Oxfordshire v Nottinghamshire: Boards 17-24

Board 17 North/None	10 6 4 2 K A Q 10 9 9 7 4 3
J 9 8 A Q J 9 8 4 K J 5 10		5 7 6 5 3 2 6 4 3 2 Q 6 2
	A K Q 7 3 10 8 7 A K J 8 5

Board 17

This was more like it and put a smile back on partner’s face. Ed opened 1 and West found the normal 2 overcall. I thought I was just about worth a 2NT good raise and my LHO asked a bunch of question before passing. Ed’s 4 was a slam-try — showing a control (and likely a second suit). West passed and I thought that to make a try, partner must have length in hearts and therefore the ace, so felt my K was working so cooperated with 4. This was enough to drive us to slam. I’m sure after the A lead, Ed was very surprised to see the opponents had an 11 card heart fit and was a bit suspicious. He noted the 2 of hearts at trick one with interest and West switched to the 5. No option but to finesse the queen and a sigh of relief when it held. He now drew trumps in three rounds and intelligently cashed one club noting the drop of the ten with interest. Time for a diamond to the queen and a diamond ruff and again an interesting play of the J by West. This marks West with 3 spades, 3 diamonds and 1 club. Does he have 5 or 6 hearts? Well — surely even if he was intending to sand-bag, East would have raised with 6 card support, so Ed correctly deduced that West was 3631. So he crossed to the ST and ran the 9 and claimed when it held. Excellent technique to justify our slightly dubious bidding. Well done to him and suddenly we were back in it. The slam was bid 3 times so well done to the Talbots and Keep/Brown as well for getting it right. I heard that the Talbots were practically shoved into this one.

P P 1* 1 *=strong
1NT** 5 ? **=8-10 points 2+ controls, unbalanced with spades.

I don’t think 6 is unreasonable at all on that auction — so well judged. The play wasn’t too taxing apparently after A lead and T continuation — makes things easier but I’m sure that counting the hand wouldn’t have presented any difficulty.

Only defending 4, but still well done to Nick Smith for the deceptive lead of the J. Earned a deserved imp here when declarer declined the finesse.

Board 18 East/NS	A 10 9 6 10 7 4 3 2 K 9 3 2 —
7 5 8 6 8 6 5 4 A J 7 6 2		K Q J 8 4 J 5 A 7 10 8 5 3
	3 2 A K Q 9 Q J 10 K Q 9 4

Board 18

A normal 4 here. The only interesting point was whether North should bid 3 or 4 hearts following South’s takeout double of a spade. I’m aware that Ed’s doubles can be slightly less classical than mine, so thought I’d content myself with 3 figuring he’d raise if he could and sure enough he raised me to the excellent game. Nothing to the play either... Next! Should have been the flattest board ever, but Wilkes and Webley found +800 — not a great save from Notts but no great loss.

Board 19 South/EW	J 7 A J 4 K Q A Q 10 6 3 2
K Q 8 6 4 10 9 7 3 8 6 4 K		3 2 Q 5 J 10 9 5 3 2 9 8 4
	A 10 9 5 K 8 6 2 A 7 J 7 5

Board 19

We were enjoying this set now and had a bit of a following wind. We were fortunate in that South could open this 1 (playing strong and 5) and so I was now very interested in a club slam as North. 2 was an inverted response and Ed continued with a 2 trial bid. I continued with 2 and Ed’s 2NT confirmed a spade stop. Not wanting to confuse things, I bid a forcing 4 and we then continued with 4/4 cuebids (odd to bid the features again that we’d already shown). Once RKCB had confirmed one keycard missing, Ed bid the slam which on a top spade lead was fairly easy to bring home. Only 3 pairs in Slam here — all Oxford, so well done to Keep and Brown again and Gascoyne/Quainton. Should you be in the slam? Well — theoretically according to Michael C, it’s 55% but that is double dummy and will over-estimate your chances. He points out a good tip that the play in the club suit should be obvious but needs to be careful. The correct line is to run the J as you can cope with 4-0 splits where K984 is onside.

Seems like those playing in 3NT made lots of tricks here when the Q drops when you’re cashing winners from the top.

Keep and Brown had some more difficulties on this hand but still managed to roll the slam home. Over to Clive:

1NT 3 (single suiter, slam invite)
3 (ace) 3 (first round)
3 (ace) ?

It now looks like my KQ diamonds are full value and I can throw away one of my 2 spades on the ace of diamonds. Therefore it looks like 6 will depend upon the club or heart finesse at worst... so I bid it.

Mmmm... pity about duplication in diamonds! Anyway I win the diamond lead in dummy and draw trumps successfully without loss... that’s a good start! It now looks like maybe a 75% shot using the double spade finesse doesn’t it? Oh what’s this... on the second round of trumps West gives a huge suit preference for spades... anyway I play another round or two and then run the jack of spades... West naively wins with the Q and exits with a diamond. It’s now easy to ruff out the spade King on my right for 12 tricks. Ah well... I suppose it’s better than Norman’s 6NT making as South on the spade K lead!!!!

Quite — K lead to make 6NT! Who’s have thought!! Rounded off a fantastic board for the C team anyway, so well done to them.

The Lintotts managed to pick up a plus here when the opponents couldn’t quite manage to bring in the slam — well done to them. I’d be interested to hear what happened there...

Board 20 West/Both	Q J Q 10 8 6 J 10 8 A K 6 4
9 8 5 K 3 A K Q Q J 8 7 2		A K 10 4 3 A 7 5 4 2 9 2 5
	7 6 2 J 9 7 6 5 4 3 10 9 3

Board 20

Nothing much to this routine hand except East looked a bit nervous when the J dropped on the first round when declaring 4. Unfortunately, the contract is fool-proof. I took what I thought was the best shot of defeating it by trying to cash both top clubs for a trump promotion later, but not this time.

Board 21 North/NS	8 5 J 9 3 9 8 5 4 2 A J 2
J 10 K Q 10 5 2 A K 10 10 9 7		A Q 7 4 2 8 6 4 Q 8 5 4 3
	K 9 6 3 A 7 J 7 6 3 K Q 6

Board 21

This was the first board we played against these opponents and was the start of their uncomfortable set. East opened a Lucas 2 and West rather oddly decided his hand was worth an enquiry.

Finding out clubs not hearts was the second suit, he ducked out of the auction. Ed led a diamond from South which ran round to declarer’s queen. When East innocently played a heart up, Ed was awake and flew up with the A to switch to the K. We cashed three rounds of clubs and then I exited in diamonds. East now pitched a club from hand. Declarer played the J but Ed smoothly ducked. Sensing a chance he won the second round and set the trap by exiting in diamonds. Obviously if declarer is awake he will ruff this and draw trumps but he rather lazily won on the table pitching a heart from hand. Now declarer couldn’t avoid a trump promotion for two off. It seems that they didn’t appreciate the chirpy comment that “Don’t worry you just wanted to make West feel better for not passing out 2S”. Ouch — cheeky, there! Luke and Michael on this one just decided to defend 1NT for 200 in the bank. Easy does it.

Smith and Wilson earned 200 as well through different means and actually managed to play in hearts. It was a tight decision to overcall 1NT with 5332 shape, but worked ok on this occasion when they just lost the K and A.

Showing better judgement than our opponents, Dickinson and Southcombe played in 2 following a Lucas Two opening. The defence was a bit more accommodating though. A followed by a diamond switch wasn’t a great start. Tim now won the Q and tried a trump up. Not seeing the problem, South ducked and so two clubs were discarded on the diamonds. Now T round to the king. Despite the fact that Tim had already shown up with 8 points and with winning hearts on the table, South played a rather feeble J. This could be ruffed, trumps drawn and the heart cashed. 11 tricks then... Bid up!

Board 22 East/EW	K Q 8 6 7 5 J 5 4 3 2 Q 2
7 4 3 2 10 6 4 3 6 A 10 9 3		A 10 9 5 A Q 10 9 8 7 J 6 5
	J K Q J 9 8 2 A K K 8 7 4

Board 22

I feel bad about publishing this hand as I am sure that the Notts defenders will not enjoy it. Still — with defending as bad as mine on Board 1, I hope that I can be seen to be fair. Our auction as usual, was “enthusiastic”. East dealt and opened 1. Feeling he was too good for a simple overcall, Ed doubled (which looks right to me). West bid 1 here (goodness knows why) which East raised to 2. Ed now showed his strong hand by bidding 3 and I raised to 4. I figured that although I had spade wastage, my Q looks good and partner is quite likely to be short in diamonds. This is an absolutely hopeless contract of course...

West kicked off with a diamond lead to the ace. Ed tried a deceptive J hoping for a duck and East won with the ace to give his partner a ruff. West now found a small spade switch to the 6 and... East played the ten! So the singleton jack won the trick. Of course the contract is still off even then. Ed now tried a club to the queen, but West was on hand to find the misere defence of flying up with the A to play a second spade. East covered the queen with the ace and so Ed could ruff, draw trumps, cross to the Q and discard a club on the K. Oh dear... 420 in! Our counterparts also got to 4 but fortunately Luke and Michael weren’t able to replicate that defence. I’d have been impressed if they had worked it out double dummy!

Board 23 South/Both	K Q 10 2 A 10 7 3 Q 10 8 7 4
9 5 4 2 A K 10 K J 4 A K 2		A 7 3 J 9 6 5 3 8 6 5 6 5
	J 8 6 Q 8 7 4 Q 9 2 J 9 3

Board 23

This time, the opponents reached a dreadful 3NT after East raised the 1 opening to 2. West found 3NT now and this is a dreadful spot. Declarer still quite rattled, cashed 7 tricks and then gave up to 200 to us. Erm — ok! Luke and Michael on the other table of our mini-match reached the dizzy heights of 2 but found a very nice ending. Over to Michael again.

I wouldn't say this one was wonderfully well played as the end position just materialises for you but it was fun. I'm declaring 2 as East and get a spade lead to my Ace. I play a heart to the Ace, play three rounds of clubs, ruffing in hand and then finesse a heart — North showing out. A spade goes to North who exits with a diamond to the Queen and King. Another spade goes to South who is in this position:

	— — A 10 7 10
9 K J 4 —		— J 9 8 6 —
	— Q 8 9 2 —

A heart now will set up a trump for South but let me pitch a diamond on the established spade. But that's the boring way to make two tricks. It was much cooler when South played a diamond to North who cashed another and then had to exit with a plain suit card, smothering South's trump trick. And all for an overtrick in a partscore!

Well — whatever Michael says, I enjoyed it. It’s rare that you see a smother play at the table and it was quite a pretty ending. For those who haven’t seen a smother play before, you will see that in the 2 card ending, North has to have zero trumps and West one trump (and another card in a suit that North doesn’t hold) with East and South both having two trumps. Then, when North plays any card, East can ruff low and South is stuck. If he under-ruffs, West discards and West’s big trump wins the final trick. If South over-ruffs, then West can also over-ruff with the king leaving a master trump in the East hand. More imps in the bag as well.

Board 24 West/None	K A J 10 9 8 6 5 4 10 5 2 A
Q 7 5 3 2 — J 7 6 K Q J 10 8		A J 6 K Q A Q 9 6 5 4 3 2
	10 9 8 4 7 3 2 K 8 4 3 9 7

Board 24

Last board of this set. West opened a Lucas 2 and I bid 4 over the top. East correctly bid 4 and it came back to me. Sensing that E/W were rattled after our strong set, I opted for the unsound but effective 5. Although this was 300 when our opponents judged well to double, this was imps in when team-mates found the best game of 5. Obviously playing their methods, West had an easy 1 opening showing spades and North overcalled 4. Over East’s takeout double, Luke made an excellent choice of the minor-suit game. Great judgement, well bid.

Suddenly that set had put a very different complexion on the A team match and it was looking like one-way traffic.

Tim Dickinson tells me that their auction was a simple 4 (medium strength or 8 playing tricks with lots of hearts) pass, pass, pass. This went one off on normal defence. Should they have got into the auction? Seems to me that a Lucas Two would have worked out well, but think that someone needs to protect here, really. Double of 4 and a protective 4 both seem ok to me — but then I do like to bid!

Chris Wilson tells me how after 4 (a good 4 opener) fetched 4 from John East doubled and after some thought, West passed. A good result against the making black-suit game — well done. Not sure about the decision to leave it though...

Smith and Wilson had a good result here when they got a light 1 opening (routine playing Precision) and were allowed to play in 4 after the obvious 4 overcall.

I’ll highlight this one from Clive Keep’s report of the hand. Their choice of 2 (Benji) should be noted as it is actually not allowed. The regulations of the opener can be found here. Although it is highly probable that there are 8 tricks here, you couldn’t not reasonably argue that there are 8 “clear-cut” tricks and as it doesn’t meet the high point count requirement — I’m afraid you can’t do that! Hopefully those who play Benji will take note!

The Talbots took a similar view to me following West’s 1 opener. Having bid 4 and 5, the opponents fell from grace by finding “one for the road” in 5. What is it they say about not bidding 5 over 5? Still — a great result there.

A curious result here in the C team. Angus and Clacey managed to bid and make 4 but for reasons only known to them, Brown and Keep were allowed to play in 3 just making. A little surprising to say the least!! I guess the opponents were a little scared by the light opening.