| Board 17 N/None |
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A 8
A T 9 8 3 2
K
A T 4 3Interesting little hand this. It was the first board we played and partner kicked things off with 1H by North. East passed and I responded with the normal 1S. West now found an aggressive 2D and partner’s 2H ended the auction.
The play is quite fiddly here. A diamond lead was helpful and ran round to the king. Partner now ducked a heart round to the queen by West who played a second diamond. You might think this gives a trick away but actually makes things quite hard for declarer. Bryony pitched a spade on the diamond and played a spade to the ace followed by ace and another heart – observing the poor split. She was now reduced to playing for the CK onside which wasn’t the case and slid one off after West can simply force declarer in diamonds. After that start, the contract can still be made by a club to the ten when in with the DA but it doesn’t look that great a line to me. Unlucky – I thought.
Still on the other table, our counterparts managed to get all the way to 3N which was undoubled…… c’mon boys – get the red card out! Still 3 off was 3 in.
Tim Dickinson tells me that his opponents rebid 3H with the North card. Yuck!! Very lucky not to go more than one off!!
At Smith and Wilson’s table, declarer prevailed after a diamond lead as the continuation wasn’t found. Eventually, Alan could be thrown in to lead a minor or concede the next trick in diamonds. Looks like the defence at our table was best – even though it gave up a trick early.
Goldsmith and Percival-Price here got to play in 1H and made it on the nose for good measure. That’s a sure way to annoy your opponents. With Piper and Robinson defeating 2H, that was a cute swing in.
| Board 18 E/NS |
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This hand was problematic for several here. At our table, I held the South cards and decided to pass second in. West opened a light 1H in third and Bryony found a bold 1N overcall… well Jxx is “practically” a stop anyway! East competed to 2H and I was now in quite a good position to describe my hand. I started with a forcing 3D intending to bid 4S over partner’s expected 3N. However, she surprised me by raising to 4D but I could still bid a natural-ish 4S. Bryony’s 5D now ended the auction and makes very easily. I was pleased to note the diamond finesse failed as 6D was not an unreasonable spot on the auction.
Our counterparts in our mini-match found 4S after an unconvincing auction. This is a contract that requires you to guess the spades to be 3-3 and so avoid the force. When the Gloucs pair managed this, we were destined to lose a couple of imps. I know where I’d rather play though!
Tim Dickinson tells me that their South opened a Lucas 2 spades. I know that the same happened at Slater/Stephens’ table where our boys did the same. After an enquiry against Tim and David, South showed a “minimum” hand with spades and diamonds and got to play in 3D. The fact that slam is on a finesse should be a good pointer that the South hand has far too much playing strength for a Lucas 2 effort. Pass or 1D is far superior in my opinion. Angus and Clacey made no mistake on the other table of their mini-match.
Slater and Stephens at least got to game, but there were 5 heart cashers against 3N. At least some parity was restored in the A team when Smith and Wilson’s pair had the same auction to 3N with the same result.
Williams and Wilson ran into good defence here playing in 4S. An auction of:
P P 2D X
3H 4S end
Practically forced them into it. 3H was supposed to show both majors after a multi 2D opener. After ruffing the second heart, the spade finesse lost and John W had to duck the third heart to stop him going loads off. Disappointing. The auction does make it a bit confusing though, I will agree.
| Board 19 S/EW |
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1S 2C end was a common auction. A bit galling for the opponents to fail to bid past 2C with a combined 26 count when game doesn’t make! I think West’s pass is conservative to say the least. Still – worked on this occasion for an unexpected flat board.
Williams and Wilson saw an unusual auction:
P P 1S P
X P P 2C
end
Hm – 2C is a strange choice indeed. Don’t really understand it. Still it worked rather well on this occasion when Smith and Wilson bid the hopeless 3N on the other table.
I’m afraid to say that the poor bridge of the day can be found in the C team here. At Gidman and Rowland’s table, the Gloucs defenders found themselves in 2C after a simple overcall. Over to Alastair:
“We start with 3rounds of spades, and I exit with QD, which declarer wins in dummy. He cashes QJ clubs, failing to overtake and draw a 3rd round. He cannot now get back to hand without letting me in, and we score both our small trumps left and the KH for 1 off. I think they’re in 3N at the other table, making!! Is my hand not worth a 1S opening??? If you tell me NO...you’re lying.”
Indeed it is… 3N making is unusual…. Let’s leave it at that and congratulate Currie and Murray!
| Board 20 W/All |
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I was almost end-played into bidding this thin game. Partner opened a strong no-trump and I had two options. I could either transfer to spades and pass unless partner broke the transfer or bid Stayman and see what happens. I chose the latter and was not surprised to hear a 2D response. Nothing for it now but to bid 2S which we play as invitational. Needless to say, 4S hit the table – no messing around here from partner! The play isn’t that interesting. Really just needs a kind trump split and the clubs behaving when the DA is wrong. I was pleased to wrap this up for a nice game-swing in.
This game was missed at quite a few tables, so well done to Gidman and Rowland for bidding that one.
| Board 21 N/ NS |
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Good job we weren’t defending 4H here as I found a less than convincing defence. My diamond lead wasn’t a rip-roaring success and followed it up with an inability to play trumps… Oops. Sadly Ed and Luke’s opponents managed to find a more sensible defence against the decent 4H. This looks like it will make if the clubs are 4-3 or the hand with 3 trumps as to ruff the club so this was quite unlucky.
Smith and Wilson had a good result here when they managed to get to 4H after some interference over a strong club shoved them into it rather. Nick recounts:
“A D lead helped ... I ruffed one and led a C to the K and A. H back to the 9, CQ, D ruff, loser away on CJ (N ruffing in, I think), 10 tricks. +7 IMPs.”
Angus and Clacey on the other hand managed to get away with 150 playing in 1N, I believe. I won’t ask how!! I’ll just assume you played it magnificently.
| Board 22 E/EW |
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I had no idea what to do with this hand – but realise that my solution was terrible in hindsight! East opened 1S and West found a curious pass. Partner backed in with 2S which we played as “strong” with hearts and a minor. East doubled showing a good hand and it was back to me. I figured XX was a decent start – to show some values and to see what was happening. Much to my surprise – West now came to life with 3S which came back to me. What on earth was going on? Of course – I should now double and collect 800 but couldn’t believe that the opponents would stick their necks out so far when red against green so settled on 3N. That didn’t make…. With 5C cold and a big penalty available, I wasn’t greatly pleased with myself. Bryony thought she might have doubled 3S but I think the fault was definitely mine there… sorry! Fortunately they missed the cold game on the other table of our mini-match and subsided in a rather feeble 4C for only a small swing out.
I’ve heard about some auctions starting 1S P 2S 3H!!! Well bold this might be (dreadful springs to mind for me) but it worked well on this occasion when East raised as South has an axe in hand waiting - Dickinson and Southcombe got clobbered in such a manner.
You might think it odd that I don’t mind partner’s 2S protect but hate the 3H overcall. Well – the obvious difference is that you have shown two suits – which is a much better description than 3H. The other point is that partner will not hang you too badly as you are protecting the auction from being passed out. With regards the 3H bid – why not try 2N? In this auction, I think it should show any 2 unbid suits as there simply isn’t room to show other combinations (unless you play Ghesthem I suppose). Still – fortunate on this occasion certainly favoured the brave.
Nelson Stephens did well here to double after 1S P 2S. I don’t like it much, but it certainly worked well here. As I have said, 2N is superior in my opinion if you must bid. Things got even better when they climbed to 5C and netted a double for their trouble for a nice doubled game. This result and auction was matched by Williams and Wilson so a great board for the A team here.
Smith and Wilson managed to play in 4S undoubled for -300 and +6 imps. Fairly bizarre not to double and more than a little fortunate!
The jackpot though was found by Gidman and Rowland. After East opened 1S and West raised to 2, Cathy found a takeout double. East now found a wild jump to 4S which netted one of the easiest doubles you’ll ever see.
The defence?
“After a heart lead, and a ruff, I switched to a club, won in dummy and N encouraging. A diamond was led and I won with the Q, and played another club, declarer ruffing. She tried to draw trumps, But I’m in control now, ducking the first, then drawing 2 more rounds, and leading another club. We take 3 more tricks at the end with another 2 clubs and a diamond for 5 off.”
How much? 1400? Strewth!
| Board 23 S/All |
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I found myself in 2C here when partner found an aggressive but correct takeout double of the 1S overcall. The play was quite interesting. West led the ST which I won to play a diamond to hand. East rose with the SA at this point to play two more rounds of spades. West pitched a heart, so I ruffed on the table. I now tried a heart to the queen and ace and West won and exited in hearts. I could win this and ruff a heart back to hand, ruff a club and cash the CA. Now I could ruff a heart with the 8 of clubs and West was stuck. If he ducked, that was my 8th trick but if he won it, he was end-played holding K7 of clubs over my 95 and was forced to give me an 8th trick. It looks like that West should discard a diamond not a heart on the 3rd round of spades, but it makes no difference as long as I play him to have started with 4 hearts and 3 diamonds so I need to ensure that I cross to hand by ruffing the right red suit.
This was a nice part-score swing when Ed and Luke rolled in 2S.
| Board 24 W/None |
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We got to 3N here by South after West kicked off with a weak two in spades. I decided to reopen with a double as I’m far too strong for a protective 2N and Bryony bid 3D to show extra values. My 3N simply ended the auction. West kicked off with a small club which suggested to me that he had 4 clubs. I won this in hand and immediately played back the CQ. Always nice to play the suit they’ve led back at the opponents, I think….. West now erred by taking the first club and exiting in hearts to East’s king. East won this and returned a spade, but I could win this and squeeze West in spades and hearts for 11 tricks. Obviously I could have finessed the hearts, but that just isn’t as much fun.
Tim Dickinson was allowed to play in 2S following a multi opening going quietly 3 off….. mystifying!!
1 comments:
Not sure I quite agree with the analysis of board 17 here. The problem at the table where the play is described is that declarer lost control and therefore couldn't score a trick with the last club even though the suit broke 3-3. If declarer plays on clubs when in dummy with DA it doesn't matter whether she plays to C10 or CA - the key is simply to play on the suit you need to establish rather than to surrender a stopper by crossing to SA. I think, therefore, that the second round of D by the defence was a mistake, allowing the discard of the spade loser. Unfortunately, although we avoided this at our table, declarer was ultimately able to make 3 club tricks by playing small to CQ and the finessing C10 on the C return (W's major suit cards had been eliminated, and a D at this point would have been no better since declarer would have been in dummy to finesse the C10 himself).
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