1:
?
...............A87653
...............QJ74
...............K102
...............----
KQJ2.........................4
A3..............................K5
A543..........................QJ9876
AQ7............................K874
...............109
...............109862
...............----
...............J108532
?
It may have been a good thing that North was dealer for one thing and secondarily that it was the first board of the game, as otherwise we might well have seen at least one E-W pair in the ill-fated slam. North opened 1S, making it rather harder for West to think of slam, even if East overcalled 2D. West usually chose the practical 3NT; two Wests bid 2NT and one tried raising East to 5D.
?
No-trumps are held to ten tricks by a heart lead, which establishes the suit just in time to force declarer to cash out for ten tricks. Diamonds played by East are held to ten tricks by a club ruff (5D W is right-sided and fine). Elizabeth and Owen shared E-W top in 3NT +3. Jevin were N-S top defending 3NT -1; did declarer play spades before diamonds? Except against Jevin all the declarers in no-trumps took eleven or twelve tricks, as South presumably always led a spade.
?
3NT W -1
2NT W +4 (2)
5D E =
3NT W +2 (3)
3NT E +3 (2)
?
2:
?
...............87
...............53
...............AQ9854
...............975
J...............................AK10654
974...........................KQJ2
J10762.....................----
K1084......................QJ2
...............Q932
...............A1086
...............K3
...............A63
?
1S from East was left in three times without a balance from North on the good diamond suit. East declared at every table even if North came in, although declaring 2Dx would not have been all that pleasant. 2H and 2S were played once each, as were 3H and 4S. The one contract played twice was 3Sx.
?
N-S can force four tricks against spades if the opening lead is a heart or club. The heart lead forces East to play two rounds of trumps at once, setting up a second trump trick for the defence; otherwise North gets to ruff a heart. A club lead allows East to draw trumps for one loser but allows South to avoid being endplayed into leading a heart. Heart contracts are held to eight tricks by a red-suit lead. Both declarers in hearts took eight tricks. In spades, two declarers took eight tricks, four took nine and one ten. 3Sx provided the top score for both directions. Gareth declared 3Sx +1 after an opening lead of the diamond king; Jamob defended 3Sx -1.
?
3Sx E -1
3H E -1; 4S E -1
1S E +1; 2H E =
1S E +2 (2); 2S E +1
3Sx E +1
?
3:
?
...............KJ3
...............AK93
...............8642
...............Q9
92.................................5
Q1075...........................J864
J107..............................AKQ93
A1042...........................K65
...............AQ108764
...............2
...............5
...............J873
?
3S from South, West passed and North had to decide whether or not to raise. With an opening hand and three -card support, the favourable vulnerability made four Norths decide that it was worth trying to steal the bid in 3S rather than risk 4S opposite a pre-empt at white versus red. By a 5-4 margin North selected 4S over pass; 4S ended the auction every time. When North passed, East reopened with a double and West bid 4H. Three of the four Norths then bid 4S and only one passed. Playing sound pre-empts, game comes down to whether there are four quick losers in the minors. AQxxxxx xx xx xx goes down, as does AQxxxxx xx xxx x or AQxxxxx x xx xxx. One North made the brave matchpoint decision to hope that 4H defeated would be the only N-S plus. At IMP scoring passing 4H would be unthinkable.
?
Hearts are held to nine tricks by the 4-1 trump split. Spades are held to ten tricks if E-W cash their diamond winner before losing the lead. Louise, Cindy and Bob all took eleven tricks, Louise after a trump opening lead. Wendy, strangely, took twelve tricks, managing to lose only one club. Four declarers took the par ten tricks. Elizabeth finished -1 in 4H but was E-W top with 4S making at every other table.
?
4S S +2
4S S +1 (3)
4S S = (4)
4H W -1
?
4:
?
...............KQ
...............AKQ108
...............85
...............10532
107.............................AJ98
6432..........................----
1063...........................QJ742
Q876..........................AK94
...............65432
...............J975
...............AK9
...............J
?
1H from North and a clear takeout double from East. Three Souths did not show a limit raise or better with 2NT over the double. North passed 3H, which was left in twice and double once with the double left in. The other six N-S pairs all reached 4H, Jevin after the auction P-1H-X-2NT; P-3H-P-4H.
?
With West only holding one possible entry and East void in trumps declarer can play the hand in a fairly open fashion and come to eleven tricks. Eight of the nine declarers took eleven tricks. Against Leighry, declarer played the side suits in the wrong order and ruffed a diamond in hand too soon. I am not sure why it made a difference but it did; this gave Leighry the E-W top ahead of Elott. Eric was top in 3Hx N +2.
?
3Hx N +2
4H N +1 (6)
3H N +2
3H N +1
?
5:
?
...............K83
...............Q5
...............QJ10532
...............75
4................................Q9765
1063..........................AKJ974
AK98.........................4
KQJ96.......................4
...............AJ102
...............82
...............76
...............A10832
?
2D from North and then East will do something. 2H was bid and left in once; all the other tables reached game. There was one Michaels cue-bid, leading to 4H W. 4H was declared by East six times; one West decided to try 3NT.
?
With 2-2 trumps, hearts take eleven tricks more or less regardless of what happens in clubs. Three discards if South rises with the ace will not make a difference, as the third discard just wipes out the need for a ruff, even if N-S do not cash their spade trick. Two declarers in hearts took only ten tricks, but six took eleven. Loubot were N-S top defending 2H E +2. The exciting hand was 3NT W, which could have been defeated by the opening lead of a low spade from North's K83. East will scamper home in 3NT. Elizabeth received the opening lead of the diamond queen from North. South eventually took the ace of clubs at trick nine and was left with AJ10 in spades and a diamond. There was still a chance to take three spade tricks to score 7/8 for holding declarer to nine tricks, but South returned the diamond instead, all the spade tricks went begging and Elizabeth posted +490 for the E-W top.
?
2H E +2
4H E =
4H E +1 (5); 4H W +1
3NT W +3
?
6:
?
...............Q1076
...............AJ1082
...............962
...............7
8..............................52
Q76..........................K543
K1084......................AJ3
KQJ96.....................10843
...............AKJ943
...............9
...............Q75
...............A52
?
1S from South and then West may overcall on the five-card suit. The North hand has the values for a limit raise, the singleton working overtime and pulling at least its full weight. Nobody was stranded in a partial this time; everyone bid to 4S. Two bold E-W pairs disregarded the vulnerability and pushed on to 5C, appropriately doubled by SOuth both times. One West must either have doubled or begun with an Unusual 2NT, as 5Cx was declared by East.
?
E-W must begin with diamonds to hold 4S to ten tricks. On any other lead, declarer can establish the hearts for an overtrick; 5-1 side suits will often establish if there are enough entries. Only Myrne held 4S to ten tricks, good enough to get them the E-W top. Wendy, Jeff and Bob took eleven tricks. If East rose with the king on the lead of the second heart, declarer could take twelve tricks, the result posted by Louise, Mark and Judy. 5Cx can be defeated three tricks if South gets two heart ruffs, although for North to win the ace on a heart lead instead of finessing against dummy's queen - it's lucky the finesse doesn't lead to -1 - is rather a leap of faith). At favourable vulnerability, however, there was no need to take risks such as South's leading a low spade after scoring the first ruff; Rekenee and Stindy were content with +500 defending 5Cx -2 to share N-S top.
?
5Cx E -2; 5Cx W -2
4S S +2 (3)
4S S +1 (3)
4S S =
?
7:
?
...............10754
...............A765
...............KQ2
...............108
KQ.........................AJ82
K102......................J984
AJ73.......................108
J742.......................K65
...............963
...............Q3
...............9654
...............AQ93
?
This hand easily could have been played in 1NT W at every table after 1m-1H; 1NT. That that contract was played six times might be just on the low side. Two Wests got into 2NT somehow, a bit strange. One West perhaps raised to 2H - not really needed with KQ doubleton - and East finished in 3H.
?
Hearts are held to eight tricks easily enough with one heart, one diamond, two clubs and a club ruff. Wendric tied for N-S top defending 3H E -2 when declarer began the hearts from the West hand instead of ruffing a diamond to finesse South for the heart queen. 1NT seems even in trickier circumstances, as the only entry to the East hand is to overtake one of the spades, and that does not help in the long run. It becomes a battle of which side can be more passive than the other (the heart suit becomes critical with Qx onside, one finesse making a huge difference if declarer is patient enough to wait for it); eventually N-S run out of safe exits first and finish with just five tricks. Trick counts in no-trumps for declarer emerged as one declarer taking six tricks, two taking seven, three eight and two nine. Study defended 2NT W -2 to tie Wendric for N-S top; E-W top was a tie between Lynn and Elizabeth in 1NT W +2.
?
2NT W -2; 3H E -2
2NT W -1
1NT W =
1NT W +1 (3)
1NT W +2 (2)
?
8:
?
...............K72
...............Q65
...............J85
...............K874
Q8653....................A104
9.............................K42
K4..........................AQ1073
AQJ106..................52
...............J9
...............AJ10873
...............962
...............93
?
West opens either 1C or 1S. This time 1S works better, as 1C-P-1D-2H will leave West trickily situated, and even if West bids 2S, 3H from North means East will likely try 3NT and West has to find a difficult pull. After a 1S opening bid East answers 2D and everything is easy enough. Two pairs contrived to miss game and stop in 3S; the other seven E-W pairs all finished in 4S W.
?
Technically N-S have to lead a heart to hold 4S to ten tricks, as declarer can discard the heart loser on a diamond before starting the trumps. The trump suit itself is interesting with A10x opposite Q86xx. If the suit were a side suit with six or seven cards combined in the two hands, low to the queen and then low to the ten would offer a better chance. But with eight trumps the ace first is just as good when the suit splits 3-2 (it never matters if South holds three; if North holds three low to the queen first gains when North holds KJx, but ace first gains when North holds Kxx) and better when North holds a singleton king or jack. Here ace first gains over two finesses; two declarers in 4S took the two finesses and went down. Loubot held 3S to nine tricks; Louise had ruffed earlier in the hand and then West began the spades leading low to the ace rather than the queen to pin the jack. Five declarers took ten tricks; Henry was E-W top in 4S +1.
?
4S W -1 (2)
3S W =
3S W +1
4S W = (4)
4S W +1
?
9:
?
...............86
...............QJ93
...............AKQ7
...............Q93
J4.................................Q7
1065.............................K874
J9843...........................1052
1084.............................A762
...............AK109532
...............A2
...............6
...............KJ5
?
After North opens South is very close to slam. The hand is good enough for a strong jump shift if the side plays a 2S response that way. If North raises to 3S South can steam into slam. After 1D-2S; 2NT-3S; 4S, South is on the edge and might carry on or not. 1D-1S; 1NT can follow a similar patter with South seeking spade support and then having to decide after finding North without three spades whether to settle for 4S or carry on to 6S.
?
Had West held doubleton QJ in spades, South could have had a losing Restricted Choice option, but with the suit 2-2 everyone took twelve tricks. Slam turned out to have a slightly below average chance of making but North's holding Jx xxxx AKxx Qxx would have been enough to make the slam a slight favourite. Loubot and Mahn were the only pairs to reach 6S. Loubot's auction was 1D-1S; 1NT-4C; 4H-5C; 5H-6S, the side negotiating the perils of Gerber satisfactorily. Mahn's auction was 1D-1S; 1NT-2C; 2H-6S, a jump worthy of Jevin.
?
6S S = (2)
4S S +2 (7)
?
10:
?
...............AJ92
...............KQJ76
...............Q
...............KQ2
K1086....................73
10932.....................A54
A9..........................108763
1085.......................A74
...............Q54
...............8
...............KJ542
...............J963
?
North has a not particularly attractive 18 HCP. If one downgrades the singleton queen?I could just see the hand being pushed down into the Flannery category, which apparently happened once, as the contract was 3S S. The two Hanks (neither of whom was playing but both of whom have had numerous adventures with Flannery in the past) would have been pleased to see that Kevin joined them this time. Otherwise the auction began 1H-1NT (except that 1H was left in once) and likely 2S next from North. One North was left there and three others eventually played 4S. The other three contracts were 3NT S twice and 4H N. I might have raised 1NT to 2NT; South on the edge might well have carried on to 3NT.
?
All three games were settable. It looks as if 3NT can be set by merely keeping declarer locked out of the South hand but that turns out not to work so long as declarer avoids spades. E-W have their three aces and West can even be given a trick with the heart ten; eventually South must be let in and declarer will have enough winners. The hand is actually a race; the killing lead is the diamond ace and East's suit establishes before South gets both of East's aces out; indeed declarer has to finesse the spades twice to escape for one down. In 4S or 4H there is a trump loser to go with the tree aces, even with the spade king and ten both being onside. N-S top went to Rita in 3NT S +1, probably after a spade lead (an advantage of not reversing into 2S!). The most impressive result was Steve (Y)'s 4S N =. West ducked a diamond at the second trick and Steve then left the trumps alone until the end of the hand, managing to confine West to one trump trick when down to AJ9 in one hand opposite Q5 in the other when West held nothing but the four trumps. Jeff also took ten tricks in spades playing 3S S. Five declarers took the par number of tricks, one below game. The only pair to better par defensively was Leighry, defending 4S N -2.
?
3NT S +1
4S N =
3S S +1
1H N +2; 2S N +1
3NT S -1; 4H N -1; 4S N -1
4S N -2
?
11:
?
...............10432
...............KJ85
...............9
...............KJ86
AQJ6......................987
Q109.......................43
KQ6........................A10754
1074........................AQ9
...............K5
...............A762
...............J832
...............532
?
East may respond 1NT to 1C or perhaps rebid 1NT after 1C-1D; 1S. 1NT E was only played twice and 1NT W once (1C-1D perhaps denying a four-card major). One East liked no-trumps enough to raise and West declared 3NT. A surprising number of Easts had no stomach for no-trumps with a low doubleton in the unbid suit, leading to suit contracts of 2D W (evidently on the auction 1D-2D), 2S W twice, 3D E and 3D W.
?
In practical terms declarer should take only ten tricks in diamonds. It is possible to bring in the trumps for no loser, but that requires running the ten to pin North's singleton nine and then finessing against the eight. N-S can foil this with a spade opening lead and careful play in clubs from North to prevent East from reaching hand three times. North must cover any low club played from the West hand and duck the ten. East then is unable to draw the last trump and South gets a spade ruff before East can ruff a heart. Declarer can take nine tricks in no-trumps, although if N-S run four hearts off the top, it is unlikely that East will discard a spade and a diamond. Elizabeth made 3NT W for the E-W top, perhaps after a spade lead. Spade contracts are held to nine tricks by a spade or diamond lead; East cannot quite do everything, ruffing a heart and finessing teice in trumps that way. Declarers in 1NT took seven, eight and nine tricks. 2S yielded nine and eight. Two declarers in diamonds took the par ten tricks but Wendric were N-S top defending 3D E -1; West led the spade jack when it was necessary to lead a club.
?
3D E -1
1NT E =
2S W =
1NT E +1
2D W +2; 3D W +1
2S W +1
1NT W +2
3NT W =
?
12:
?
...............Q76
...............QJ6
...............83
...............AJ1052
AJ52...........................K109843
1074............................92
74................................AQJ
KQ74...........................93
...............----
...............AK853
...............K109652
...............86
?
2S by East in third seat was left in once; granted it does give South a tricky time of it but either West or North might well bid. One South overcalled 3D and was left there. South might bid 4D, Leaping Michaels, showing diamonds and hearts, as it appears that the points are close to even on both sides; West will likely bid 4S if South does. 3S E was played three times, along with 4S E twice, 4Sx E and 6H S when North cooperated with zeal.
?
Assuming East plays North for the possible three spades in a 3-0 split, declarer takes nine tricks on a heart or club lead when the diamond finesse loses. Leigh Ann played 2S E +2 and Gareth 4Sx E = for E-W top; one declarer in 3S and one in 4S took nine tricks; two declarers in 3S and Study's opponents in 4S took only eight. Jeff needed only to make 3D for N-S top; he was always sure of ten tricks but scored an eleventh when East led the spade ten at trick eleven instead of the king. Linbot defended 6H -2, although declarer could have forced eleven tricks by crossing to dummy, leading a diamond and then ruffing the third diamond before drawing trumps.
?
3D S +2
4S E -2
3S E -1 (2); 4S E -1
3S E =
2S E +2
6H S -2
4Sx E =
?
13:
?
...............QJ
...............A642
...............A985
...............974
K542....................A107
J5.........................KQ103
742.......................K106
Q1053..................J62
...............9863
...............987
...............QJ3
...............AK8
?
This was another hand on which we could have seen everyone in 1NT E via 1C-1S; 1NT. That contract was played five times. At least one North came in with a ratty passed-hand takeout double on the near-opening with 4-4 in the unbid suits, leading to a contract of 1NT S. One West eventually played 2S but the other two E-W pairs reached game, 3NT E and 3NTx W.
?
The hands are so close to flat that spades play quite like no-trumps. If N-S get their second diamond trick ready in time declarer can be held to seven tricks. Wendric scored 6.5/8 defending 2S W -2 after a heart lead to the jack, spade to queen and ace, and then a lead of the spade ten from East. Against no-trumps N-S need to get their third diamond trick in reasonable time to hold E-W to seven tricks. Jamob and Stindy took their six tricks against 3NTx W and 3NT E. Myrtle, Scott, Leigh Ann and Linda took eight tricks in 1NT E when the diamonds were left too late (which might have brought nine tricks into play. Study defended 1NT E -1 and Rita declared 1NT S = when E-W started spades too early.
?
3NTx W -2
2S W -3; 3NT E -2
1NT E -1
1NT S =
1NT E +1 (4)
?
14:
?
...............K4
...............764
...............A732
...............6532
Q62.........................A109875
KQ8.........................AJ
864..........................QJ10
A974........................108
...............J3
...............109532
...............K95
...............KQJ
?
1S from East and then West has a good invitation via 1NT forcing followed by 3S. Does East accept? There are seven losers on the better side and a sixth trump with good intermediates, but an unattractive 6-3-2-2 hand pattern (although here A109875 A QJ10 J52 might likely only make 4S after a club lead if the spade king dropped singleton). One auction ended in 2S E; of the remaining eight there was an even 4-4 split between 3S and 4S as the final contract.
?
With the diamonds not split 5-2 and there being no significant wastage in clubs and hearts, spade contracts could force ten tricks by losing only one trump. With the 2-2 split ten tricks seemed almost a sure thing, making it a surprise that that result occurred only four times. Scott scored 5/8 in 3S +2 and Gareth was E-W top in 4S +1. Two declarers in 3S took only nine tricks, perhaps not wanting to risk the contract to a 7-1 heart split. Study were N-S top defending 4S -2; after winning the club ace declarer led the sapde queen, ducked North's king and then later lost a fifth trick by finessing against the jack of spades.
?
4S E -2
3S E = (2)
2S E +2; 3S E +1
3S E +2
4S E = (2)
4S E +1
?
15:
?
...............K653
...............A5432
...............KQ8
...............3
Q10974.................8
K96.......................Q107
1073......................J965
42..........................Q9765
...............AJ2
...............J8
...............A42
...............AKJ108
?
This was something of a pleasant surprise. With South opening 1C and jumping to 2NT, I worried that some Norths might attempt slam and get too high. But South's confirming the lack of a fit on the third round of the auction appropriately dampened North's ardour. Everyone finished in 3NT S.
?
If North avoids showing spades a likely spade opening lead from West will make ten tricks almost certain and give declarer two chances at eleven tricks, although one way of coming to eleven tricks would require finessing East for the club nine because of the 5-2 split and the other would be to choose the club finesse over the spade finesse and then play for 3-3 hearts. Hearts are 3-3 but the chance of twelve tricks if the clubs are really kind may draw South another way. In the end Mark took twelve tricks when East discarded the club queen late in the hand. Louise and Renee both took eleven tricks, Louise when East declined to lead a heart to West's good king at trick eleven and instead not only led a diamond to put Louise on lead but squeezed partner in the bargain:
?
.......K6
.......----
.......8
.......----
Q10.......----
K...........7
----........J9
----........----
.......2
.......J
.......A
.......----
?
The most common outcome was ten tricks, posted four times. Linbot and Myrne held declarer to nine tricks to tie for E-W top.
?
3NT S +3
3NT S +2 (2)
3NT S +1 (4)
3NT S = (2)
?
16:
?
...............J962
...............6
...............862
...............AQ1093
107.............................AKQ863
9432..........................87
AKQ...........................109543
KJ84..........................----
...............5
...............AKQJ105
...............J7
...............7652
?
1C from West, 1S from East and either 2H or 3H from South. West passes and then 4S from East seems reasonable enough, hoping for there not to be excessive duplication. Only five auctions got that high, however; contracts were 2S E, 3H S, 3Hx S, 3Sx E, 4S E four times and 4Sx E.
?
Even if West's minors were reversed 4S would still have moderate play. The club wastage is more than compensated for by West's ideal diamond holding. Even the 4-1 trumps are not a major headache. Declarer can force eleven tricks by finessing through North twice in spades. That was not reasonable; almost everyone took ten tricks. Only Rekenee defended 4S -1. Karlene made 4Sx and Myrtle took ten tricks in 3Sx for the two best E-W scores. Eight tricks was the par result in hearts but Louise made 3Hx and created a double doubled-into-game swing when East won a spade lead and continued with a second spade instead of a diamond - club ruffs were necessary.
?
3Hx S =
4S E -1
3H S -1
2S E +2
4S E = (3)
4Sx E =
3Sx E +1
?
17:
?
...............75
...............10743
...............K85
...............9765
AKQ832.............9
95.......................AJ86
Q73....................AJ94
Q8......................J1043
...............J1064
...............KQ2
...............1062
...............AK2
?
P-P-1C-1S; P-1NT seems probable enough and then what? Does West go back into spades? raise East's no-trumps? Contracts were 2S W twice, 2NT E, 3C S, 3S W thrice, 4S W and 4Sx W.
?
A heart or club lead sets 4S and fortunately South can see the defensive line quite clearly; shift to a heart before the second club is out. Ritold defending 4Sx -1 and Jevin defending 4S -2 (East led the diamond ace at trick six instead of a club or heart) tied for N-S top. Both declarers in 2S matched par and took nine tricks but the three declarers in 3S took either eight (against Study) or ten (Elizabeth and Tommy). Eunice took the par nine tricks in 3NT to tie Karleta (defending 3C S -3; -5 was par on a score of 5.5/8.
?
4S W -2; 4Sx W -1
3S W -1
2S W +1 (2)
2NT E +1; 3C S -3
3S W +1 (2)
?
18:
?
...............J10962
...............96
...............K
...............KJ1063
KQ75..........................A4
Q873..........................AKJ4
A54............................Q32
Q8..............................A972
...............83
...............1052
...............J109876
...............54
?
I always worry on hands when a 2NT rebid lies opposite an opening hand that pairs might get too high. Here it is hard for West to stop after 1C-1H; 4H. Strangely, four Easts opened 1NT and ended up declaring 4H compared to three Wests. Two Wests had eternal hope and pushed on to 6H.
?
The values look insufficient but the dropping singleton diamond king allows declarer twelve tricks. Suppose North leads the spade jack. Declarer wins the ace and draws trumps in three rounds. If North discards a spade there are two ways to force twelve tricks, either cash the spade king-queen, ruff the fourth spade and then duck a diamond, or cash the diamond ace and then, when the king drops, play king and queen of spades and then let North win the fourth spade to have nothing left to lead but clubs. If North discards a club on the third heart cashing ace and queen of diamonds will leave North in a pickle. Discarding a spade lets declarer endplay North with the fourth spade; discarding a club lets East lead a club and establish the fourth club by ruffing the third. If South is on lead and leads a club to ten and ace, East draws trumps and puts North on lead with the second club. North cannot play a third club and probably exits with the spade jack. East takes the ace, ruffs the third club, sees the diamond king under the ace, then plays a diamond to the queen and the fourth trump to squeeze North in the black suits. One way or another Henry, Gareth, Linda and Dave all played 4H +2. Rekenee and Jevin held declarer to eleven tricks in 4H, Rekenee after East led the second spade too soon before cashing the diamond queen. Loubot held declarer to ten tricks in 4H. Unsurprisingly, against Wendric and Mahn, declarers in 6H were not quite able to work out the winning line and both finished -2.
?
6H W -2 (2)
4H E =
4H E +1; 4H W +1
4H E +2 (2); 4H W +2 (2)
