1:
?
...............Q10952
...............J54
...............76
...............AJ2
KJ.............................764
K1097.......................86
KJ108.......................A43
K85...........................Q10973
...............A83
...............AQ32
...............Q952
...............64
?
Does West come in over 1D? It seemed to happen about half the time, once with 1NT but usually with a double. If West remained quiet, North responded 1S and South rebid 1NT or 2S. Contracts were 1NT S, 1NT W, 2C E four times, 2S N thrice and 3S N.
?
Spades could have been held to seven tricks but clubs could have yielded declarer nine. Most declarers in spades overperformed, as East rarely found the heart ruff. Leigh Ann even took ten tricks in 2S for the N-S top when E-W found a way to drop two tricks. Dana and Kevin took the possible nine tricks in 2C to tie for E-W top; Glynneth set 2C when declarer didn't finesse in trumps and then late in the hand got blocked in dummy, finding it impossible to take the diamond finesse.
?
2S N +2
2S N = (2)
2C E -1
1NT S -1
1NT W =; 2C E =
3S N -2
2C E +1 (2)
?
2:
?
...............Q3
...............AQ42
...............KQ5
...............AKQ10
AK54.......................J1086
K86.........................J9753
AJ98.......................107
95............................32
...............972
...............10
...............6432
...............J8764
?
Poor North if the pair did not have a penalty double available! Not that one often has 22 HCP when RHO opens 1NT. Fortunately for those Norths who did not have a penalt double available, East had a clear runout from 1NT, either with a transfer into hearts or with Stayman if E-W play 1NT-2C; 2D-2M as weak. Nobody ended up in no-trumps, although there were contracts in each of the four suits. Contracts were 2H W thrice, 2Hx E, 2Hx W, 2S W, 2Sx W, 3C S, 4Dx E and 5C N. 4Dx came about as a result of a misunderstanding, East thinking that 2D was a transfer in a competitive auction and West disagreeing.
?
Ten tricks were available to N-S in clubs. E-W could do better in hearts than spades because of the heart ruff, spades taking six tricks double dummy and hearts seven. But E-W often overperformed when declaring, despite the offside spade queen's dropping, largely because West had so few entries to dummy that it was easier to drop the spade queen. Leighry were the only N-S pair to defeat 2H, posting 2Hx E -2 for second N-S result behind Haorge's 4Dx -4. Willis was E-W top, making 2Sx W
?
4Dx E -4
2Hx E -2
3C S +1
2Sx W -1
2H W -1
5C N -1
2H W = (2); 2S W =
2Hx W =
?
3:
?
...............Q42
...............J63
...............A106
...............AQJ5
KJ983.....................106
K2...........................1074
QJ97.......................8432
K3...........................9764
...............A75
...............AQ985
...............K5
...............1082
?
Three pairs managed to stop below game, in 2H and 3H twice. South declared at every table. The auction usually began 1H-1S-2S with North carrying on to game. 4H beat out 3NT by a 4-3 margin.
?
West has a ghastly opening lead, especially against 4H. Either hearts or no-trumps can yield twelve tricks, most especially if West makes the natural-enough-looking lead of a diamond. If entries permit, declarer wants to play the clubs by leading low from the South hand twice. George and Rita took twelve tricks in 3NT, Tom in 4H. The other seven declarer all took seven tricks.
?
3NT S +3 (2)
4H S +2
3NT S +2
4H S +1 (3)
2H S +3; 3H S +2 (2)
?
4:
?
...............AQ832
...............J8
...............A973
...............Q8
KJ..............................10765
K1053........................A9742
KQ4...........................----
AJ75..........................K1062
...............94
...............Q6
...............J108652
...............943
?
1NT from West and then, if North can bid 2S to show spades and a minor, East gets stuck between 3H intended as either forcing or non-forcing. One could always try to defend, perhaps doubled, although a runout would have worked beautifully for N-S. If North passes 1NT, East can try Stayman, then raise West's 2H to 4H on the ninth trump and the void. Game was reached eight times out of ten, with contracts of 3D S, 3H E, 4H E and 4H W seven times, presumably after North passed and East could transfer or bid Stayman.
?
Declarer in hearts could force eleven tricks but no more unless North disliked the lead prospects enough to start with a spade (either the ace or low, Jeff taking twelve tricks after a low spade lead. After that came an even 4-4 split between declarer taking ten tricks and eleven, perhaps on the club guess. It may have been advantageous to North to show spades and a minor over 1NT, as declarer would naturally incline to play South for the club queen given North's being two-suited in spades and diamonds. The two N-S pairs with Robots had the two best N-S scores, 3D -2 and defending 3H +1, both presumably after Northern interference.
?
3H E +1
3D S -2
4H W = (3)
4H E +1; 4H W +1 (3)
4H W +2
?
5:
?
...............A76
...............K10
...............Q982
...............AQ74
3.................................KJ2
Q9543........................A86
J763...........................K1054
J98.............................653
...............Q109854
...............J72
...............A
...............K102
?
We got everyone into 4S N, some via a Texas transfer and some via Jacoby. If N-S play both, I prefer Texas. It would be tempting to start with Jacoby if the spade queen were the king, as slam looks closer if partner can preaccept with Axxx. Jacoby followed by 4S would be in line if the heart jack were a little higher. Change the hand around to KQ10985 A72 4 K102 and South might start with a Jacoby transfer followed by 4D, as slam will likely depend on their not being much diamond wastage.
?
The play came down to guesses in the spades and hearts. With A76 opposite Q109854 ace first eliminates the guess. Technically queen first can cater to as many positions, but, if the queen is run and loses and then West follows low on the second round, declarer must guess whether to play the ace or finesse again. Playing the ace first is correct when there are nine trumps. Either line loses two tricks to KJx(x) in the wrong hand, though which hand that is depends on the line taken. Lara, after declarer ran the queen first, were among the five E-W pairs posting -620; Helene, Leigh Ann, Sam, Hank and Louise all took the ace first and posted +650.
?
4S N +1 (5)
4S N = (5)
?
6:
?
...............87
...............Q83
...............K852
...............K753
Q954..................AK10
A52....................K106
J10.....................Q976
10842.................AQJ
...............J632
...............J974
...............A43
...............96
?
A couple of Easts opened 2NT and Marudy began with the Mexican 2D but usually it was 1D followed by 2NT. I thought we would see one or two pairs stop in 2NT but everyone was in 3NT E; note how much the diamond ten improves the West hand, from perhaps no trick in the suit to a certain two.
?
Even if the auction has obscured which major West holds, South ought to prefer a heart lead to a spade because of the better spots. A spade lead gives declarer a trick that a heart lead does not.?Change East's spades to A104, West's to K95 and North's to Q87 and the spade lead still gives away a trick because of the nine. Jamie was one of three declarers taking eleven tricks instead of the par nine - South led a spade, then North won the diamond king and switched to a club, allowing two finesses in the suit. There seemed no good reason for anyone to go down, as there were no more than two heart losers and declarer could easily establish the diamonds first, try the spades, and then take the club finesse if the spades divided poorly. With South holding the spade Jxxx, declarer cannot force more than nine tricks, as even with a lucky guess in spades there is only one entry to the West hand, and N-S can establish two heart tricks before East can establish a tenth. It was a little surprising that four declarers were set, with Myrne posting -2 along with three results of -1; only one declarer made 3NT on the number.
?
3NT E -2
3NT E -1 (3)
3NT E =
3NT E +1 (2)
3NT E +2 (3)
?
7:
?
...............KJ43
...............QJ8
...............53
...............Q873
87........................1095
AK1054...............976
KJ102..................94
64........................AJ1095
...............AQ62
...............32
...............AQ876
...............K2
?
This is not the sort of 5-4-2-2 pattern that lends itself to a 1NT opening bid for South; hands with four spades rarely are, as there is no serious rebid problem opening the five-card suit. Here we began 1D-1H and then either 1S or a negative double from North, according to partnership agreements (the Loring-Reich partnership would start with 1S). East may or may not raise to 2H; South is closer to 3S than 2S. Everyone eventually played in spades with a 2-5-3 split of levels; contracts were 2S N, 2S S, 3S N twice, 3S S thrice, 4S N and 4S S twice.
?
The side could really use a ninth trump, in which case 4S would depend almost entirely on the diamond finesse. Here not only does the diamond finesse lose but declarer has no way to avoid an extra loser of the fourth round of either clubs or diamonds, as both suits have helpfully placed shortages for the defenders and there is no low ruff available in either suit that will not meet with an overruff. A little surprisingly nine tricks were taken more often than eight. The partials yielded eight by a 4-3 majority but all three games were only -1. Louise was among those who took nine tricks playing 3S S; West began with a high heart and switched to a club. East took that to be a singleton and took the ace, eliminating one loser in the suit.
?
2S S +1; 3S N =; 3S S = (2)
2S N =
3S N -1; 3S S -1; 4S N -1; 4S S -1 (2)
?
8:
?
...............1097
...............K94
...............KQ632
...............AJ
Q2...........................AK54
Q75.........................J1063
AJ107......................985
10983......................K5
...............J863
...............A62
...............4
...............Q7642
?
P-1D-P-1S; P-1NT looked likely to be the auction but 1NT N was the contract only half the time. One East doubled, resulting in the inelegant contract of 2Cx W. North declared 2D and 2Dx, West declared 2H (again after a double; I don't know why so many Easts were that strongly moved by the 4-4 majors; I could more easily have seen a 1S overcall. One N-S pair were unable to put on the brakes until they reached 3NT N.
?
The layout is unkind to N-S; give East three clubs to the king and 1NT would likely make. A heart lead cuts off communications to dummy far earlier than declarer would have liked and forcing an early cashing of the club queen, so that E-W can come to two clubs, one diamond, two hearts and three spades. Louise and Rita made 1NT, Louise after East crashed West's spade queen and then led a diamond instead of a spade in the end position. Every other contract failed. Helbot were N-S top even with only a one-trick set of 2Cx. Jevin were E-W top defending 2Dx -2, with 3NT -3 next best for Cineve.
?
2Cx W -1
1NT N = (2)
2H W -1
1NT N -1 (3)
2D N -2
3NT N -3
2Dx N -2
?
9:
?
...............Q87
...............A76
...............107542
...............A2
93.......................AKJ10
K94....................Q8532
63.......................AQ9
KQ10654............8
...............6542
...............J10
...............KJ8
...............J973
?
Everyone played in hearts. With 16 HCP East was on the Flannery edge; Wendric did not open Flannery but Jevin did. West had a heavy 2H raise of a 1H opening bid, enough to carry on to game if East invites. Nobody stopped in 2H; contracts were 3H E twice, 4H E seven times and 4H W.
?
The E-W assets are a bit misaligned but declarer gets lucky in the heart and spade positions. N-S can only come to ten tricks with an early diamond lead through East. As this could be done after cashing either ace, there was plenty of time. Dana was the only declarer to take eleven tricks, posting 4H E +1 after a heart jack lead to the queen and a club to the ace when North returned a second club instead of the diamond. Mayne were N-S top holding 3H to nine tricks; everyone else took ten.
?
3H E =
3H E +1
4H E = (6); 4H W =
4H E +1
?
10:
?
...............Q863
...............Q10972
...............3
...............QJ9
K954...........................AJ2
KJ3.............................54
K108...........................64
1042............................A87653
...............107
...............A86
...............AQJ9752
...............K
?
I thought we might see some auctions go 1D-1H; 2D for N-S, but?only one pair played any contract lower than 3D. Maybe East overcalled clubs and E-W competed to 3C; maybe South jumped to 3D; maybe North rebid 2H; we likely saw all three courses of action. Contracts were 2D S, 3D S five times, 3NT N twice, 4H N and 4Hx N.
?
Diamonds produce eight tricks, hearts nine with inspired play. No-trumps contracts can be held to seven tricks through the unusual strategy of going after high card winners instead of establishing long suits. Helene and Louise both made 3NT, Helene exactly when East established clubs at trick six instead of switching to spades to cash out. Jinda defended 4Hx -2 for the E-W top. Diamond contracts both overperformed and underperformed, taking ten and nine tricks twice each, eight and seven once each.
?
3NT N = (2)
3D S +1 (2)
3D S = (2)
2D S -1; 3D S -1; 4H N -1
4Hx N -2
?
11:
?
...............A8642
...............AK103
...............J76
...............7
J3.........................Q975
J9.........................54
KQ4......................9532
A98543................KJ6
...............K10
...............Q8762
...............A108
...............Q102
?
Who opened the bidding? One South did, leading to a 4C splinter from North. Over South's 4H West decided to come in with 5C, which went around undoubled. West might open if the player can stomach counting two doubleton jacks; over 1C North overcalls 1S or doubles and then South plays in some number of hearts. After a 1S opening bid from North either North or South declares in hearts depending on South's choice of response. Contracts were 2H S, 3H N, 3H S twice, 4H N, 4H S four times and 5C W.
?
5C W finished four down. The South in question complained about the auction (the player was not a regular; we have multiple players and pairs quite capable of coming in with 5C on the strength of North's singleton) but was somewhat mollified when I pointed out that a double would have meant the top score. Eleven tricks are possible in hearts, even if North declares and East leads a diamond, as the spades establish to take care of a diamond loser. Three declarers were held to ten tricks in hearts; Wendric led diamonds early but declarer never established the second trick in the suit until it was too late.
?
4H N +1
4H S +1 (2)
4H S = (2)
2H S +3; 3H S +2 (2); 5C W -4
3H S +1
?
12:
?
...............A972
...............A3
...............KQ65
...............A74
J85...........................Q43
J6.............................1052
A873.........................102
K1032.......................QJ965
...............K106
...............KQ9874
...............J94
...............8
?
Here we had another hand with a 1NT opening bid and a Texas transfer. I did not get the exact division of 2D vs 4D responses. We did not quite get everyone into the same contract; one South began with a Jacoby transfer and then invited game with 3H, which North passed. Seven Norths declared 4H and two Souths.
?
North had just about the perfect hand - three aces and the diamond king-queen with, most importantly, a four-card diamond suit. Even so, without the diamond ten twelve tricks were not a probable outcome needing both red suits to behave. Here they did both behave and seven declarers took twelve tricks. Wendric were again on the good side of the results, holding 4H to eleven tricks when declarer missed that the diamond nine was goon for the third round of the suit and crashed it.
?
4H N +2 (6); 4H S +2
4H N +1; 4H S +1
3H N +2
?
13:
?
...............Q874
...............J9753
...............J84
...............7
1093.....................652
AK842..................Q10
K6.........................1092
A82.......................KQJ106
...............AKJ
...............6
...............AQ753
...............9543
?
The first round of the auction was surely P-P-1D-1H. After that we see a wide range of choices. North might double, pass, or bid 1S; East might bid clubs; South and even West might come in again. It is not surprising we ended with a rainbow of contracts: 1H W, 1S N, 1NT E, 2Cx E, 2D S four times, 3Hx W and 3NT W.
?
No-trumps can be held to eight tricks if N-S cash their spades. Jeff made 3NT W when N-S began by establishing diamonds; as soon as he was in he could reel off enough tricks for the contract. 1NT E took the same nine tricks after a diamond lead. Spades play remarkably well; taking nine tricks is possible if North is forced twice in clubs or even if both North and South are forced. It seems as if all E-W can do to hold spades to eight tricks is to duck the first round of diamonds; otherwise declarer will be able to draw trumps and run the diamonds. Myrne were just above average defending 1S =. Hearts get held to seven tricks due to the bad split (Karleta set 1H after declarer led a heart to the queen and then let the ten run to the jack when South showed out), but clubs can force the nine tricks Jeff took in 3NT. Eric would have had E-W top in 2Cx +1 had that double brought the contract up to game. N-S have an easier time in diamonds than in spades, with the same nine tricks possible; everyone in diamonds took nine tricks except for Rita's taking ten.
?
3Hx W -2
2D S +2
2D S +1 (3)
1H W -1
1S N =
1NT E +2
2Cx E +1
3NT W =
?
14:
?
...............J873
...............7
...............J10432
...............K85
9...............................A2
AK1052....................J943
K95...........................76
QJ104.......................A9632
...............KQ10654
...............Q86
...............AQ8
...............7
?
This hand becomes a Battle of the Majors. 1S from South, after which North will likely bid 3S over either a double or a 2H overcall. The auction could have ended after P-1S-X-3S but everyone got to game. The probably were not?many doubles, as?only two pairs finished in 4Sx and no East declared. The final pattern was 3-4-2-1, with 4H W played thrice, 4S S four times, 4Sx twice and 5H W once.
?
Heart contracts take twelve tricks if declarer plays South for Qxx in trumps; all four declarers settled for eleven tricks, still enough to tie for top. 4S can finish -2 only if West finds the odd lead of the low club and, if dummy ducks, East finesses the nine. This allows E-W to force a diamond ruff. If West leads a high club dummy ducks and overtaking does East no good; South can get rid of the third diamond on the club king in time. All the declarers in spades took nine tricks, giving 4Sx -1 the middle score.
?
4S S -1 (4)
4Sx S -1 (2)
4H W +1 (3); 5H W =
?
15:
?
...............J54
...............1098
...............AK43
...............Q75
KQ............................762
KQ73........................J65
J752..........................Q96
J92............................K843
...............A10983
...............A42
...............108
...............A106
?
Study and Elott passed out, but all the other Souths opened. Unless West doubles and N-S defend after a redouble (highly unlikely at this vulnerability), N-S will play in spades, although a heavy 2S raise from North works out quite well if West balances with a double as then N-S get to defend 3Cx. Except for one North left in 1NT forcing and another in 1NT non-forcing, South declared in spades, 2S topping 3S by a 4-3 majority. The balancers were not out in force and this time it worked out in their favour.
?
No-trumps are held to eight tricks by a heart lead even if declarer guesses the spades, although Dallis held declarer to eight tricks and Sam took nine. Spade contracts can force nine tricks in a weird way, although that still requires guessing the trumps, an unlikely thing. With the clubs frozen, assuming E-W have taken the hearts, South ruffs the third diamond before leading the third trump to North's jack. West cannot discard either minor and must part with the fourth heart; then declarer leads North's fourth diamond and discards a club. West wins and must break the clubs, letting declarer guess West for the jack and East the king. Jevin picked up the only E-W plus defending 3S S -2 (declarer lost two trumps and started the clubs as well); setting 3S is entirely reasonable if E-W stay relatively passive and declarer gets active. Active defenders can do the reverse; Lynn was N-S top in 2S S +2. Otherwise the other 2S and 3S contracts all made on the number.
?
2S S +2
1NT N +2
3S S = (2)
2S S = (3)
1NT N =
Passed Out
3S S -2
?
16:
?
...............A
...............K5
...............K864
...............AK10762
Q5............................KJ1096
AJ8743....................106
Q72..........................J53
Q5............................J93
...............87432
...............Q92
...............A109
...............84
?
I don't really like either 1H or 2H on the West hand, though I dislike 2H less and possibly even less than I dislike passing. Both Northbots doubled 2H and then passed South's 2S reply. Louise, who plays with bots fairly often, was not unduly surprised but the other South complained with some vigour. But she chose to register with a Robot; what was I supposed to do about it? Maybe she just needed to vent. At some point in the auction, North usually bid 3C. Contracts were 2S S thrice, 3C N six times and 4D S.
?
Despite the unimpressive trumps, Louise managed to make 2S. This may actually not require more than E-W's breaking the diamonds and declarer's getting to draw a second round of trumps before East has led a heart through or two clubs have been played. The other 2S contracts were the par -1. All the minor contracts took ten tricks (the expected result in clubs) except for Sam, who was N-S top in 3C +2; East broke the diamonds after two hearts and three trumps had been played.
?
3C N +2
3C N +1 (5); 4D S =
2S S =
2S S -1 (2)
?
17:
?
...............84
...............742
...............KQJ7
...............AQ104
QJ7............................K102
653.............................Q9
A842..........................109653
986.............................KJ7
...............A9653
...............AKJ108
...............----
...............532
?
After 1D-1S; 1NT, South might as well be practical and bid 4H. 2H likely gets passed and 3H seems just to torture partner. Contracts were a bit varied, though not completely all over the lot: 2H S, 2NT N, 3H S twice, 3NT N, 3NT S twice and 4H S thrice.
?
3NT S is set by a club lead; E-W get two clubs, two spades and the diamond ace after a criss-cross sort of defence. The defence has to be active, as otherwise South can establish three spade tricks to come to nine. 4H should have yielded ten tricks. Declarer can always get a spade ruff in, but E-W can get clubs going before declarer can gain a trick by trading two club losers for one diamond. Mark was N-S top in 4H +1; after ducking the spade lead he got a spade continuation and came to eleven tricks. Rita made 4S; Myrne were able to post a set when declarer did not get an early spade ruff. Wendric even defeated 3H, although declarer took ten tricks in the other heart partials. No-trumps was curious; 3NT was -1 both times but 2NT made the overtrick.
?
4H S +1
3NT N +1
4H S =
2H S +2; 3H S +1
2NT N +1
3H S -1; 3NT S -1 (2); 4H S -1
?
18:
?
...............2
...............AQJ
...............QJ63
...............AJ432
Q10754................AKJ3
642......................K10875
84........................AK
K86......................107
...............986
...............93
...............109752
...............Q95
?
I am fairly sure (I did not see for myself) that one West passed East's 1H opening bid, as that would be the only way to explain the final contract of 2H E. One West responded 1S; East was content with a raise to 3S, ending the auction, although one might also reach 3S W via 1H-P-P-2C; X-P-2S-P; 3S. All the other auctions reached game, with contracts f 4H E four times, 4Hx E, 4S E, 4Sx E and 5Dx S.
?
5Dx had unlucky vulnerability, as the contract finished -2, just enough to give Elott the E-W top. A club lead would have held East to nine tricks in wither spades or hearts, as North had two heart winners to go with the two club winners thus provided. Helene and George both found the club lead against 4Sx E and 4S E, both scoring +100. Mayne and Tam posted one-trick sets of 4Hx E and 4H E. Both partials took ten tricks (3S W could not have been prevented). Myrtle, Eric and Linda all made 4H E, Myrtle after a diamond lead.
?
4Hx E -1; 4S E -2; 4Sx E -1
4H E -1
2H E +2; 3S W +1
4H E = (3)
5Dx S -2
