-1H; 2H-4H.
?
Hearts can take eleven tricks despite the 4-1 split. Declarer can take a spade ruff or a diamond ruff, draw trumps and run the clubs. Harold, Scott, Jamie, John and Gernot all posted +1 to share the E-W top. Owbot and Study took three tricks on defence. Jevin set 4H with two contributions from declarer. East ruffed the third spade with the jack, took a diamond ruff in dummy and was on lead at trick nine having lost two tricks:
?
...............K
...............97
...............
...............J10
----.........................----
Q............................6
----.........................----
Q983......................AK62
?
Declarer led the heart and had to lose the last two tricks. Had East played three clubs, Kevin would have ruffed trick eleven but then would have had either to lead the spade for East to ruff low with the queen still to score, or draw all the trumps and let declarer take the last trick with a good club.
?
4H E -1
4H E = (2)
4H E +1 (5)
?
4:
?
...............J42
...............K7
...............875
...............Q10952
108763....................AQ5
AQJ9.......................1085
J32...........................Q64
J...............................A863
...............K9
...............6432
...............AK109
...............K74
?
This seems headed to 2S, certainly if South passes the 1C opening bid (not many people want to double with only two spades). 1C-1S; 1NT can be followed by 2H if South passes again and East gives preference. South might double 1NT; if that scares West out of bidding hearts North might take a crack at leaving the double in with the good clubs. 1NT E was left in once, a tough call for West give that 2H is non-forcing. Two Wests were left in 1S; it was rather too timid of South not to balance with a double with an opening hand and 4-4 in the unbid suits. 2S W was played at half the tables. Owen reaped a surprising reward for his decision to overcall 1D on the strong four-card suit. West never bid the spades, leading to the auction P-P-1C-1D; X-2D-P-P; X-P-3C.
?
Six of the eight declarers took the expected number of tricks. Owbot were N-S top defending 3C E -5. Jevin bettered par defending 1NT -2, although anything from = to -4 would have scored the same 6/7. There were eight tricks for the taking in spades and five declarers managed exactly that. Bob bettered par, receiving the opening lead of the king of hearts instead of a diamond. This gave him two tricks. In order to hold spades to five tricks by force South has to give North a heart ruff, which can just be managed, although declarer is likely not to guess the trumps correctly if N-S do not force the ruff.
?
3C E -5
1NT E -2
1S W +1 (2); 2S E =; 2S W = (2)
2S W +2
?
5:
?
...............QJ965
...............A9
...............AK76
...............K2
43..........................AK10872
QJ763....................2
853........................Q4
1076.......................A853
...............----
...............K10854
...............J1092
...............QJ94
?
East likes the hand but cannot do anything over North's 1S opening bid. Two Souths left 1S in and the auction died there. After a 1NT response North rebids either 2D or 2NT; each became the final contract once, with two other Souths going on from 2NT to 3NT. One South raised diamonds, leading to 4D N. One East came into the auction and finished in 2NT E.
?
N-S can afford one bad guess in 3NT if an entry to the North hand is kept for the end position - after, say, losing the diamond finesse, East gets endplayed in spades to give North th ninth trick. Owen and Mjose both made 3NT to tie for N-S top.? Diamonds can take as many as eleven tricks, but with the trump queen dropping doubleton offside it was reasonable enough that one declarer took nine tricks and one took eight. Jeff took eleven tricks in 2NT S after a helpful heart lead proved to be a genuine gift. N-S could even force eight tricks in spades despite East's massive trump holding, although the defenders bettered par by one and two tricks. E-W top was also a tie; Jamob defended 4D -1 and Diarcia defended 1S -1, after North led the spade queen at trick six and later South led a heart to be overruffed at trick ten - both times a club was the successful lead.?
?
3NT S = (2)
2NT S +3
2NT E -3
2D N =
1S N =
1S N -1; 4D N -1
?
6:
?
...............1098
...............73
...............Q93
...............Q8763
K764......................Q5
A1082....................KQJ54
J4...........................A852
A102.......................J5
...............AJ32
...............96
...............K1076
...............K94
?
We almost had everyone in 4H E again to match Board 3. One West opted for a heavy limit raise and East passed. East's pass in particular could hardly be faulted, and to tip the West hand over the edge might have entailed swapping the king and ace between the majors. It was a little unlucky the points dictated a limit raise; had the division been 17-8 or 16-9 we might have seen 1H-2H; 3D and then West could have gone to 4H in the knowledge that the doubleton was working.
?
With 2-2 trumps and nicely complementary doubletons there was nothing in the play. Everyone took ten tricks. Even when South at one table won the first spade with the ace and made it possible to discard a club on the spade king the trumps had already been drawn and the club ace was out, so that the only entry to the West hand would have been a lead of the third round of trumps, surrendering a ruff to give back the trick.
?
3H E +1
4H E = (7)
?
7:
?
...............AQ765
...............632
...............AQJ2
...............3
J...............................K432
K5............................J1084
K983........................5
AJ7652....................KQ108
...............1098
...............AQ97
...............10764
...............94
?
This looks as if the auction should reach at least 3C, as the likely start is P-1C-1S-X; 2S and West comes in again, perhaps with the Good-Bad 2NT to show that the hand is merely competing. North may look for game, although if South can only hold three trumps the mechanics of making 4S probably won't come off even opposite KJx xx Kxx xxxxx. Leaving in 3C makes sense at the vulnerability but 3S is possible. A drawback of the Good-Bad 2NT is that East will not know what West was planning to do with the 2NT bid; it is not quite so clear that East can bid 4C as it is if West competes with 3C, although that call has the potential drawback of being ambiguous as to strength. Contracts were 2C W, 3C W, 3D N, 3S N twice, 3NT E twice and 4S N.
?
Despite the 4-1 trumps N-S can force nine tricks in spades. If the defence starts with a club force drawing trumps can be delayed slightly. East's spots are not high enough to cause trouble beyond the length; E-W can force a diamond ruff but that does not cause serious inconvenience as declarer can afford a diamond loser anyway. Kevin made 3S but the other two declarers in spades took only seven tricks; defending 4S -3 was E-W top for Diarcia. 3D was similarly makable but Mahn managed a two-trick set. Clubs take a straightforward ten tricks. Lynn snuck a spade past the ace, which might not have mattered but she managed an eleventh trick anyway. East should cash out in no-trumps for -2 when in with the spade king. Nasan managed -6 when declarer, on scoring the spade king, immediately led a diamond to king and ace; carnage ensued for the game's largest penalty.
?
3NT E -6
3NT E -4
3S N =
3C W +1
2C W +3
3D N -2; 3S N -2
4S N -3
?
8:
?
...............Q9
...............63
...............QJ1087
...............AJ87
J72........................A8643
A1074....................J82
K96.......................43
KQ5.......................1032
...............K105
...............KQ95
...............A52
...............964
?
Which side is more likely to declare in no-trumps? At the tables it turned out to be E-W by a 2-1 margin. 1C-1S; 1NT seems plausible enough if North does not overcall 1D. If North does, it seems South is likely to bid 1NT or 2NT, especially over 1S with that suit stopped. If no-trumps are avoided, N-S compete in diamonds and E-W in spades. Contracts were 1NT W, 2D N, 2S E twice, 2NT W(!), 2NTx S, 3D N and 3S E.
?
The Law was spot on this time - sixteen trumps and sixteen tricks par for the two suits - with clubs favouring N-S it was nine in diamonds to seven in spades. Kevin and Judy both posted +110 for good scores. 3S finished the par -2 but the declarers in 2S both made it. Scott received a lead of the diamond ace and a diamond continuation instead of a club. This let him play ace and another spade, then go after the hearts for a discard of his third club, as North had to win the second spade and could not then attack the clubs from that side of the table. When West declared in no-trumps, N-S could hold the contract to five tricks with a diamond lead; both 1NT and 2NT finished -2. Mjose made 2NTx S. E-W can score three spades to go with a diamond and a club winner. Had North declared the hand could have been held to seven tricks by a heart lead; E-W can get three heart tricks and one trick in each other suit as long as the club ace is knocked out while either the spade ace or diamond king is still in position. Going after spades first untangles the two N-S spade tricks and lets declarer just get to the target first.
?
2NTx S =
1NT W -2; 2NT W -2; 3S E -2
2D N +1; 3D N =
2S E = (2)
?
9:
?
...............QJ963
...............A97
...............J54
...............72
A7..........................10542
K6542....................108
K92........................AQ863
KJ8........................A10
...............K8
...............QJ3
...............107
...............Q96543
?
Bill would likely have done well on this hand, as it seems much harder for E-W to reach 3NT after a 2S opening bid. West balances, perhaps with 3H and perhaps with a double but East will not be sanguine about 3NT on 10xxx. If South opens 3C in third seat it is nowhere near so effective. If West overcalls 3H East has a comfortable enough 3NT. Even if West passes, East can balance and then West has an easy 3NT bid over either 3D or a double. If N-S stay out of the auction it likely starts P-1H; 1NT-2C and then the good five-card suit makes 2NT more likely than a conservative preference back to 2H. West likely accepts on points. At the tables, though, most pairs were conservative, with contracts of 1NT W, 2D E twice, 3D E twice, 3NT E and 3NT W twice.
?
If the clubs are guessed correctly declarer has an easy nine tricks in no-trumps. Declaring from the East side, John made an overtrick for E-W top when North blanked the heart ace in the process of discarding. Elizabeth took the par nine tricks in 1NT to beat all the diamond contracts. Declarer could have forced ten tricks in diamonds but only Louise did so; Jevin were N-S top defending 3D E -1.
?
3D E -1
2D E +1 (2)
3D E +1
1NT W +2
3NT W = (2)
3NT E +1
?
10:
?
...............AQ3
...............QJ102
...............K964
...............65
104........................KJ95
865........................A9
10853....................AQJ
QJ108....................K974
...............8762
...............K743
...............72
...............A32
?
East is too good for a 15-17 1NT opening bid but can bid 1NT over a balancing double from North. A little strangely, three Easts allowed South to play 1H, a bit feeble with 18 HCP and good shape for a reopening double. Four Easts were left in 1NT. The last auction was rather strange: 1C-P-3C-X; P-3H-P-P; 3S, East expecting to be taken back to 4C (besides expecting proper length for the 3C bid but directing a reasonable lead along the way (a club lead could cede a valuable tempo).
?
East's 3S bid was right in a way, as a spade lead holds a heart contract to six tricks. All three declarers in 1H went plus, though. Breta was N-S top in 1H +1; after an initial club lead gave her one tempo, East took the club king when in with the ace of hearts and was never able to reach West for a spade lead through - most inconvenient. Jamie, Harold and Louise split the E-W top by taking the par eight tricks in 1NT E. Declarer in 3S made a heroic effort and finished only -1, but that was still good enough to give Owbot a score of 6/7.
?
1H S +1
3S E -1
1H S = (2)
1NT E =
1NT E +1 (3)
?
11:
?
...............9
...............AJ65
...............7
...............AKJ10954
AK43........................QJ765
KQ972.......................83
A95...........................Q86
Q...............................873
...............1082
...............104
...............KJ10432
...............62
?
Does South open? West acts over either 2D or 3D, which may allow North a non-forcing club bid. Kevin went to 3NT after a heart overcall and sat for it when he was doubled. Otherwise contracts were played in everything but diamonds:? 3C N, 3H W, 3S E, 3S W, 3NTx N, 4C N, 4S E and 5Cx N.
?
Every contract depended on the opening lead. Kevin's 3NTx could have been -2 off the top. After a heart lead he ran off the first eight tricks. West blanked the spade ace-king and had to concede the fulfilling trick right at the end. E-W in spades are held to nine tricks by a club lead; West can be forced to ruff twice and then cannot establish and cash the fifth heart. John made 4S for?a score of 6/7 after a diamond lead. In hearts by West a lead of either minor holds declarer to seven tricks; Elizabeth managed eight. Club contracts are held to eight tricks if East avoids a heart lead; Diarcia managed to do that and were E-W top defending 5Cx -3.
?
3NTx N =
3C N +1
3S E -2
3H W -1; 3S W -1
4C N -1
4S E =
5Cx N -3
?
12:
?
...............K52
...............J652
...............K43
...............743
Q843.........................AJ107
3................................Q987
AJ10752....................Q8
109............................Q86
...............96
...............AK104
...............96
...............AKJ52
?
Had West passed East could have opened 1S in third seat after which West could have competed to 3S. There is also the chance that 2D-P-3D might have silenced South, with either 4C or double dangerous. It turend out that five auctions ended in 3C S and the other three in 3H, twice by South and once by North.
?
Either 3C or 3H could have made, but required declarer to take the club finesse and spurn the heart finesse. Breta and Mjose made 3C to tie for N-S top. Most declarers finished -1. Against Mahn, declarer never finessed in clubs and blocked the hearts, allowing -2 and the E-W top.
?
3C S = (2)
3C S -1 (4); 3H N -1
3H S -2
?
13:
?
...............K2
...............1087532
...............A865
...............5
Q..............................976543
AJ4..........................K6
QJ1092....................----
AQJ6.......................K10843
...............AJ108
...............Q9
...............K743
...............972
?
This was a hand suitable for Marge. North managed to avoid the temptation to open 2H, but two Easts could not resist and opened 2S. The Wests opposite those openings took different routes; one passed and the other responded 3NT. After two passes South might have opened 1S, which could have been doubled for takeout and dubiously left it or led to clubs played by East or perhaps even hearts played by North if both East and West went conservative. Two Wests played 1NT, which makes little sense however it was reached. West declared 2C and 3C along with another 3NT contract reached after East passed. The last contract of 4S E was also reached after a pass.
?
E-W have an easy eleven tricks in clubs,?one way being to take the double ruffing finesse in diamonds through North, eventually losing one spade and one diamond. It is not impossible to score all nine trumps by ruffing, but a trump lead or switch will put that out of reach. Both declarers in clubs took the par eleven tricks. Spade contracts have four trump losers and a club lead will allow a ruff as well. Nasan were N-S top defending 4S E -2, but declarer in 2S took nine tricks. Declarers in no-trumps all made one overtrick. N-S had six top tricks but had to find a spade lead or switch to cash them. Both declarers in 1NT settled for one overtrick, knowing they could not do any better by force. In 3NT they both had to try for a little more. Frank went after diamonds early and was sure of the make when a diamond trick was allowed to go through, eventually leading to a shared top on +630 with Harold.
?
4S E -2
1NT W +1 (2)
2S E +1
2C W +3; 3C W +2
3NT W +1 (2)
?
14:
?
...............J987
...............----
...............A7632
...............QJ76
KQ104....................A3
62...........................AQ105
Q1084....................J95
842.........................K1053
...............652
...............KJ98743
...............K
...............A9
?
This one is a bit on the strange side. If South's diamond king were the deuce it would make a good deal more sense why five Souths played 3Hx. But with a hand probably considered too strong for a direct 3H, how the auction got so high in the first place is the sticking point. 1C-1H-X and then I suppose either North or East bids 1NT; I can see South bidding 2H over that but who goes higher? One auction did end in 2H S, but five ended in 3Hx - did South overcall 2H and then push on to the three-level? Higher contracts were 3NT E and 4Sx N after too strenuous an attempt at a rescue.
?
The opening lead of the spade ace allows 4Sx to be set five tricks by drawing South's trumps at once; anything but a trump lead allows declarer a huge escape for -2, scoring two clubs, two diamonds and two ruffs in each hand. Gerki produced 4Sx -5 for the E-W top, albeit after a diamond lead - declarer presented them with a huge gift by playing a spade at trick two! Heart contracts can be held to seven tricks, although Martin took eight in 3Hx while Harbot and Glynneth both held declarer to six. Fortunately East gets put on lead enough that South is not punished for allowing the diamond king to win the first round of the suit. Breta was N-S top declaring 2H -1. John made 3NT again although he could have been held to eight tricks. When he led a club from dummy at trick seven, North played low and allowed his ten to force the ace.?
?
2H S -1
3Hx S -1
3Hx S -2 (2)
3NT E =
3Hx S -3 (2)
4Sx N -5
?
15:
?
...............K964
...............QJ73
...............Q
...............KJ96
1032.....................85
82.........................AK64
J108653...............AK92
A2.........................854
...............AQJ7
...............1095
...............74
...............Q1073
?
Would E-W have the derring-do to reach 3NT? The only pair to do so was Harbot after a weak 2D opening bid; perhaps only a Robot would have the sangfroid to try it. One 2D opening bid went around. 3D was played twice by East, probably after a 1D opening bid and a pre-emptive raise, as well as once by West (a raise of a 2D opening bid makes sense).North declared in 2C and 3C after opening the bidding and South declared 3S.
?
With spade 4-4 and diamonds 2-1 Harold was always making his brave 3NT. He ended up taking eleven tricks, not that it was needed, when on the run of the diamonds first North and then South unguarded the hearts. All the diamond contracts took the expected ten tricks. Eight tricks were par in either black suits; as nobody was doubled N-S scored well in either 3C -1 or 3S -1. Owen was going to be N-S top anyway for making 2C but picked up an overtrick.?
?
2C N +1
3C N -1; 2S S -1
2D W +2; 3D E +1 (2); 3D W +1
3NT E +2
?
16:
?
...............AQ9762
...............98
...............832
...............Q8
10............................KJ5
Q1052.....................AK43
AKQJ4....................10
K93.........................76542
...............843
...............J76
...............9765
...............AJ10
?
The auction looked simple enough: 1D-2S-X-3S; 4H and then it seems unlikely that either North or South would venture a sacrifice (unless South tried 4S first, perhaps hoping to pressure E-W into going overboard. 4H W was tried thrice, along with 3NT E twice, East liking the position of the spade KJx. One East finished in the unfortunate 5C and there were two partials of 3D W and 3S N to give us an unlikely rainbow.
?
3NT looks great. With the club ace well positioned the only way for N-S to come to three tricks is for South to lead the jack or ten of clubs, setting up a second club trick to go with the spade ace. As nobody found that lead, both John and Gernot took eleven tricks to tie for E-W top. Karlene took the par five tricks in 3S N -4, East having presumably decided to defend 3Sx only for West not to have made the expected reopening double. Hearts had an easy eleven tricks, taken every time. 3D W was just too low; Owbot allowed the par ten tricks but were going to score 6/7 for any making contract. 5C unluckily had two sure trump losers to go with the spade ace, giving Leighry the N-S top.
?
5C E -1
3D W +1
3S N -4
4H W +1 (3)
3NT E +2 (2)
?
17:
?
...............K6
...............A32
...............K76
...............KJ765
J8.........................AQ10953
KQJ4....................965
QJ42.....................A8
AQ2......................109
...............742
...............1087
...............10953
...............843
?
1C from North and then either 1S or 2S from East. 2S ended the auction twice, but the other six auctions all finished in 3NT W, right-siding the contract to protect the clubs from a hostile opening lead.
?
With everything but the clubs behaving, twelve tricks rolled home in 3NT. With North opening the bidding it was remarkably easy to place the cards. Elizabeth, Mark, Frank, Harold and Louise split the E-W top on +490; Owbot matched their score on -460 while Jevin and Karleta shared the N-S top defending 2S +3.
?
2S E +3 (2)
3NT W +2
3NT W +3 (5)
?
18:
?
...............987643
...............A976
...............72
...............4
A52.......................J
108........................QJ543
AQJ10954.............6
8............................KJ9652
...............KQ10
...............K2
...............K83
...............AQ1073
?
Does South open 1C or 1NT? This assumes, of course, that East does not open, as at least one East did, resulting in 5Dx W. West competes in diamonds and North seems likely to find a way to get the spades into the auction, which ought to be enough to keep East quiet. Reaching 3D quickly seemed effective at keeping N-S out of the auction - but did E-W really want to do that? Contracts were 3D W thrice, 3NT S, 4H E, 4S N, 5Dx W and 5H E.
?
Every contract failed. N-S can do all right in spades, but 4S was too high, declarer taking the par nine tricks. There may have been a tenth had West not given East an overruff of the third diamond; on East's lead of the diamond six-spot it was a bad error for North to play the deuce, which flagged the six as the singleton. Had North followed with the seven West might have guessed not to try the second diamond. 3NT was just doomed; West had control of the longest N-S suit and establishing the diamonds ensured at least seven tricks (Mahn took an extra trick but were going to be E-W top for anything as good as -2). East can somehow scramble together six tricks in hearts; 5H and 4H were much too high even with one declarer bettering par, finishing -5 and -3 respectively. Only Nasan found the trump lead or switch needed to prevent a spade ruff and hold declarer in diamonds to seven tricks; everyone else took eight. This gave Marudy the N-S top on +500, but, with every contract going down, declaring 3D -1 was above average.
?
5Dx W -3
5H E -5
4H E -3
3D W -2
3D W -1 (2)
4S N -1
3NT S -4
