1:
?
...............A9
...............8
...............KQ9742
...............Q654
Q8........................K64
QJ1032.................A765
J53........................6
A53.......................K10972
...............J107532
...............K94
...............A108
...............J
?
I could have seen this auction dying at a low level. N-S might have had an uncontested auction 1D-1S; 2D-2S. But the auction never died below 3D. East might have come in with a light takeout double, which when that happened got West into Battle Mode. Contracts were 3D N, 3H W, 3S S four times, 4H E, 4H W, 4S S twice and 5D N.
?
Contracts in each suit fell a trick short of game. Against diamonds, if E-W get their spade trick established, that establishes the suit for declarer. Spades do a trick worse because E-W can force a diamond ruff, but that will not always happen. Similarly, N-S defeat hearts with a club ruff, although there is less of a backup plan than there is against spades. Ritold defended 5D -1; Owbot better par by one trick defending 3D = but the possible overtrick would have made no difference. 4H was defeated by Panice and Mayne but Elizabeth was E-W top in 3H W +1. Lin and Jeff tied for N-S top by making 4S. Against Lin, after a heart to the ace, E-W followed with two rounds of clubs; it was necessary to switch to a diamond at trick two or for West to play a second heart at trick three so that dummy could be forced to ruff a third heart, giving E-W two trump tricks.?
?
4S S = (2)
3S S +2
3S S +1
3S S = (2)
3D N =
4H E -1; 4H W -1
5D N -1
3H W +1
?
2:
?
...............KQ106
...............KJ3
...............A952
...............K9
J9742......................53
762..........................54
10............................QJ743
Q873.......................10642
...............A8
...............AQ1098
...............K86
...............AJ5
?
After 1H-1S; 2NT, North has an excellent hand for taking control of an asking sequence - because the North hand has third-round control of two side suits. If North finds South with AQxxx in hearts, the other two aces and the diamond king, 7H looks like a virtual lock, probably an easy make if South holds three clubs and still a favourite if South's distribution is 3=5=3=2. 7NT does not have the chance of making on a club ruff, but still has the chance of dropping the spade jack or squeezing an opponent who might have Jxxx in spades and four diamonds. Grand slam was bid only twice. Mayne's auction was 1H-1S; 2NT 4C; 4NT-5C; 5H-7H, North bidding Gerber. Gerdra reached 7NT: 1C-1S; 2NT-4C; 6NT-7NT.
?
Sandra had an easy time of it in 7NT when West began with a low spade lead away from the unsupported Jxxxx. I have been drumming it into people for years to lead for safety against a grand slam or (usually) 6NT. Easpecially on this auction with hearts unbid, a heart lead stands out. Declarer can still make 7NT on a squeeze, but there are various single and double squeezes. One relatively simple line is to play for the black honours to be in the same hand. Receiving a heart lead, run the hearts, discarding diamonds from the North hand, then cash the diamond ace and king, which squeezes West down to two clubs to keep the spades guarded. Then on the top three spades, East has to come down to two clubs to retain the diamond guard, and the club queen will drop whichever opponent holds it. In the end, one pair took only eleven tricks in 3NT and three pairs took twelve tricks in different contracts but seven declarers took all the tricks.
?
7NT S =
7H S =
6NT N +1 (2); 6NT S +1 (2)
6H S +1
6NT S =
6H S =
3NT S +3
3NT S +2
?
3:
?
...............932
...............1075
...............QJ102
...............A109
K5.........................QJ7
KQ32....................964
3............................AK9654
J86432..................K
...............A10864
...............AJ8
...............87
...............Q75
?
It looked as if we would get at least to 2S after P-P-P-1D; 1S-X-2S and then quite likely East would get to the three-level, too high but it is hard to stop against an eight-card fit. Most contracts were at the three-level: 2D E, 2S S, 2Sx S, 2NT E, 3D E thrice, 3S S thrice and 3Sx S.
?
Spades are held to seven tricks by any lead but a heart; all the spade contracts failed, declarer taking between five and eight tricks. The 3S contracts had the extremes, Mark bettering declaring par by taking eight tricks, Leighry and Eubot holding declarer to five, giving Leighry the E-W top for their score of +800. Karleta, defending 2Sx -2, scored 90% after North ducked a club lead at trick four, but after the lead of the heart king declarer would have made the contract by rising with the ace. Study held declarer to the par six tricks in 2NT E. Diamonds are held to eight tricks by a spade lead; all the 3D contracts were the par -1 but Judy (P) played 2D E +1 for the only making contract; too bad she only scored 70%.
?
2NT E -2
3D E -1 (3)
2S S -1; 3S S -1
3S S -2
2D E +1
3S S -4
2Sx S -2
3Sx S -4
?
4:
?
...............A8
...............1085
...............102
...............QJ8653
532.............................K10974
KJ64...........................AQ9
95................................764
AK42...........................97
...............QJ6
...............732
...............AKQJ83
...............10
?
This hand might be (and was) played in spades, no-trumps and both minors. If East opens in third seat spades may take the bid, likely at the three-level, or West might open leading to 2S E after a support double. South will overcall or open in diamonds and can always play the hand in 2D or 3D. If South opens then North will respond either 1NT (which South might as well leave in with six running tricks) or bid clubs, possibly declaring in either of those denominations. Contracts were 2D S, 2S E, 2NT N twice, 3C N, 3D S thrice, 3S E, 4S E and 5C N.
?
Clubs just do not play well at all, with declarer having three heart losers, two trumps and the king of spades. In both club contracts declarer took the par seven tricks, giving Elott (5C -4) and Ritold (3C -2) the top E-W scores. Diamonds provide one more trick, there being only one club loser. Three diamond contracts provided declarer with the par eight tricks, but Judy (R) played 3D = for a 70% score. The lead of either minor holds spades to seven tricks, the key being for a club to be played at trick one or two. North wins the spade ace, leads the second club for a ruff, overruffs the third diamond and then leads a third club to promote South's spade queen. Only Annerb found this tricky defence to hold declarer to seven tricks; the other two declarers in spades took eight. E-W can cash the first six tricks against no-trumps. A diamond lead gives declarer a chance to get greedy and try the spade finesse, allowing E-W seven tricks, The natural spade lead gives declarer an eighth trick, which was made both times 2NT N was played, scoring 85% for Mike and John behind Gerdra's N-S top defending 4S -2.
?
4S E -2
2NT N = (2)
3D S =
2S E -1; 3S E -1
2D S =
3D S -1 (2)
3C N -2
5C N -4
?
5:
?
...............KQ8
...............1097
...............K63
...............Q965
A10942....................J65
2...............................K5
J75...........................A9842
10742.......................AJ3
...............73
...............AQJ8643
...............Q10
...............K8
?
This turned into another Battle of the Majors. East opened 1D, South overcalled 1H, West bid 1S and North raised hearts or possibly showed a limit raise. One auction died in 2H S but most went on, East raining if West showed five spades or possibly making a support double. Five auctions ended in 3H S and three in 3S W. Punice were in their element, reaching 4H after the auction P-1D-1H-1S; 2H-X-4H. One other pair also bid to 4H but E-W carried on to 4S, left in undoubled. South's 7-2-2-2 pattern was not the most attractive for 4H, but the side did hold ten trumps and, if North shows invitational values, South has better than a minimum opener in terms of losers.
?
With the heart finesse working, hearts could not be prevented from taking ten tricks. Two declarers, Herb and Judy (R), took eleven tricks. This required a little more than common assistance, as either West must let two spades go through or East must duck an ace after a discard. Owen, Bob and Eunice split E-W top taking the par seven tricks in 3S; Mary scored 70% playing 4S -3.
?
4H S =
3H S +2 (2)
2H S +2; 3H S +1 (3)
4S W -3
3S W -2 (3)
?
6:
?
...............Q42
...............KJ5
...............1084
...............AQJ10
10873.....................A965
642.........................Q10987
QJ3.........................AK2
K54.........................8
...............KJ
...............A3
...............9765
...............97632
?
If East starts with Flannery West bids 2S or possibly 2H. Both North and South have a lot of strength in the majors that might keep them out of the auction, especially as there is not the confirmed fit there would be had the auction been 1H-2H or 1H-1S; 2S. If the auction starts 1H-P-2H South might balance with 2NT for the minors, although it seems that more often there was a double from North. Contracts were 2H E five times, 2H W, 2S W, 3H E, 3NT S and 4C S twice. 3NT S was reached via 1H-P-2H-P; P-2NT-P-3NT, South balancing for minors and North perhaps thinking the hand good enough for game anyway.
?
3NT hit an unexpected snag; North's clubs were too good. Exchange the ten for the four-spot and 3NT rolls in when the club finesse succeeds, but at the table declarer had to use both entries to hand to finesse West out of the king and there was no entry to cash the nine - until East, who had ducked the first spade lead from dummy, ducked the second as well, letting Wayne post 3NT =. Contracts in either major had a par of seven tricks. Cindy made 2S for the E-W top and Karlene bettered par in 3H -1 but par was more often bettered the other way, four pairs posting 2H -2 on defence and one 4C -2. Hears was the most interesting of the trump suits, with insufficient entries to the West hand to lead hearts through twice. Against spades N-S had to find the ruff of the third round of hearts.
?
3NT S =
2H E -2 (4)
2H E -1; 2H W -1; 3H E -1
4C S -1
4C S -2
2S W =
?
7:
?
...............J73
...............543
...............A85
...............KQ105
K9654....................A2
AQJ7......................K1082
63...........................K72
97...........................J642
...............Q108
...............96
...............QJ1094
...............A83
?
This was a fairly straightforward passout. West is just shy of an opening. North might open in third seat and likely would holding a major, but 1C, while lead-directing, invites an overcall. Those Easts who don't believe in the Rule of Fifteen may also open and feel quite happy when the spades turn up with West. Passouts were Glynneth/Karleta, Sharbot/Ritold, Gerdra/Marudy, Mahn/Elott, Mayne/Stindy, Tin/Leighry and Study/Eubot. Contracts were 2H E (likely after starting P-P-1C-P; 1D-X), 2H W, 2NT N and 4H W.
?
Declarer can take ten tricks in hearts with the kind layout but the third spade should be ruffed early. If N-S force West in clubs declarer needs to play a diamond first. A second force in clubs kills the spade suit; declarer can just get home by ruffing a diamond and guessing the trump position, but this line ought to result in a set. Annerb were N-S top setting 4H W when declarer drew trumps before the spade ruff had been taken. Nary took their par seven tricks against 2NT N for the E-W top; Jamie and Eric scored 85% playing 2H +2.
?
4H W -1
Passed Out (7)
2H E +2; 2H W +2
2NT N -2
?
8:
?
...............105432
...............54
...............AK3
...............1087
Q8...........................KJ9
KQ10.......................J872
8754........................Q102
A654........................KQ2
...............A76
...............A963
...............J96
...............J93
?
East usually opened in third seat. When Karlene passed, Glynneth/Karleta had passed out the entire round, albeit only one of two boards. One auction was apparently P-1C; 1D-1NT, but all the other auctions seem to have ended on West's original response, 1C-2C (inverted, not always Alerted), 1D-2D, 1m-1NT or 1m-2NT. Contracts were 1NT E, 1NT W twice, 2C E twice, 2D E and 2NT W four times.
?
Diamonds can be held to seven tricks by a heart lead. It has to be right away, as the key is for North to ruff TWO hearts, thus setting up a trick for South's jack to go with North's three trumps and the major aces. Panice did defend 2D E -1 for the N-S top. Without ruffs in the picture, either clubs or no-trumps can come to nine tricks, although N-S have a chance to false-card. If South leads a diamond, North can win the ace and return the trey, almost surely inducing East to finesse the ten. Declarer may also have to tread carefully in the majors. The club contracts were evenly split between eight and nine tricks; 1NT and 2NT had a 5-2 division favouring nine tricks, creating a tie for top between Rita, Elizabeth, Steve (Y), Wendy and Eugenie.
?
2D E -1
Passed Out
2C E =
2C E +1
1NT W +1; 2NT W =
1NT E +2; 1NT W +2; 2NT W +1 (3)
?
9:
?
...............KJ1076
...............107
...............52
...............KQ109
A85.........................Q94
8..............................9642
K10873....................AQ9
A742........................J65
...............32
...............AKQJ53
...............J64
...............83
?
South likely opens either 1H or 2H (perhaps more effective in third seat). West might come in with a diamond overcall or a double. 2H S was left in four times, along with 2Hx S (likely P-P-1H-P; 1S-P-2H-X). One North played 2S. West's entering the auction with an overcall pushed the auction to the three-level; 3H S was played twice, along with 4Dx W and 5D W when E-W were stubborn.
?
Heart contracts have four top losers and are held to eight tricks if E-W lead a red suit, drawing North's trumps without helping declarer get a discard. Declarers took nine tricks over eight or seven by a 5-2-1 margin, and Judy (R) needed the overtrick in 2Hx for N-S top. Herb was one of several in 2H S +1 after E-W began with two rounds of diamonds, allowing him the ruff. Stindy were E-W top defending 3H -2. Spades get held to six tricks by a red-suit lead; the South hand gets completely cut off. Par in diamonds was nine tricks; after one force in hearts South gets cut off and West can come to two tricks in each black suit in time. Par was bettered by one trick in each direction; Jevin defended 4Dx -2 to score 90% while Eugenie escaped in 5D -1 for a score of 70% instead of 20% for -2.
?
2Hx S +1
4Dx W -2
2H S +1 (3); 3H S =
2H S =
5D W -1
3H S -1
2S N -2; 3H S -2
?
10:
?
...............AJ3
...............K4
...............AQ82
...............9532
K654.......................Q982
Q2...........................8765
73............................KJ96
AJ764......................8
...............107
...............AJ1093
...............1054
...............KQ10
?
This one was surprisingly varied. West didn't likely open often, but had a way in after P-P-P-1D; P-1H. Most auctions died low: 1H S, 1S E, 1S W, 1NT N twice and one strange 1NT S. Higher contracts were all one-off: 2D N, 2H S, 2S W, 3NT N and 4H S. I am maybe a little surprised there were not more higher contracts.
?
No-trumps and hearts can both take nine tricks but probably won't, as that would require dropping the offside doubleton queen. Leighry were E-W top defending 4H S -4 and Nary held declarer in 2H to six tricks, although Sandra did post 1H S +1. Steve (R) took nine tricks in 1NT N; all the other declarers in no-trumps took eight. Diamonds are a bit complicated but declarer can take eight tricks; Kevin took nine, probably after being able to run the hearts. Against spades it looks as if the defence have to be a little sharper than declarer for the par result of seven tricks, but declarer turned out to have more chances to go wrong. Only Bob managed to make 1S for a 70% score, although -1 would have scored the same. -2 in spades, though, scored 95% for the defence. Sharbot set 2S two tricks while Mahn did the same against 1S; the opening lead of the spade ten ran to the queen (playing the king would have helped); then later declarer led a heart instead of cashing the diamond king, which got stranded.
?
1S E -2; 2S W -2
1NT N +2
1NT N +1; 1NT S +1
1H S +1; 2D N +1
1S W =
3NT N -1
2H S -2
4H S -4
?
11:
?
...............K94
...............653
...............1062
...............K872
AQ........................J75
KQ7......................A942
AKQ543................J97
J5..........................Q104
...............108632
...............J108
...............8
...............A963
?
At last a big hand. With the six-card minor suit that has a good chance of running, the smallest lie for West seems to be to open 2C and rebid 2NT. Either that or a 2NT opening bid ought to lead to 3NT, but the contract was only played six times, five by West. East played 4H twice. Two Wests were stranded in 3D, likely after a 1D opening bid and then 3D rebid. East got into 4H twice and one West got all the way up to 6D.
?
6D could have made after a spade lead. A club lead to the ace and spade return will offer declarer a chance to take the losing finesse, but two of the three declarers in diamonds took eleven tricks, giving Mayne the N-S top. Jevin were second, defending 3D W +1 when declarer led a heart to the ace before cashing the king first. Hearts and no-trumps both had a par of eleven tricks. Against hearts N-S had to cash out right away; otherwise East could draw trumps, discard all the clubs on diamonds and then establish two tricks in spades for a total of twelve. Glynneth held declarer to eleven tricks and Tin to ten after a spade lead and finesse, then a club switch. No-trumps had a fairly straightforward eleven tricks, taken at evey table except for Cindy, who took twelve.
?
6D W -1
3D W +1
3D W +2
4H E =
4H E +1
3NT E +2; 3NT W +2 (4)
3NT W +3
?
12:
?
...............9
...............KQ109874
...............K3
...............1095
106432.......................AKQ
J6...............................A
1086...........................QJ972
AJ8.............................K643
...............J875
...............532
...............A54
...............Q72
?
This was a tough one for multiple seats. North generally opened 3H and East doubled. South was probably glad of the vulnerability to have a good reason not to bid 4H (and 4Hx would likely have finished -2 for a bottom score). After South passed West was generally content with 3S and then the onus was back on East, who usually raised to 4S, despite holding only three trumps. Some Easts overcalled instead: contracts were 3S W twice, 4D E, 4S W seven times and 5D E.
?
Despite the 4-1 trumps, N-S had to give North a diamond ruff at once to force a set of 4S. After a heart lead, declarer draws one or two rounds of trumps and then starts the diamonds. (Drawing all the trumps forces declarer to discard the second heart on the fourth club and the defence get the edge on timing.) N-S can force East to ruff a second heart and then declarer needs to prepare a trump coup, trumping the fourth diamond after the club finesse has been taken and then leading a second club to East's king in the end position:
?
...............----
...............109
...............----
...............10
106..........................----
----...........................----
----...........................J
A..............................64
...............J8
...............5
...............----
...............----
?
East leads the diamond jack. If South ruffs low West overruffs and leads the club ace; otherwise West discards the ace and pushes a club through South. If N-S defend less actively declarer can afford to draw three trumps earlier. Of the nine spade contracts declarer took ten tricks over nine by a 6-3 margin, creating a five-way tie for top between Bob, Mary, Cindy, Henry and Eugenie. As North cannot be given a spade ruff, diamond contracts can force eleven tricks, although both 5D and 4D finished -1. Sharbot set 5D to turn a middle board into a tie for top when West led the club ace to start the suit.
?
4D E -1; 4S W -1 (2); 5D E -1
3S W =
3S W +1
4S W = (5)
?
13:
?
...............9
...............A1087
...............8764
...............QJ109
AJ764.....................Q1032
----..........................K943
AK52.......................10
K653.......................A842
...............K85
...............QJ652
...............QJ93
...............7
?
West opens 1S or overcalls spades if South opens. I like a passed hand 2NT response from East to show a splinter raise of 1S; it allows a light opener to stop at the three-level. West might look for slam but the pair will stop if the duplication in hearts can be found in time; slam would have a good chance if East held KQxx xxxx x Axxx. One way or another, all even tables arrived at the contract of 4S W.
?
It is not too difficult to ruff two hearts in dummy and come to eleven tricks; that result was posted seven times. The 4-1 clubs prevented a twelfth trick. Declarer drew trumps too early against Mahn and Panice, finishing with only ten tricks to let them share N-S top. The par +650 scored 50%. Elizabeth emerged with twelve tricks and Bob was E-W top taking all thirteen - the heart ace lead gave him one trick and later in the hand North unguarded the clubs.
?
4S W = (2)
4S W +1 (7)
4S W +2
4S W +3
?
14:
?
...............J10962
...............K82
...............8
...............AKJ8
743............................KQ85
J754..........................A1093
Q43...........................J109
1052..........................64
...............A
...............Q6
...............AK7652
...............Q973
?
After 1D-1S; a 2D rebid from South seems to lead directly to 3NT, which was played seven times, North declaring more often by a 4-3 margin. A 2C rebid had the chance of derailing the contract into clubs. There was a chance of getting stuck if North did not feel up to a game force. Club contracts were a strange 3C N, 3C S, 4C N and 6C S on the auction 1D-1S; 3C-3H; 3NT-6C. After the aggressive 3C, North could hardly do any less.
?
Mark made 6C, trumping two diamonds in dummy and then drawing trumps. This was not quite accurate; he should have played two rounds of trumps after one ruff - if trumps are 4-1 then declarer can still get home if diamonds are 3-3, but taking the second ruff before any trumps leaves declarer powerless if either defender holds 10xxx. A major lead and reasonably sharp follow-up holds 3NT to nine tricks, although results varied, with the three South declarers taking eleven tricks, although a heart lead from West requires only for West to win the diamond queen, overtaking if necessary, to push another heart through. When North played, two declarers were held to nine tricks while Marudy and Ritold even set the contract.
?
6C S =
3NT S +2 (3)
3NT N = (2)
4C N +2
3C N +2; 3C S +2
3NT N -1 (2)
?
15:
?
...............J4
...............K106
...............KQ107
...............K765
K102........................A763
Q85..........................A432
A854........................J6
Q92..........................A83
...............Q985
...............J97
...............932
...............J104
?
Mahn and Karleta produced a passout, John and Karlene playing cat and mouse with each other. When North opened 1D, East doubled and then West bid either 1NT or 2NT, either usually ending the auction. Contracts were 1H E, 1S W, 1NT W four times, 2NT W thrice and 3NT W.
?
Despite their 24 HCP combined, E-W have only the heart split going in their favour. Only the 3-3 heart split helps; the honours are not well placed and declarer has to get N-S to break the clubs to get to seven tricks at all in no-trumps. In spades at least East can get a diamond ruff. Hearts play out similarly to no-trumps. Seven tricks were par in any denomination, but only two declarers managed to post a plus score. Nancy made 1H E and Martin made 1NT W. Cindy was the only declarer to take eight tricks but she was in 3NT W. Six tricks was the usual result. Only Sharbot held declarer to five tricks (in 1NT, which tied Diabot's 2NT -2 for N-S top). Declarer dropped one trick at trick two, following up a spade lead with another spade right away and later leading a club to the queen. Karleta scored 80% for passing out with 24 HCP - not bad. It was also their third passout of the game, the highest I can recall for eighteen boards (the Pritchards passed out four boards in a 24-board game, the same percentage).
?
1NT W -2; 2NT W -2
1S W -1; 1NT W -1 (3); 2NT W -1; 3NT W -1
Passed Out
1H E =
1NT W =
?
16:
?
...............3
...............Q1043
...............AK53
...............K1092
Q108652..............----
AK6......................J9852
962.......................Q84
Q...........................J8754
...............AKJ974
...............7
...............J107
...............A63
?
We almost had another first. West opened either 1S or 2S, North doubled and South passed at almost every table, producing five contracts of 1Sx and another five of 2Sx. It was one of the easiest penalty passes we've seen in a long time. Sadly, my hope of seeing every table in the game play in a doubled partial fell apart when one South bid and eventually North declared 3NT.
?
3NT N can make, but it would have made almost no difference to the score at this vulnerability. Ritold defended 3NT N -2? N-S can force nine tricks, the main idea being for South to ruff two hearts and then for North to lead the heart queen to allow a discard of South's third diamond. Luckily holding declarer to five tricks scores more than game so that N-S did not have to be exact. The mistake would be forcing West in clubs, as West could get a second ruff, the diamond queen and a heart and then come to two trumps for six tricks. The eventual division of declarer's trick count was 1-2-5-2 for three/four/five/six tricks. Mahn were E-W top by two tricks, defending 2Sx E -5; declarer was headed for -3 until trick six, when West led the spade ten instead of a diamond.
?
2Sx W -5
1Sx W -3 (2); 2Sx W -3 (3)
1Sx W -2 (2); 2Sx W -2
1Sx W -1
3NT N -2
?
17:
?
...............A105
...............J103
...............KQ654
...............KJ
J74........................KQ82
75..........................942
AJ1082.................7
1086......................Q9732
...............963
...............AKQ86
...............93
...............A54
?
1D-1H; 1NT and then South drives either to 3NT or to 4H. By a 6-5 margin 3NT was chosen over 4H.
?
Ten tricks are there in either denomination. West can give East a diamond ruff right away but then that just allows South a discard on the established high diamond. Declarer might go down by taking a club finesse. Owbot and Leighry both defended 4H -1, scoring 90%. Wayne was the one declarer in 4H to take eleven tricks. 3NT N has the likelihood of a club lead, which is rather helpful and allows eleven tricks. Overall the average trick count was close to the same, averaging 9.8 tricks in hearts and 9.83 in no-trumps. Tas and John took eleven tricks in 3NT N; Stindy defended 3NT N -1 when declarer took the club finesse at trick five when a red suit lead was in order.
?
3NT N +2 (2)
4H S +1
3NT N +1 (2)
4H S = (2)
3NT N =
3NT N -1; 4H S -1 (2)
?
18:
?
...............J752
...............4
...............AJ962
...............K107
KQ8......................A963
AKJ985.................7
Q7..........................10543
65..........................J942
...............104
...............Q10632
...............K8
...............AQ83
?
We finished with a rainbow hand. Either South or West opens 1H. If South opens, 1H-1S; 1NT or 1H-1S; 2C may end the auction. If West opens then West may well play from 1H to 3H in an uncontested auction. A 2D overcall from North may get North into diamonds or may convince South to come in with a higher level of no-trumps. Spades seems to be the least likely trump suit, likely to be played mainly if West reopens the bidding with a double at some point. Contracts were 1H W, 2C E, 2C S, 2H W, 2S E, 2NT N, 3D N, 3H W and 3NT S thrice.
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West's leading the spade king or queen or a low spade lead from East allows E-W to take the first seven tricks against no-trumps. Ritold were E-W top defending 2NT N -3 while Marudy, Elott and Jamob all defended 3NT S -2. Par in spades was?similarly seven tricks; Gerdra bettered par defending 2S -1. Almost equally similarly seven tricks turned out to be par in hearts, declarer taking five trumps and two spades. Mary, the only successful declarer, made 1H W; Annerb matched par defending 2H -1 while Jevin bettered par by a trick defending 3H W -3. N-S could take eight tricks in either clubs or diamonds, although it was not a likely result declaring; one would hardly know to play East for J9xx in clubs. Eubot defended 2C N -1, although Sharbot on defence against 2C E were able to take their par eight tricks. Owbot also bettered par defending 3D N -2; North led the club seven instead of the ten at trick seven??
?
2C E -3; 3H W -3
2S E -2
2H W -1
1H W =
2C S -1
3D N -2; 3NT S -2 (3)
2NT N -3
