1:
?
...............AK1097
...............K6
...............Q8
...............AK107
Q42..........................J86
Q43..........................A1052
KJ73.........................962
J93...........................Q85
...............53
...............J987
...............A1054
...............642
?
Three times North's 1S opening bid was left in. Twice South responded 1NT and was raised to 3NT. Twice South responded 1NT and was raised to 3NT. The last auction ended in 3 N, perhaps after South broke discipline and passed a forcing jump shift.
?
The double dummy scores were +120 in no-trumps, +130 in clubs and +140 in spades. The black suit contracts played rather prettily with both spades and clubs splitting 3-3. If North guesses to start the diamonds by running the queen to West after three rounds of the black suits, then West will have to break the hearts or lead into South's A10 in diamonds. Declarer will just have to guess what to do if West leads a heart. The three declarers in 1S took eight, nine and tend tricks; declarer in clubs took nine. Fay made 3NT; after two rounds of diamonds and one of clubs, West played a third diamond when any other suit would have done. Marudy were E-W top posting 3NT S -1.
?
3NT S =
1S S +3
1S S +2
1S S +1; 3C N =
3NT S -1
?
2:
?
...............103
...............QJ432
...............K9643
...............2
AQ94......................65
876.........................K
AJ5.........................10872
K64.........................AQJ987
...............KJ872
...............A1095
...............Q
...............1053
?
East opened 3C at multiple tables. Once the bid was left in. Other auctions became competitive with one North balancing with 3H; West eventually "sacrificed" in 5Cx with a combined 24 HCP. One auction ended in 1D E after West was a little quick to let it drop after a third hand opening. Another West opened 1C and declared 4C. Two West took a shot at 3NT, which looks a lot better declared from the East side.
?
3NT E is considerably better than 3NT W, as the contract is only defeated if the opening lead is the ace of hearts. E-W do not know who has the ace, and just want that hand to be on lead. But both Bob and Breta made 3NT after N-S blocked the hearts. When Bob declared, North got off to the good lead of a low heart, but South did not return the ten from the original holding of A1095, leading the five instead. North won with the jack and then led the queen, blocking the suit. The club partials took eleven tricks but declarer in 5Cx missed the make. The key is to hold the diamond losers to one, which can be done by finessing North for the diamond nine after South turns up with a singleton honour.
?
5Cx E -1
1D E +3
3C E +2; 4C W +1
3NT W + (2)
?
3:
?
...............AKQ84
...............K74
...............83
...............J73
1073........................J5
AQ8.........................52
AK97.......................QJ652
KQ4.........................10865
...............962
...............QJ963
...............104
...............A92
?
I do not entirely understand how we finished with two contracts of 1NT W. None of the pairs whose range for a 1NT opening bid extends to 18 were playing, which leaves either a downgrade for no good reason or a rebid of 1NT after P-1D-1S-P; P. Not very likely! Had Marudy sat E-W, it would have been interesting to see whether Judy would have passed Martin's opening bid of the Mexican 2D; that would have been the winning action. One pair did play in 2D W but usually South competed to 2S, the highest and most popular contract.
?
Both 1NT contracts made, although -1 was the expected result. Bob and Mark were the happy declarers, although -1 would have scored the same for them. Both Norths switched to a club after running the five spades; the winning heart switch was not easy to find given the tricky time South has discarding, not knowing for sure which of the two suits will make the better switch. 2D had nine tricks and Jeff took a tenth, which did not matter. 2S took ten tricks all three times for Sandhu, Henry and Harold, although the lead of a club or a diamond honour could have held declarer to eight tricks.
?
2S N +2 (3)
1NT W = (2)
2D W +2
?
4:
?
...............AJ985
...............A73
...............1086
...............62
7..............................KQ1063
K854.......................QJ96
K973........................A2
AJ43........................K10
...............42
...............102
...............QJ54
...............Q9875
?
One West had a surprising change of heart in the middle of the auction, opening the bidding and then not making a reopening double of North's 1S overcall after East opted for a trap pass. Another South bid 1NT over North's overcall and East let that sit undoubled! Most but not all of the other auctions got to game; higher contracts were 3H E, 3NT W twice and 4H E, East likely opening the bidding at least twice.
?
N-S would have been in deep trouble had they been doubled, but declaring undoubled against a vulnerable game made even the -400 that E-W could enforce on them of no great concern. Tracy played 1S -3 without much concern. Fay pulled off a huge steal. While Mark and Louise were both taking the expected ten tricks in 3NT W, Fay made 1NT S. It was bouncing back and forth between -4 and -2 when West won the eighth trick and, down to all red cards, led a diamond instead of a heart. Jamie was E-W top in 4H +1.
?
1NT S =
3H E +1
1S N -3
3NT W +1
4H E +1
?
5:
?
...............9872
...............7
...............K4
...............KQ10973
AQJ106....................K
Q..............................AJ32
QJ9872....................A105
A...............................J8432
...............543
...............K1098654
...............63
...............6
?
E-W have a near-claiming slam in diamonds and even a good 6S with only six trumps. Nobody bid slam, perhaps in part because North occasionally opened the bidding. At one table 3Cx N was left in; at another South ran to 3H and was doubled there. The other contracts were 3S W twice and 3NT E twice. One of the 3S contracts was after an uncontested auction on which East feared a bad misfit and passed 3S, West's third bid, after considerable thought. Left to an uncontested auction, E-W bid 1C-1D; 1H-1S or 2S depending on partnership methods. East shows three diamonds and West can ask for key cards. It would be lovely to ask in spades and diamonds combined, but 6D at worst will need a spade finesse and 5D = will not score well against 3NT or 4S if the slam is not there.
?
With the diamonds behaving E-W had thirteen tricks in diamonds, spades or no-trumps. John in 3NT took all the tricks, as did one of the two declarers in 3S. The other had the talent to go down. Both doubled contracts could have seen penalties of 1400 but both Jevin and Loubot were happy with collecting +1100. Fandhu were just above average defending 3NT +3 after declarer, not bothering to count the spades, never cashed the last spade.
?
3S W -1
3S W +4
3NT E +3
3NT E +4
3Cx N -4; 3Hx S -4
?
6:
?
...............A1083
...............J74
...............106
...............A973
K96.......................QJ42
109........................AQ86
AQ874...................J3
1082......................KQ6
...............75
...............K532
...............K952
...............J54
?
East had a less-than-inspiring 1NT opening bid; would West upgrade the hand to 3NT or settle for an invitation, which West would almost surely decline. In the end, the five-card suit with two honours was enough of an influence; 3NT outnumbered 2NT 4-2.
?
The layout was kind enough to E-W despite the diamonds not breaking well. The heart spots prove especially helpful; declarer can finish with three heart tricks and two in each of the other suits with reasonably careful play. We finished with an even split on the tricks, with two declarers each taking eight, nine and ten. Scott was E-W top in 3NT E +1, followed by Kevin and Karlene in 3NT =. Troward, who were N-S top defending 3NT -1, did not get off to the most auspicious start when Howard led a heart. But declarer won and played two rounds of diamonds when it would have been better to duck the first diamond or play any other suit at the third trick. Alas!
?
3NT E -1
2NT E =
2NT E +2
3NT E = (2)
3NT E +1
?
7:
?
...............A742
...............73
...............QJ52
...............876
K86....................J53
A105...................KQ62
A7.......................K98
AKQ103..............J92
...............Q109
...............J984
...............10643
...............54
?
Could we get everyone into the same contract after 2NT-3NT? Almost. The one outlier was 4NT W, a little surprising, as West has a hand that cries out for accepting a slam invitation with the strong five-card suit.
?
While twelve tricks are possible double dummy, it is not a realistic goal but a pretty play exercise. Although declarer has to guess the hearts or get a heart opening lead, running the hearts and clubs leaves West with K8 in spades and A7 in diamonds opposite East's singleton jack in spades and K98 in diamonds. One defender has to keep three diamonds but neither can come down to a singleton spade. If North blanks the ace West ducks the first round of the suit. If South blanks the queen, South's holding of Q109 establishes West's eight-spot. One would not expect even Bill to find this at the table but that's how it can happen. Ten tricks was the usual outcome, four times to twice for eleven tricks. Troward had the easiest time on defence. After a spade lead declarer had eleven tricks on top but the lead went to jack, queen and a duck. On the spade return declarer salvaged something by covering, so that Howard won the third round of the suit and did not have the thirteenth spade for the outright N-S top. Louise and Elizabeth were the two declarers to take eleven tricks.
?
3NT W +1 (3); 4NT W =
3NT W +2 (2)
?
8:
?
...............K
...............AKQ972
...............K96
...............QJ5
A1084....................QJ96
53...........................J104
3.............................J1075
AK9763..................104
...............7532
...............86
...............AQ842
...............82
?
Despite the 18 HCP, North might overcall 1H instead of doubling West's 1C opening bid. If East stays out of the auction I can see N-S reaching 4H, as South has a decent hand opposite a double, especially when North shows extra values. East may come in and get the spades into the auction. Contracts still felt a little high: 2H N, 3H N, 4H N thrice and 4Sx E.
?
Troward held 4S to eight tricks as expected. Heart contracts can be held to nine tricks by a black suit lead; East has to get a high ruff on the third round of clubs right away, although the bad diamond split likely means that, if, say, West wins a spade lead and continues the suit, declarer won't take more than ten tricks. John was the one successful declarer in 4H, defeated by Elott and Ritold to tie for E-W top. The partials took ten tricks at one table and eleven at the other, the overtrick presumably resulting from an opening lead of a diamond.
?
4H N =
4Sx E -2
3H N +2
2H N +2
4H N -1 (2)
?
9:
?
...............5
...............75
...............J54
...............AQJ9652
K1082.......................A976
109632......................AQJ84
Q96...........................83
8................................K3
...............QJ43
...............K
...............AK1072
...............1074
?
North has a genuine 3C opening bid and East a probable 3H overcall, although Eastbot found a pass - maybe not quite in the category of Things Only a Robot Would Do, but close. One South competed to 4C and then went on to 5C over 4H, a course of action that did not meet with North's approval. At IMPs 5C makes sense; it's insurance against a vulnerable game. At matchpoints, the plan for starting with 4C would be to take one's chance defending; one might set 4H on South's hand alone. Contracts were 3C N, 4H E, 5C N twice, 5Cx N and 5H E.
?
Heart contracts can be held to nine tricks even if the singleton king is dropped. Both declarers in hearts finished -2, one declarer dropping the king and one not. 5C has a better chance of making, needing (only) two finesses. With both the clubs and diamonds off, no more than nine tricks can be forced. Kevin made 3C. Elott and Ritold tied for E-W top defending 5Cx -1 and 5C -2. Steve made 5C after a low heart opening led from East and later a ruff-and-discard in hearts from West for the N-S top.
?
5C N =
4H E -2; 5H E -2
3C N =
5C N -2; 5Cx N -1
?
10:
?
...............----
...............Q8
...............Q1098
...............AK96543
KQ109......................A8654
J63............................A105
K62...........................J73
J107..........................Q8
...............J732
...............K9742
...............A54
...............2
?
The auction usually began with three passes. This left North in the rare position of opening the bidding in fourth seat on 11 HCP with a void spade. I suspect?a Robot would have passed out, but the only one in the game was not sitting North. Kevin and Judy (P) chose 3C; the other Norths opened 1C. One East opened 1S, finishing in 3S E. The two 3C opening bids both achieved their aim and ended the auction. I was a little surprised that two of the three auctions with a 1C opening bid ended in 3C, as East seemed likely to overcall 1S and West could then easily have competed to the three-level. The highest contract was 4C N.
?
The play came down to simple suit combination knowledge. If North finesses twice in diamonds through East declarer in clubs takes ten tricks. All the 3C contracts yielded ten tricks but declarer in 4C went down after running the queen to the king and then taking the ace next. Jamob were a bit lucky defending 3S. Declarer could have finished -1, but discarded a heart on the club jack instead of a diamond, giving Jamob the N-S top.
?
3S E -2
3C N +1 (4)
4C N -1
?
11:
?
...............J109
...............643
...............A976
...............A64
7652.....................83
J72.......................AKQ1095
J3.........................1052
J983.....................K10
...............AKQ4
...............8
...............KQ84
...............Q752
?
This would have been a really interesting hand had N-S been vulnerable; East might have been tempted to pass had the auction begun 1D-1NT. I had excellent luck back when I was playing frequently leaving the opponents in vulnerable 1NT contracts with a likely running six-card major. When opponents are non-vulnerable it's not ideal. Give West nothing more than the club ace and 2H will make against 1NT -2; better to declare. Presumably East did come in with 2H. North then gave diamond support and all the contracts were in diamonds, 3D four times and 4D twice.
?
The hand was remarkably straightforward to play. Declarer loses one heart, discards North's other heart on the fourth spade after drawing trumps and then just had to lead towards the club queen to take eleven tricks. Four declarers took eleven tricks; Elott and Troward tied for E-W top when declarer ran the club queen instead.
?
3D S +2 (2); 4D S +1 (2)
3D S +1 (2)
?
12:
?
...............532
...............52
...............QJ109
...............9864
AQJ10.................K9764
KJ1074................AQ8
AK.......................764
AK.......................102
...............8
...............963
...............8532
...............QJ753
?
This grand slam was crying out for Jerik. Their auction would have begun 1C-1S, East showing the ace and king West did not have. West then would know that 6NT was cold and the thirteenth trick would be there if East held the heart queen. Finding the heart fit and asking for key cards would eventually have uncovered the heart queen in the East hand and West could have bid 7NT with ease.
?
The problem here is that the West hand was too strong and opened or rebid 3NT, over which East usually just jumped to 6NT, slam clearly being there but not having the room to find the cards needed for the grand slam. The one grand slam was reached by Troward: 2C-2S; 4NT-5H; 7S, which would at worst need a heart finesse. Only one West was in position to find the key heart queen for 7NT after bidding 2H over 2D and being raised, but alas! after 4NT-5D West was content to bid 6H instead of asking for the heart queen by bidding 5S. 6H +1 was N-S top for Study instead of finding the heart queen and bidding 7NT for E-W top. All declarers took thirteen tricks. Moral: Learn how to ask for the queen of trumps.
?
6H W +1
6NT W +1 (4)
7S E =
?
13:
?
...............K95
...............A53
...............KQJ753
...............4
Q763........................AJ1082
642...........................J9
964...........................10
A73...........................KQ1095
...............4
...............KQ1087
...............A82
...............J862
?
E-W may be able to push N-S out of the auction if South makes a negative double after 1D-1S. West raises to 3S and North likely passes, although it seems rather feeble of South to let that go, even at both vulnerable. Contracts were 2Sx E, 3S E twice, 4Sx E, 5Dx N and 5H S. Jevin had the longest auction: 1D-1S-2H-2S; 3H-3S-P-P; 4D-4H-X-4S; P-P-5D-X.
?
With both sides holding double fit, the Law overperforms and produces a double game swing. 4S makes when the trump finesse succeeds and 5R makes thanks to the complementary singletons in the black suits. Jevin were N-S top in 5Dx N =; Marudy were E-W top in 2Sx E +2.
?
5Dx N =
5H S =
3S E +1 (2)
4Sx E =
2Sx E +2
?
14:
?
...............AJ975
...............KJ106
...............65
...............AJ
Q2........................86
A...........................9752
AQ87....................KJ94
Q76432.................985
...............K1043
...............Q843
...............1032
...............K10
?
1C (just possibly 1D) from West and 1S from North. South might squeeze out a limit raise, although the club king could be badly positioned. North will accept an invitation but probably will not initiate one. 2S might end the auction and did once. 3S N was played thrice. Higher contracts were 4S N and 5C W (crucially, undoubled). Loubot were the only pair to reach 4S after P-P-1C-1S; P-2S-3C-3S; P-4S. It would have been interesting had North rebid 3H instead of 3S; 4H might have been reached.
?
Clubs take a straightforward nine tricks, giving Elott the E-W top for stealing the bid in 5C -2. E-W can negotiate a heart ruff to hold spades to nine tricks. Hearts can also be held to nine tricks by a forcing defence - begin with three rounds of diamonds, then lead the fourth diamond when in with the ace of hearts and East will come to a trump trick. Only Fandu managed to find the defence to hold 3S to nine tricks. Loubot were N-S top in 4S N =.
?
4S N =
2S N +2; 3S N +1 (2)
3S N =
5C W -2
?
15:
?
...............1094
...............K
...............QJ982
...............AQ42
K32..........................AJ87
A98..........................764
1074.........................AK65
K1076.......................53
...............Q65
...............QJ10532
...............3
...............J98
?
One 2H opening bid was left in. The most common auction was 2H-P-P-X; P-2NT. This became the contract thrice. At the other two tables East declared 2S and 3S.
?
2NT catches a huge break in hearts. As South cannot overtake North's king the suit does not establish at once. North ends up getting endplayed as early as trick three if declarer ducks the heart king lead and diamond queen switch. Despite the need for two endplays Rita and Bob made 2NT; Loubot set it when declarer played spades too soon. 2S could not make by force; 2S -1 was the par result for the middle score while Karleta were N-S top defending 3S -4. Jeff played 2H +2; the contract could have been defeated by a club lead. East gets a club ruff and then South is cut off from dummy and has to lead spades from hand. Jeff's opponents led spades, missing the club ruff. West made i easy to draw trumps and then ducked twice in clubs to allow a discard of the spade loser as well.
?
3S E -4
2H S +2
2S E -1; 2NT W -1
2NT W = (2)
?
16:
?
...............J32
...............QJ982
...............865
...............AJ
K7..........................AQ98654
54...........................1073
QJ973....................4
Q986......................75
...............10
...............AK6
...............AK102
...............K10432
?
We finally got everyone into the same contract. East opened either 3S or 2S in third seat. The auction was either P-P-3S-X; P-4H or P-P-2S-X; P-3H and then South acted (if N-S use 2NT over a double as a relay to 3C with a weak hand South can carry on but might choose 3S to see if North has a spade stopper, as the heart suit could be four-card). Everyone ended in 4H N.
?
The hand plays quite well, especially if declarer finesses through West in clubs. It takes a diamond lead to hold declarer to eleven tricks - after a spade ace and diamond switch to the ace, we get club to jack, spade ruff, heart ace, club to ace, heart to king, club ruff high, heart queen, diamond to king, club king, club ten and declarer's last trump. Declarer can get into a little muddle by ruffing two spades if the timing forces a third club to try to get back to hand to draw trumps. Kevin was the only declarer to take even eleven tricks - Ritold even set the contract after an early diamond lead when declarer drew trumps and bypassed the trump finesse. The middle score was 4H =, posted four times.
?
4H N +1
4H N = (4)
4H N -1
?
17:
?
...............A
...............QJ7653
...............J74
...............J92
QJ76.....................10842
----........................AK1092
KQ1096.................53
K1073....................A8
...............K953
...............84
...............A82
...............Q654
?
2Hx N was only played twice. Why would East not want to defend 2Hx, especially at equal vulnerability? At any rate, only John and Harold left the double in. One auction presumably did not begin 2H-P-P-X, as the final contract was 4S W. East declared at the other three tables, in 2S, 3NT and 4S.
?
2Hx -3 could be forced, enough to beat a making game. Ritold duly posted their +500. Mahn picked up an extra undertrick when declarer missed a chance to shorten the hand in hearts with an early spade ruff (declarer after a spade lead can take the spade ace, diamond ace, spade king and a spade ruff, then get out with a diamond and eventually ruff another spade, then get out with a heart and come to a forced high-card winner in trumps). 4S can make but it helps a lot if declarer starts the trumps with a low lead from the West hand, although even +420 scored below average. Elott defeated 4S W for the N-S top. 3NT could have been defeated but Jamie emerged with ten tricks after a heart lead instead of a club.
?
4S W -1
2S E +1
4S E =
3NT E +1
2Hx N -3
2Hx N -4
?
18:
?
...............AQ
...............10974
...............108764
...............A4
J732.......................K865
KJ32.......................85
QJ...........................K32
653.........................KQ92
...............1094
...............AQ6
...............A95
...............J1087
?
Quite reasonably four tables passed out the hand. The passouts were Leighry/Fandu, Elott/Troward, Loubot/Marudy and Jevin/Mahn. One East opened 1C and eventually declared 2S. At the last table North opened 1D, leading to 1NT S.
?
A spade or club lead leads to 1NT S -2 because the long diamonds don't cash. Judy (R), though, received a heart lead and that was all she needed for the make, a plus score, and N-S top, which prevented E-W from finishing first overall. She even picked up an eighth trick for good measure. 2S E can always make, but Jamie ended up needing a little help from the defence. Towards the late part of the hand, South had a chance to score the spade ten with a ruff in front of dummy; when South passed up the ruff the ten never scored.
?
1NT S +1
Passed Out (4)
2S E =
