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1:

?

...............AJ965

...............732

...............1094

...............J4

1083......................74

K............................AQJ654

A52........................J8

Q97632..................K108

...............KQ2

...............1098

...............KQ763

...............A5

?

Here was a hand favouring two-level overcalls on five-card suits. East opens 1H or perhaps 2H. Over 2H, South has a reasonable 3D overcall, but over 1H the auction may well go 1H-1NT; 2H with N-S never getting into the auction. Usually the auction did reach the three-level; contracts were 2H E, 3D S twice, 3Dx S and 3H E. I don't think a black suit got into the bidding anywhere.

?

The Law was technically right on target; although E-W held only seven hearts, they did hold nine clubs between them. Diamonds could take eight tricks and hearts nine. All the diamond tricks were right on target; hearts all did better. Gareth began with E-W top in 3H E +2. After the lead of ace and another club he could have taken eleven tricks by force had he overtaken the heart king and played for the 3-3 split. Instead he led two rounds of diamonds after clearing the heart king. N-S could have cashed their spade winners but did not.

?

3D S -1 (2)

3Dx S -1

2H E +2; 3H E +1

3H E +2

?

2:

?

...............Q10854

...............A76

...............J2

...............J65

AKJ7.........................32

J52............................Q4

73..............................AKQ10964

KQ82........................A10

...............96

...............K10983

...............85

...............9743

?

This was the first of a number of hands on which everything rode on the opening lead and/or first trick. Jevin ended up slightly overextended after their auction began 1D-1S; 3NT on Kevin's eight probable running tricks. Jeff continued with 4NT and they finished in 6D E. Two other pairs reached slam, 6NT E at one table and 6S W at another after a misclick. The other three tables played quietly in 3NT W.

?

3NT W took all thirteen tricks. This is clear after a spade lead. Curiously, if North leads a low heart, South will likely finesse when dummy plays low. A diamond lead will result in thirteen tricks if South discards a club. Lournot were N-S top defending 6S W -4. Although it is much more normal to lead away from a king against smalls slams in suits than in no-trumps, Elizabeth found the killing heart lead against 6NT while Kevin was E-W top in 6D = after a spade lead. The auction likely made more sense than usual for a heart lead, as East likely showed a lot of running tricks.

?

6S W -4

6NT E -1

3NT W +4 (3)

6D E =

?

3:

?

...............Q1054

...............KJ6

...............AKJ2

...............108

876............................K32

----.............................A73

10943.........................765

QJ7632......................AK95

...............AJ9

...............Q1098542

...............Q8

...............4

?

This auction can get up quite high quite quickly. If South opens 3H North has an easy 4H. This contract was reached at all six tables. This hand shows the perils of coming in with a flat hand; despite West's good distribution the heart duplication leads to six easy losers if North can ever push the spades through East twice (requiring the lead of the queen or ten if North takes the diamonds first); luckily the vulnerability kept E-W from sacrificing.

?

South is held to eleven tricks by a club lead. If anyone other than Elizabeth received the lead of a diamond, she was the only declarer brave enough to discard her club loser before touching trumps, as she took twelve tricks while everyone else took eleven.

?

4H S +2

4H S +1 (5)

?

4:

?

...............KQJ542

...............J6

...............AJ10

...............98

A873........................96

K1083......................A42

Q754........................83

10.............................A76532

...............10

...............Q975

...............K962

...............KQJ4

?

Game was reached half the time. North has a 1S opening bid, South can invite game, likely with 1NT followed by 2NT, and North just might like the spades well enough to accept either in the suit or no-trumps. It would be a good deal easier to accept if the ten and deuce of spades were swapped. Contracts were 2NT S, 3D N, 3S N, 3NT S and 4S N twice, one of those times after South tried to bid a natural 2NT response and North interpreted 2NT as a Jacoby raise, as was on their card.

?

Spade contracts can be held to eight tricks without much difficulty and declarer might even end up with seven if East gets a diamond ruff as well as West's getting a club ruff. Steve pulled off a par-bettering 4S -1 for a middle score. Elizabeth produced the par result of 2NT =, but Leigh Ann took eleven tricks in 3NT for the N-S top. Defeating 3NT requires three heart tricks. Either of the first two rounds of the suit could be ducked; if E-W begin with ace and king, West has to find the club switch at once or the timing for the third winner is gone.

?

2NT S +2

2NT S =

3D N -1; 4S N -1

3S N -2

4S N -3

?

5:

?

...............64

...............A1087

...............K65

...............K742

QJ82.....................AK753

52..........................KQ6

A43.......................J98

A1062...................J3

...............109

...............J943

...............Q1072

...............Q95

?

4S E -1

3S E +1

4S E = (4)

?

We began 1S-3S and then five Easts accepted the invitation while only one counted seven losers and passed.

?

Passing should have resulted in a brilliant top. The game is quite a close proposition, but the natural diamond lead from South's Q1072 should result in a set; N-S get two diamonds, the heart ace and a club. Luckily for Elott, however, they not only avoided a zero but scored 80% for their score of -170; only Study found the winning defence of a diamond lead and continuation to set 4S; everyone else took ten tricks. Maybe people just defaulted to the lead of the other major, or perhaps North thought a heart return might work better.

?

6:

?

...............AKJ862

...............KQ75

...............8

...............105

1075..........................4

J632..........................8

J976..........................AQ1083

K2..............................AJ9874

...............Q93

...............A1094

...............K52

...............Q63

?

Some Easts opened 1D and some opened 1C. I would probably be disinclined to reverse with the two minors and likely would see a 1D opening bid as more likely to lead to a reasonably accurate picture of the hand. One auction ended in 2S N, likely after 1D-P-1H-1S; 2C-2S, conservative of North and then inspired of East. Higher contracts were 3S N, 3NT S, 4S N, 5Cx E and 5S N. 5Cx E came about after West opened 1C, South somehow found a takeout double and North jumped to 4S. East could have proceeded with 4NT but chose 5C instead and was doubled. The 5S contract was likely the result of a 5D sacrifice.

?

Spades are much easier to play than hearts would have been, although declarer would likely have gotten the trumps correct thanks to East's having shown good distribution. All the spade contracts took the expected ten tricks. 3NT N could have been defeated by the psychic opening lead of the club jack. South has a slightly lucky ten tricks in 3NT given that West holds Kx in clubs. Elizabeth took eleven tricks after a diamond lead went to queen and king. Jamob emerged with N-S top defending 5Cx -2 when declarer did not guess the clubs (who would after a takeout double?); 5Dx would have finished only -1; too bad the side was vulnerable.

?

5Cx E -2

3NT S +2

4S N =

2S N +2; 3S N +1

5S N -1

?

7:

?

...............QJ3

...............65

...............QJ854

...............K84

K9542....................A10

Q83........................AJ42

A.............................K63

AJ52.......................Q976

...............876

...............K1097

...............10972

...............103

?

Everyone reached 3NT E. Partnership style determines how, whether the initial response is 1NT forcing, 2C or even an immediate 3NT. At matchpoints there is little for East to do differently; even after 1S-2C; 3C, 3NT stands out. Give East A10 AKJ2 643 Q976 and 6C is at least as good a contract while the bidding contests would have numerous scores, both 4H and 4S becoming viable as well.

?

3NT is held to nine tricks by a diamond lead, although then it takes some doing with both finesses failing and the hearts splitting badly. The requird line is rather pretty - after a diamond to the ace, spade to jack and ace and a low heart. If South ducks the queen wins and then declarer can switch to a black suit. If South wins East has three heart winners and North gets squeezed out of the last diamond on the fourth heart. Bob was one of three Souths to find the diamond lead and hold declarer to nine tricks; Harold received a heart lead and took eleven.

?

3NT E = (3)

3NT E +1 (2)

3NT E +2

?

8:

?

...............KQJ9732

...............AQ5

...............5

...............A5

----............................A108

K109872...................643

AJ862.......................Q10973

76..............................92

...............654

...............J

...............K4

...............KQJ10843

?

If West passes, South has a strange time responding to 1S; it would be interesting to see how strong players would handle the auction. I did not see anyone pass as West and cannot report such an auction. The West hand is much closer to a 1H opening bid than to 2H and 1H was opened at least once, leading to 1H-X-2H-4C; 4H-4S-P-P; 5H-X. At equal vulnerability it is hard to blame West for taking the five-level sacrifice. 4S was played four times and one North took the push to 5S.

?

In spades N-S have eleven tricks if E-W take a diamond in time and twelve otherwise, with only Ritold and Mahn finding the diamond winner in time to tie for E-W top. Duplication rears its ugly head again, as either 5Dx or 5Hx is down one trick too many because of a ruff. Jamob avoided the trap of a spade lead against 5Hx; a diamond lead keeps declarer locked out of dummy and secures a ruff for the fifth defensive trick and the key score of +500. 5D is set three tricks by putting South on lead in clubs and then a heart switch back through to secure a ruff in that suit.

?

5Hx W -3

4S N +2 (2); 5S N +1

4S N +1 (2)

?

9:

?

...............K10962

...............KQ974

...............4

...............32

Q74.............................AJ53

A62.............................J85

K85.............................J76

A865...........................K94

...............8

...............103

...............AQ10932

...............QJ107

?

This hand seems to come down to whether South could goad E-W into the auction with a 2D or 3D opening bid. A 1D opening bid led to the inelegant contract of 2NT S, opening bids of 2D and 3D were passed around, and E-W declared 2S E, 3NT W and 4Sx E, the last two definitely pushed by a higher opening bid.

?

The hand is grim for any contract over 1NT; no declarer can force more than seven tricks. Leigh Ann made 2NT S after East discarded a diamond on the fourth club. Every other contract was defeated. The forced set of 2D is particularly cute: E-W begin with three rounds of clubs before trumps are touched. This allows East a club ruff. Even if South could ruff the fourth club in dummy high (North holding a singleton jack and East 10xx), that would create a second trump loser. 3NT W and 4Sx E went down one trick more than necessary, though neither such trick was relevant, but 4Sx -4 did give Study +1100. Everyone but Leigh Ann went down, the spade and diamond declarers taking the expected seven tricks. E-W have a brutal time declaring with those flat hands without intermediates; even 1NT probably could not be made by force if the N-S hand patterns were a little less extreme, allowing defensive communications. Jamob were E-W top for sitting quietly and defending 3D -2, South being a Flannery player who presumably opened 3D when 2D was not available.

?

4Sx E -4

3NT W -3

2NT S =

2S E -1

2D S -1

3D S -2

?

10:

?

...............943

...............J5

...............K62

...............KQJ72

QJ...........................K8752

Q73.........................A984

AQJ9.......................75

A954........................63

...............A106

...............K1062

...............10843

...............108

?

West has a not particularly appealing 1NT opening bid, but again not everyone opened 1NT, as one?auction finished in 3D W. 1NT was left in once and East had an uncomfortable in-between hand. It would have helped to have been able to bid 2C and then follow over 2D with a non-forcing 2S. Any East who began with a transfer to 2S followed with 2NT, as 2NT W was played twice and 3NT W, West likely upgrading the doubleton QJ in partner's five-card suit. The final contract was 2H E, suggesting one of three possible auctions, none particularly good: the uncontested 1D-1S; 1NT-2H and 1NT-2C; 2D-2H as a low-level variant on Smolen along with the contested 1NT-2C-2H as an attempt at a transfer.

?

1NT could have been held to seven tricks by force, but the club king lead blocks the suit, ending with all three declarers in partials coming away with eight tricks. Jevin managed to post 3NT -2 when declarer did not go after the diamonds in time. Leighry posted 3D -2 to tie Jevin for N-S top; 2H finished -1 but = would have?yielded the same matchpoint score.

?

3D W -2; 3NT W -2

2H E -1

1NT W +1; 2NT W = (2)

?

11:

?

...............J

...............1082

...............QJ63

...............QJ1074

109853...................AK64

KQ..........................J965

1097........................K82

K53.........................A6

...............Q72

...............A743

...............A54

...............982

?

The auctions split among four paths. One West decided to leave 1NT in. Two East did not open 1NT, leading to 1D-1S; 2S, West declaring. Another West left in 2S after a transfer. The last two invited game, East declining with a 3S bid, ending the auction there.

?

Despite the 3-1 trump split with the sure loser, 4S E can only be defeated by a diamond opening lead, establishing the second diamond trick in time before the good luck in hearts allows two discards. North, alas, never gets in. It is much easier to find the diamond lead when West declares, but both Norths on lead chose the more solid club sequence. Everyone took ten tricks in spades except against Glynneth, who were N-S top defending 3S -1 when East never started heart and instead led a diamond to the king. 1NT took eight tricks; seven or nine would have scored the same.

?

3S E -1

1NT E +1

2S E +2 (4)

?

12:

?

...............A10952

...............J

...............94

...............AKQ43

J63........................Q87

K3..........................A109875

KQ1086.................53

952.........................87

...............K4

...............Q642

...............AJ72

...............J106

?

2/1 players get around the age-old dilemma with 5-5 black suits by being able to rebid 3C over 1S-2R, although 1C followed by 1S and 2S if the auction allows does have convenience. Everyone seems to have opened 1S. When East passed, the auction could have begun 1S-1NT; 2C-2NT. A 2H overcall (I hope Bill did not faint reading that) likely saw South limp into 2NT (if natural). 3H managed to push N-S around a bit, being played once undoubled and once doubled, South preferring the sure plus to trying 3NT without a good heart spot for a second stopper. The other contracts were 2S N, 3NT S twice and 4S N.

?

4S takes ten tricks in a straightforward way when there is only one trump loser. 3NT is quite interesting. If E-W begin with three rounds of hearts, declarer picks up a tenth trick by crossing to the North hand in clubs and running the spade nine. A diamond lead (or switch after the lead of the heart king) forces declarer to duck to come to nine tricks. Jamob defeated 3NT by an early diamond lead but Rita managed eleven tricks in 3NT. Jevin scored 60% defending 3Hx -3.

?

3NT S +2

4S N =

3Hx E -3

2S N +2

3H E -3

3NT S -1

?

13:

?

...............1065

...............KJ103

...............J

...............KQ542

----...................AKQJ72

A986................52

AKQ10986.......542

96.....................A8

...............9843

...............Q74

...............73

...............J1073

?

Here was the tragedy of the evening. Auctions were P-1S-P-2D; X-4S, 1S-2D; 2S-3NT, 1S-2D; 2S-3D; 4S, 1S-2D; 2S-3D; 5D and 1S-2D; 2S-3H; 3NT twice. As 7NT is a claimer, we wonder why everyone missed slam. The answer lies in the almost universal 2S rebid. East needs to jump to 3S with seven likely winners. West, with eight likely winners, will almost surely get to slam one way or another. East doesn't need much from West to make slam.

?

4S and 3NT both took all the tricks without difficulty. In diamonds, however, twelve tricks were the limit after a club lead; declarer could not draw trumps before playing spades.

?

5D W +1

4S E +3 (2)

3NT E +4 (2); 3NT W +4

?

14:

?

...............AK872

...............AQ864

...............----

...............KJ9

643...........................Q95

3...............................K1097

K63...........................QJ4

A107542...................Q86

...............J10

...............J52

...............A1098752

...............3

?

If West opens 3C, North likely just takes the plunge with 4C or perhaps just goes to 3NT. North might also get to 3NT if South makes a weak jump shift response of 3D to 1S. Nobody got to 3NT S but 3NT N was played thrice. 1S-1NT might be followed by 2H-2S or 2H-3D, leaving North the chance to follow with 3H. A little curiously we saw two contracts of 4S N to one of 4H N.

?

3NT can be set if E-W get clubs established in time and perhaps even when not. Gareth made 3NT but Lournot managed the set. 4H was made by John despite the 4-1 trumps; declarer loses just two trumps and a club. 4S can also be made by force, but that requires a complicated line of play, involving establishing diamonds and then drawing trumps, either reaching dummy with the heart jack or endplaying East. Even Bill might not find that line at the table. Wendric set 4S with a club lead and heart switch; declarer could have found the make after taking the ace but ducked.

?

4H N =

3NT N =

3NT N -1 (2); 4S N -1 (2)

?

15:

?

...............K6

...............KJ54

...............9632

...............862

QJ10......................852

Q973......................A10

10754.....................K8

43...........................AQ10975

...............A9743

...............862

...............AQJ

...............KJ

?

South opens either 1S or 1NT. East came in with a 2C overcall over 1S-1NT or however the partnership agrees after 1NT-P-P. Those pairs who use 2C to show a single-suited hand had to play 3C instead of 2C. One North backed in with 2H after 1NT-P-P-2C; P-P. This pushed E-W to 3C but South carried on to 3H thinking that North held five; they were not a regular partnership and did not have the understanding that that auction would likely be on a four-card suit. E-W played 3C thrice and 2C twice, one of the 2C contracts being by West after East showed a single-suited hand with a double.

?

If N-S find their spade ruff, E-W cannot take more than six tricks in clubs. It is on the lucky side for declarer that there is no entry to the West hand for one club finesse, let alone two, although the opening bid suggests that the club finesse will lose anyway. The only declarer in clubs to take more than six tricks was Eric when play began with three rounds of hearts and he had his escape for -1. Elott defended 3H -1 for E-W top.

?

3C E -3 (2)

2C E -2 (2)

3C E -1

3H N -1

?

16:

?

...............743

...............Q85

...............J653

...............KQ8

96...........................AKJ8

KJ94.......................1062

A1087.....................Q2

432.........................A1065

...............Q1052

...............A73

...............K94

...............J97

?

East opened 1C and rebid 1S; West almost universally rebid 1NT and played it there, with one auction finishing in 2C.

?

With N-S unable to break the diamonds, 2C sailed home as Karlene was able to manage the hand in a leisurely fashion, N-S had no active path that would do them a whit of good.1NT also comes to seven tricks by force with both sides having a slow time of it building tricks. Jevin were E-W top defending 1NT W -2 when declarer got too busy in the wrong suit and deliberately led a low diamond to the ace early in order to take a losing spade finesse. Jamob posted -1. Wendy and Judy both took the expected seven tricks and Elizabeth eight, likely after a diamond lead.

?

1NT W -2

1NT W -1

1NT W = (2); 2C E =

1NT W +1

?

17:

?

...............Q752

...............Q7

...............J108

...............AK32

AJ..................K964

AKJ10982......3

95...................AKQ62

85...................Q96

...............1083

...............654

...............743

...............J1074

?

North opened 1C and E-W were almost sure to get to game, most likely 4H W, after East's 1D overcall. One pair stopped in 3H W and another in 3NT E but 4H W was the majority contract.

?

Either 3NT or 4H takes eleven tricks if declarer drops the offside queen, just making if the losing finesse is taken. Happily for declarer, N-S have only 13 HCP between them, making playing for the drop of the queen much more appealing, although some Norths would have opened Qxxx xx Jx AKJxx. Wendy, Judy and Gareth all dropped the heart queen. Wendy was E-W topin 4H +2, North not having ventured the second high club. Gareth was next in 3NT E +2. Mahn were N-S top defending 3H W +2l the other declarers all played 4H W =.

?

3H W +2

4H W = (3)

3NT E +2

4H W +2

?

18:

?

...............KJ7

...............8752

...............1065

...............A52

Q8632...................109

J43........................Q9

K3..........................AQJ742

Q74........................1096

...............A54

...............AK106

...............98

...............KJ83

?

Those Easts who did not play Flannery opened 2D. South doubled and North played 2H thrice and 3H the fourth time after South invited. Of the two Flannery players, one opened 3D, North playing 3H after a double. The other passed and N-S reached their highest contract of 4H: P-1C-P-1H; 2D-4H (from where did that come?).

?

There were nine winners available, although a tenth would have come into view had East led the ten or nine of clubs. Five declarers took nine tricks. Mary took ten after two rounds of diamonds, one spade and three hearts - West led a club into dummy instead of a second spade.

?

3H N +1

2H S +1; 2H N +1 (2); 3H N =

4H N -1

1:

?

...............1086

...............K3

...............K10842

...............A92

QJ4..........................AK92

Q1084......................AJ65

765...........................Q

K87..........................J1063

...............753

...............972

...............AJ93

...............Q54

?

1C-1H and East is stuck between 2H and 3H. One East apparently opened 1NT and was left there; one East was left in a 1C opening bid. Three raises to 2H were left in without a balance, though presumably some of the 3H contracts had a 3D balance from North, maybe most of them as West is likely to accept the invitation after a 3H raise. 3H W was played six times and 4H W thrice, 1C-1H; 3H-4H the likely path to game.

?

The layout would have allowed declarer eleven tricks in hearts had there been enough entries. There are two club losers if South ducks the first honour led from the East hand. Eric took eleven tricks in 4H for the E-W top; North discarded a club on the fourth spade. After that there was no way for N-S to collect two club tricks against best play. +170 was the most common score, posted five times. Cinbot began with the N-S top defending 1NT =.

?

1NT E =

1C E +3

3H W =

2H W +2 (2); 3H W +1 (3)

2H W +3; 3H W +2 (2)

4H W = (2)

4H W +1

?

2:

?

...............8532

...............10975

...............KJ97

...............Q

A.........................QJ97

KJ863.................4

Q.........................A83

A109753..............K8642

...............K1064

...............AQ2

...............106542

...............J

?

This hand all came down to the auction. E-W played in clubs at every table and there was no sensible line of play that would not result in declarer's taking twelve tricks. That just made it a question of whether E-W would play in a partial, bid game, or get all the way to the almost-guaranteed slam.

?

If West's queen were in either hearts or clubs and therefore an offensive asset instead of a probably-wasted honour the hand would have been worth a reverse. If not reversing, West likely opened 1H in order not to lose the suit after a 1S response. P-1H; 1S-2C; 3C-5C would have been reasonable, or 4C from West and 5C from East. We ended with a bit of underbidding producing a 1-4-3-5-1 split from the two-level to the six-level. The one pair in slam were Jianica after a light opening bid from East: 1C-1H; 1S-2D; 3C-4C; 4D-4H; 5C-6C. 2D was Fourth Suit Forcing and 3C confirmed the 5-4 black suits while denying three hearts. 4C set trumps and showed slam interest. 4D was explained as showing a bad hand and 4H asked for key cards. 5C showed two key cards without the club queen, but with her length Angelica did not need the queen to bid 6C, which at worst would need a finesse in hearts.

?

2C E +4; 3C E +3; 3C W +3 (3); 4C W +2 (3)

5C E +1; 5C W +1 (4)

6C E =

?

3:

?

...............KJ1043

...............K8632

...............2

...............42

A6............................Q82

Q5............................AJ1097

J7653.......................Q8

AQ83........................K76

...............975

...............4

...............AK1094

...............J1095

?

West opened 1D and North usually bid 2D to show both majors. East might have doubled with a solid penalty double of hearts; after P-1D-2D-X; 2S-P-P East might bid 3S and convince West to bid 3NT. We finished with five different contracts doubled: 2Sx S, 2NT E, 3C W, 3Hx E, 3Sx S, 3NT E twice, 3NT W thrice, 4Cx N, 4H E, 4S S and 4Sx S. 4Cx N was reached after a sad error. North misclicked over 1D and bid 2C instead of 2D. The heart contracts declared by East came after North either overcalled 1S or passed, eventually reaping the benefit of giving the opposition minimal information.

?

E-W could hold spade contracts to six tricks by cashing their clubs off the top. Jaul produced 4Sx -4 which ought to have been the defensive top had it not been for the awfully unlucky 4Cx N, which finished -6 against Riry. 3NT could have been held to nine tricks by a spade lead from either side of the table - declarer has four heart winners, three clubs and two spades.

?

3Hx E -1

3C W -1; 3NT W -1 (2); 4H E -1

4S S -1

2Sx S -1; 3Sx S -1

2NT E +3

3NT E =; 3NT W =

3NT E +1; 3NT W +1

4Sx S -4

4Cx N -6

?

4:

?

...............1095

...............K84

...............Q63

...............KJ95

A62.......................KJ73

AJ92.....................107

K10942.................A75

Q...........................10872

...............Q84

...............Q653

...............J8

...............A643

?

West opened 1D and had to choose a rebid after East's 1S response (except at the table where North misclicked and overcalled 1NT, the auction ending in 2C S). 2D was chosen rather more often than 2S, the former ending the auction four times and the latter twice. Strangely four Wests ended up declaring 1NT, which did not seem to be in the running as a likely rebid. Higher contracts were 2NT E twice and 3NT E - did any Wests rebid 2H, either as an intended reverse or just ignorantly?

?

This looked as if the scores would run close and they did, with +150 taking E-W top for Paul and scores running all the way down to -90 scoring 10/13 for Cinbot, Heve and Dane. Contracts in no-trumps could have taken eight tricks although four pairs were held to seven (giving Keianne the N-S top) and Paul took nine. Jianfeng took nine tricks in 2S although Randi held declarer to seven. N-S apparently have to get active to take more than four tricks; forcing West to ruff a club complicates the play. Diamond contracts could take nine tricks without much difficulty, with a chance of more, especially if North did not lead a black suit. 2D took nine tricks thrice and Jatin took ten: spade, club, club ruff, heart and then South led the diamond jack, the only wrong card.

?

3NT E -2

2S E -1

1NT W = (3)

2C S -1

2D W +1 (3)

1NT W +1; 2NT E =

2D W +2

?2S E +1

2NT E +1

?

5:

?

...............AJ54

...............1042

...............J87

...............K42

9...........................K103

AKQ83.................976

A2.........................K965

AJ1063.................Q87

...............Q8762

...............J5

...............Q1043

...............97

?

This looked as if we might easily have seen 4H W at every table and we nearly did. East declared 4H once and one West stopped in 3H; 4H W was played twelve times. 1H-2H; 4H or 1H-1NT; 3C-3H; 4H seemed almost certain, although West could well have tried bidding clubs, as xxx xxxx xxx KQx would have been an easy slam had East held four hearts, with a chance for xxxx xxxx xxx Kx.

?

The play looked nearly as easy as the auction, if not more so. Declarer had eleven tricks when the club finesse failed; two Wests took twelve tricks when Gene and Angelica snuck a spade past North's ace. Gene made it harder for North to grab the ace by leading the low spade from hand at trick two, while North had minimal information. Conndy were N-S top just for their opponents having stopped in 3H.?

?

3H W +2

4H W +1 (11)

4H W +2 (2)

?

6:

?

...............1095

...............AKQ5

...............K53

...............987

AK763....................82

7.............................104

10976.....................A84

J103.......................AQ6542

...............QJ4

...............J98632

...............QJ2

...............K

?

Any of the four hands might have opened the bidding. East had a light 1C, South a rather nasty 2H. At a different vulnerability a third-seat 2S would be quite appealing. The North hand just satisfies the Rule of Fifteen requirement. Contracts were 1NT E, 2C E, 2H S, 3C E, 3H S thrice, 3S W, 4C E and 4H S five times. East's opening had a chance of keeping the contract low; South's opening 2H was almost sure to elicit 4H from North.

?

A spade ruff off the top lets E-W hold heart contracts to eight tricks. East can take eleven tricks in clubs, but that requires dropping the offside singleton king. Randi were N-S top posting 4C -2. Only two contracts made: 2H = for Ken and 2C +1 for Gloria.

?

4C E -2

2H S =

1NT E -1; 3C E -1; 3S W -1

3H S -1 (3); 4H S -1

4H S -2 (4)

2C E +1

?

7:

?

...............KJ8

...............8765

...............AJ107

...............A4

765......................Q932

3..........................K104

Q852...................963

QJ1072................K93

...............A104

...............AQJ92

...............K4

...............865

?

This seemed as if South had to finish in 4H unless just possibly South upgraded the hand to a 1NT opening and North decided to forego Stayman with four spot cards. We did get thirteen contracts of 4H S with the last auction ending in 3H S; did West perhaps come in and throw the pair off?

?

West had a natural club lead, meaning that a second loser would ensue at once if a finesse lost. I'm a bit surprised that nine declarers took twelve tricks; there must have been at least a few spade and diamond leads. Against Riry, after a club lead declarer used the spade king to take the second trump finesse and then took the ruffing finesse in diamonds to take only eleven tricks, along with three other declarers in 4H. Miven were E-W top for getting to defend 3H +3.

?

4H S +2 (9)

4H S +1 (4)

3H S +3

?

8:

?

...............Q107

...............A

...............K87532

...............976

KJ42.......................A9653

KJ854.....................1096

AJ............................Q10

K10..........................A32

...............8

...............Q732

...............964

...............QJ854

?

This time we finally got everyone into game, but which game would E-W attempt, 4H or 4S, and, if 4S, from which side? One lengthy auction saw N-S take the plunge and sacrifice in 5Dx N. Of the major games, 4S was selected over 4H by an 8-5 margin, with East declaring by a 5-3 margin in spades. I know one of the three pairs to finish in 4S W plays Flannery. West might also delcare after a 1NT opening bid, rare as that would be with nine cards in the majors; another possible auction might begin 1H-2H; 2S.

?

West's declaring reaps benefits when North cannot lead a diamond to profit, and 4M declared by West cannot be prevented from taking eleven tricks. 4H occasionally hit a little bump with the trumps 4-1, but declarer only went down against Glynneth. Declarer got off to a fine start after winning the club lead with the king by leading a low heart from hand and crashing the singleton ace, but then after a club to the ace declarer led a heart to the king and finished -3. Three of the other declarers in 4H took eleven tricks, the fourth ten. In 4S W, all three declarers took eleven tricks. 4S E, often after a diamond lead, gave declarer eleven tricks only once, ten twice and nine twice. Miven finished a perfect round posting 5Dx -6, although N-S could not force anything better than -4, more than enough for a clear E-W top.

?

4H W -3

4S E -1 (2)

4H W =; 4S E = (2)

4H W +1 (3); 4S E +1; 4S W +1 (3)

5Dx N -6

?

9:

?

...............A1096

...............AK5

...............Q105

...............986

742.........................K8

QJ962....................1083

A............................K983

AKJ10....................7543

...............QJ53

...............74

...............J7642

...............Q2

?

The vulnerability may perhaps be blamed for half the pairs playing in 2S S. One contract was even 1S N, likely after 1C-P-1D-1H; 1S. For those E-W pairs who trusted principles over vulnerability, competing over 2S led to 3C W, 3H W twice, 3S S twice and 4H W by Boric after the auction 1C-P-1S-2H; 2S-3H-P-P; 3S-P-P-4H, Bob liking the holding of three low spades, sure that East would hold no greater length than a doubleton.

?

It takes two honours' being well placed but 4H rolls in, Bob taking the E-W top for his optimistic bidding. Both the 3H contracts took ten tricks as well, and 3C took nine. If West led the singleton diamond ace, spade contracts would be held to seven tricks. 2S -1 was the plurality result, posted six times. Ken somehow managed nine tricks for N-S top, with Larry (St) the only other declarer to take eight in 1S +1. Even the two E-W pairs to leave 3S in still scored above average just for balancing and pushing N-S up a level.?

?

2S S +1

1S N +1

2S S -1 (6)

3S S -2 (2)

3C W =

3H W +1 (2)

4H W =

?

10:

?

...............J106

...............9874

...............72

...............K1043

AK875....................932

AJ1063...................Q

53...........................KJ64

7.............................A9652

...............Q4

...............K52

...............AQ1098

...............QJ8

?

1D from South and then West is in the middle sort of range that can find it awkward to bid Michaels. Better to bid spades and then hearts if need be. If East shows an invitational hand, West can accept; the West hand is good enough to try 3H over a raise to 2S but it might not happen. Three pairs reached 4S, Linj on the simple auction P-1D-1S-P; 2D-P-4S. It looks as if the split between a 1S overcall and 2D was 7-7.

?

A 9-3 majority of declarers in spades took ten tricks (eleven for Gloria), as the heart king was in the short hand and was onside for a normal finesse, so that either playing South for the king or trying to catch it with two ruffs worked. Larry (Sh) made 4S E, NJ and Martin 4S W.

?

3S W -1

2S E +1; 2S W +1

1NT E +2; 2NT E +1

2S E +2 (4); 3S W +1

3S E +2

4S E =; 4S W = (2)

?

11:

?

...............AJ42

...............10732

...............AKJ2

...............3

Q6.........................K109875

A986.....................J

85..........................973

K9752....................QJ8

...............3

...............KQ54

...............Q1064

...............A1064

?

There were two Mini-Roman hands opposite each other, only the dealer's was short in spades, which disqualified the hand from a 2D opening for Gernot. If South opens 1m, North responds 1H, East likely overcalls 2S and then North gets to 4H if South's four-card support is revealed. If South passes and North opens 2D, South likely drives to 4H. A 1D opening bid from North likely gets a 2S overcall from East and a negative double, leading to probably 4H from the North side. 4H was declared nine times, with a 6-3 majority favouring North. One table stopped in 2H S, two Souths declared 3NT and East sacrificed twice in 2Sx and 4Sx.

?

4H makes despite the 4-1 trumps; declarer ruffs either two clubs or two hearts and loses one trick in a black suit and two hearts. Trying for a cross-ruff might lead to going down; declarer will need to get something good out of the diamonds. Four of the nine 4H contracts were defeated. 3NT is -1 by force but both declarers took ten tricks. It will not surprise too many readers to learn that these players were Louise and Hank. Strangely, declarer was safe if a club lead were won by East and followed naturally by the second high club. Declarer wins the second round and then West gets into trouble on the fourth diamond; if West discards a club and a spade West can be endplayed in hearts. Richard scored well in 2Sx -2, the expected trick result. Conndy, defending 4Sx, defended safely for -3 and the top N-S score rather than trying to get everything they could.

?

4Sx E -3

3NT S +1 (2)

4H N = (3); 4H S = (2)

2Sx E -2

2H S +2

4H N -1 (3); 4H S -1

?

12:

?

?

...............AQ105

...............K

...............KQ10952

...............J10

742...........................86

A932........................854

763...........................AJ84

752...........................AK96

...............KJ93

...............QJ1076

...............----

...............Q843

?

The distribution seemed to want to push N-S into 4S; it's not easy for South to keep from inviting after 1D-1H; 1S. 4S was played by North eight out of nine nine times, 2S N and 3S N once each. Three pairs chose 3NT with the 4-4 major fit this time, although neither Heve nor Lourene were among them. South declared all three 3NT contracts, once doubled.

?

Despite there being only eight trumps and three top losers, 4S was unsinkable, with only Riry posting a set against the only declarer in spades to take any number of tricks other than ten. 3NT was wrong-sided with South declaring, vulnerable to a diamond opening lead. Jane (M) took nine tricks after a spade lead, though it did her little good. Gernot made an overtrick for N-S top. Jianica were E-W top posting 3NTx S -3, likely sure of a set after a diamond lead.

?

3NT S +1

4S N = (7); 4S S =

3NT S =

2S N +2; 3S N +1

4S N -2

3NTx S -3

?

13:

?

...............J54

...............AKQ92

...............10854

...............9

92.............................AQ1063

J873.........................64

AQ9..........................KJ

A874.........................J1062

...............K87

...............105

...............7632

...............KQ53

?

Four Norths opened 1H. The ten tables where North did not open saw five Easts open 1S and the other five pass. All five auctions starting with two passes ended in passouts; NJ, Larry (Sh), Elaine, Jatin and Rita all resisted the temptation to open a hand that did not meet the Rule of Fifteen. The 1H opening bids led to 1NT S twice, 2H N and 2S E. East's 1S opening bid led to 2H N, 2NT W thrice and 3NTx S. I thought we might see at least one contract in diamonds after 1H-1S-X, but we didn't; South bid 1NT instead.

?

In no-trumps, E-W can be held to seven tricks, but North has to lead a high heart and South must unblock the ten. Then North switches and, when South gets in, North can run four more heart winners. When N-S declare, E-W can take eight tricks after a spade lead (if East is on lead it must be the queen) unless declarer guesses to finesse the hearts. Unfortunately none of the N-S pairs defending 2NT found the winning defence; Angelica and Linda took eight tricks while Erik took nine. Riry defended 1NT S -2 and Marudy 1NT S -1. The only N-S plus was Doug's 2H =, although the contract could have been defeated by force. Boric collected +1100 against 3NTx S -4 for the E-W top.

?

2H N =

Passed Out (5)

1NT S -1; 2H N -1

2S E =

2NT W = (2)

2NT W +1

1NT S -2

3NTx S -4

?

14:

?

?

...............10975

...............Q95

...............10632

...............94

Q6...........................AKJ

AJ42.......................87

AKQ........................J94

AJ83.......................Q10652

...............8432

...............K1063

...............875

...............K7

?

The fine slam on Board 2 was almost always missed, while this slam was reached six times. West generally opened 2NT, with half the Easts settling for 3NT W. One made an invitational raise to 4NT which West passed. The remaining auctions were evenly split between 6NT and 6C, with some responders going directly into an asking sequence. West declared both slam twice and East once. Jerik's auction was P-1C; 1S-1NT; 2S-3C; 4C-6C; they at least got to stay reasonably low for most of the auction. Miven also reached 6C much more directly: 1C-4NT; 5C-6C.

?

The E-W honours could have been better arranged or worse. West could have held Q6 AJ42 AQ3 AKJ8 or 64 AKQJ AQ2 AJ83 with either poor or strong play for slam. As it was, whatever the lead, it all came down to the club finesse. The finesse succeeded and thirteen declarers took twelve tricks. Dane were N-S top when, after two rounds of spades had been played, declarer blocked the clubs and had no entry to the East hand for the last club.?

?

3NT W +2

3NT W +3 (6); 4NT W +2

6C E =; 6C W = (2)

6NT E =; 6NT W = (2)

?

15:

?

?

...............Q752

...............J1074

...............K64

...............Q3

AJ96.......................103

A85.........................Q632

Q5...........................A103

9754........................AJ86

...............K84

...............K9

...............J9872

...............K102

?

Who would open, if anyone? Eleven auctions ended with four passes. East opened in fourth seat, 1C twice and a systemic 1D the third time. Jerik's Big Club system worked to their advantage; after Erik responded 1S and Jim rebid 1NT, Erik knew from the lower range of their 1NT opening bid that 3NT was unlikely and he was able to pass 1NT. The other contracts were 2NT E and 3C E.

?

Club contracts can force nine tricks on an endplay; Judy (P) managed nine tricks, likely after a diamond lead, although any lead but a trump gives declarer at least the chance of a trick right off. No-trumps can be held to seven tricks. Jianfeng made 2NT E for a top board; the fate of the hand was not decided until trick ten. After a round of hearts had gone jack/queen/king/ace, a heart was led from dummy at trick ten. South's hand was high, but North won that trick with the ten, crashed the nine-spot and had to give declarer an eighth trick.

?

Passed Out (11)

1NT E =

3C E =

2NT E =

?

16:

?

?

...............K95

...............K3

...............AJ8432

...............82

Q843......................J2

A106.......................QJ42

KQ1097..................5

3.............................KQJ976

...............A1076

...............9875

...............6

...............A1054

?

Presumably either North or West opens 1D. If West opens N-S stay out of the auctions and we get 1D-1H; 1S and then East may rebid 1NT or perhaps jump to 3C if the pair plays that jump as natural and non-forcing. West might also raise to 2H instead or possibly back into 2H on the third round over a 1NT rebid. If North opens 1D, East may overcall 2C. If this had happened on a Tuesday with Jevin playing N-S Jeff playing South would likely pass 2C in hopes of defending 2Cx at that vulnerability, but a negative double would also be possible. We ended with a rainbow of contracts: 1Hx E, 2H E, 3C E twice, 3Dx N, 3H E twice, 3S S, 3NT E, 3NT W four times and 4H E.

?

Every contract was defeated. Declarer overperformed in 3C, with Larry (Sh) scoring 8/13 for -100 and Leighry 10.5/13 for +200. Getting out for -1 in 3Dx may have been the most impressive declaring result of the day but only saved half a matchpoint against Miven, as E-W won the board just by defending, both defending pairs (the other being Panda defending 3S -2) scoring +100. East could take seven tricks in hearts; Lourene were a little fortunate to squeeze out a set (on an overruff of a diamond at trick nine) while the other declarers took seven, seven and eight, all -1. Most declarers in 3NT W took eight tricks, although Randi were N-S top defending 3NT W -3. 3NT E finished -2 against Haorge.?

?

3NT W -3

1Hx E -1; 3C E -2; 3NT E -2; 4H E -2

2H E -1; 3C E -1; 3H E -1 (2); 3NT W -1 (3)

3Dx N -1; 3S S -2

?

17:

?

?

...............1054

...............Q62

...............AQ53

...............Q87

Q76.......................AK982

A95.......................K3

72..........................J6

J9542....................AK63

...............J3

...............J10874

...............K10984

...............10

?

Lourene got lucky; East misclicked and the hand was passed out. Keianne were runners-up; the misclick was on 1NT instead of Pass and East was left in 1NT. Almost everyone else reached 4S E, which was played ten times. I thought some pairs might get stuck if South made a Michaels cue-bid, but?nobody stopped below game except for the two misclickers. Perhaps an auction beginning P-1S-2S-P; 3H-X-P convinced West to jump to 4S. One East ended up in 5C and one intrepid N-S pair sacrificed in 5Hx. At equal vulnerability 2S was probably unwise, as E-W were nearly sure to have game with North a passed hand and at equal vulnerability there was not likely to be a profitable sacrifice.

?

We even had a majority result here - eight Souths (all except Cindy [X] and Phyllis) likely led the singleton club against 4S and handed declarer the suit, giving declarer an easy twelve tricks. Gloria received a club lead; she and nine other East posted +480. After other leads, the two declarers who took only ten tricks drew trumps and played the club ace-king. Given the spots in the layout, ace first is correct. If South has made a 2S cue-bid, declarer has a marked finesse through North, as South has already played all three black cards. This shows how helpful it can be to compete when one's side is outgunned. Had West's clubs been J9842 after a 2S cue-bid, running the jack first would be best, as the suit can be picked up for no loser if South holds any spot singleton - three of the four 3-1 splits instead of two. Boric had five sure tricks against 5Hx and were E-W top. Curiously, the 5-4 fit would not have made 5Dx any better; indeed it could have been set an extra trick by the heart ruff.

?

Passed Out

1NT E =

4S E = (2); 5C E +1

4S E +2 (8)

5Hx N -3

?

18:

?

?

...............A75

...............K743

...............1064

...............Q43

J84.......................Q632

AQ865..................J9

K5.........................872

J65........................A982

...............K109

...............102

...............AQJ93

...............K107

?

This time we reached a majority contract after P-1D-1H-1NT, which was played nine times. Three Souths persisted with diamonds, ending in 2D twice and 3D. One East backed into 2H and West played it there; the last table went all the way to 3NT N.

?

The most common result was 1NT =, posted five times and the outcome if East leads the heart jack on which West plays the six or five, then continues the suit if North ducks. West gets in with the diamond king, the hearts run and eventually E-W win a spade or the club ace. Cindy (M) was odd North out taking eight tricks, while three 1NT declarers (Mark. Larry [St] and leigh Ann took nine, Mark after West overtook the heart jack with the ace. In diamonds, declarer can endplay E-W into breaking one of the black suits and take nine tricks, but there was no score of +110. Glotin defended 3D -1 when declarer broke clubs and was unable to force E-W to break spades, Jerik scored a similar -90 against 2D = and Louise received a spade lead and made E-W break clubs to score +130. Keianne picked up an important second undertrick defending 2H, not quite enough for top but significant with six scores of +90. Jurcia made no mistake against 3NT and finished with E-W top on +200.

?

1NT N +2 (3)

2D S +2

1NT N +1

2H W -2

1NT N = (5); 2D S =

3D S -1

3NT N -2

1:

?

...............K64

...............A9

...............A976

...............10875

10.............................J953

KQ103......................8

QJ54.........................1032

AK92........................QJ643

...............AQ872

...............J76542

...............K8

...............----

?

South has a slightly awkward time of it in third seat and is better off opening 1S instead of 1H. When North responds with Drury, South has a sufficiently low loser count to accept. One pair did reach 4S S, with the other two pairs in 3H S and 3S S.

?

4S looks okay when declarer sees dummy and 4H looks even better. Ten tricks are easy enough in hearts, especially if South takes a high spade first and then leads a low spade through West before starting trumps. 4S similarly wants to start hearts. It is not surprising with the two 4-1 splits that declarers all underperformed. Donbot defending 4S -1 and Harob defending 3S -1 tied for top when declarer played trumps before the side suit. Steve made 3S for N-S top.

?

3S S =

3H S -1; 4S S -1

?

2:

?

...............1043

...............Q63

...............A1042

...............A105

K5.........................Q62

AKJ95...................1074

KQ96.....................J3

96 .........................KQ732

...............AJ987

...............82

...............875

...............J84

?

This was fairly straightforward. One E-W pair managed to stop after 1H-2H, but the other Wests at least invited and had the invitation accepted.

?

The play was straightforward as well. Declarers had the three aces to lose and the trump finesse. There was a chance of losing a fifth trick - declarer might trump the third diamond, then run the heart ten, allowing South an overruff on the fourth diamond. But all three declarers took nine tricks, giving Donbot the E-W top.

?

4H W -1 (2)

2H W +1

?

3:

?

...............----

...............AJ962

...............A87654

...............104

AQ104..................95

K5.........................1043

KQ10932..............----

J ...........................AKQ98763

...............KJ87632

...............Q87

...............J

...............52

?

This one was quite the free-for-all. One South opened 3S and was left in it, something only a Robot would do. A 3NT overcall by West would have been fascinating had it been left in, but West ended up in 6NT - curiously, not doubled. The third auction saw E-W in a bit of a ping-pong match, finishing in 5D W, which was much more reasonably left undoubled, as there was a tolerable chance of a decent runout.

?

All the contracts failed. No-trumps declared by West is perhaps the most interesting - the most effective opening lead is a club, forcing declarer to take club tricks right off the top and squeezing the hand. The best West can do is to take ten tricks, so long as North reads West's discards carefully and keeps the third card in whichever red suit West abandons. Maurie posted 6NT -2 for the middle score. Heve were N-S top defending 5D W -3, taking their expected five tricks. Donbot went plus defending 3S S -2. They could have done one trick better, but Don overruffed a ruff with the spade jack and missed a chance to score a trick with the four-spot. But it made no difference, as even allowing an overtrick would have been the E-W top.

?

5D W -3

6NT W -2

3S S -2

?

Leaders: Donbot-Heve 5.5, Maurie-Harob 3

?

4:

?

...............43

...............Q73

...............K6432

...............KJ8

J10962..................AQ8

AJ10......................K842

J5...........................Q1087

Q74........................103

...............K75

...............965

...............A9

...............A9652

?

No East opened in third seat. The auction might have been P-P-1D-P; 1S-P-P-2C, perhaps ending there or going on to 2S or 3C. 3C should fail if E-W can cash their hearts early; declarer lacks the entries to ruff a spade and draw all the trumps when the suit must be finessed through West as well; the upshot is that West will get to overruff a diamond. 2S might make, although that will require a correct guess of the hearts. The only auction with a bid saw South open 1C in fourth seat and declare 1NT.

?

1NT had eight tricks with the two black suits behaving, but any plus was enough to give Louise N-S top.

?

1NT S +1

Passed Out (2)

?

5:

?

...............10843

...............J8765

...............J9

...............109

K975.....................2

A9.........................1042

Q4.........................K87653

KJ765....................Q42

...............AQJ6

...............KQ3

...............A102

...............A83

?

One East opened 2D in second seat and eventually declared 3D. As the other contracts were 2NT S and 3H S, it seems almost certain that South opened 2NT at both those tables, left in once, and transferred into 3H S the other time.

?

3H turns out to be right-sided when declared by South. E-W can get a spade ruff only at the cost of their normal spade trick. Declarer must come to at least nine tricks, and Steve took ten. 2NT is set by a club lead, Miken producing that normal result. Harold played 3D, which could have finished -2 against proper defence. Unfortunately South began with the spade ace when either a heart or club was required, then continued with the ace of diamonds and Harold could no longer be set. He even emerged with an overtrick when the hearts were delayed until the clubs were established.

?

3H S +1

2NT S -1

3D E +1

?

6:

?

...............87

...............J7542

...............KQ6

...............A105

A109642...........QJ

63......................KQ

72......................AJ43

J43....................KQ982

...............K53

...............A1098

...............10985

...............76

?

I wondered if I would see a downgrade to a 1NT opening bid, but that did not happen. One auction was 1C-2S; 4S; the others began 1C-1S; 2NT, left in once and finishing in 4S the other time.

?

4S is troubled by the trump blockage. After, say, a club lead, South can get a ruff, as declarer has no entry to hand to draw the third trump. This looks as if it ought, though, to come at the cost of the defensive diamond trick. The key is a pretty one. Declarer's best shot after two rounds of trumps is to lead the second club to jack and ace. Now North does NOT give South the ruff but sets up the diamond trick first and there is the set; the ruff still comes. That defence would have been a thing of beauty, especially as the timing has to be precise. Bob received the opening lead of the diamond king and that gave him the entry to hand he needed for the make; Ken also made 4S. It did not matter what Lourene did defending 2NT but they took the five tricks they could.

?

2NT E =

4S W = (2)

?

Leaders: Heve 8.5, Harob 8, Donbot 6.5, Maurie 6

?

7:

?

...............103

...............KJ96542

...............9

...............983

AKJ...........................98742

A8.............................107

10652........................A843

KQ64 ........................A10

...............Q65

...............Q3

...............KQJ7

...............J752

?

1NT from West; did North get into the auction? One North did and managed to take the bid in 3H. At the other two tables East transferred into 2S and then passed both times, a dubious call with two aces and a semi-balanced pattern.

?

Of course, having stopped in 2S, the layout was fine, with the trumps 3-2 and the queen onside. Even the 4-1 diamonds were not quite enough to do harm. If the diamonds are avoided Sout gets endplayed; if N-S start with a diamond and a ruff, South gets squeezed. Eleven tricks were possible; declarers took ten and nine. Lourene were N-S top on -140; declarer drew trumps too soon. Maurie's par score for defending against 3H was also +200, but they did better. Declarer's attempts to improve on the result turned -2 into -4.

?

2S W +1

2S W +2

3H N -4

?

8:

?

...............A72

...............J96

...............A8432

...............K9

K105......................Q864

K1042....................AQ87

KQ10......................75

Q84........................632

...............J93

...............53

...............J96

...............AJ1075

?

It seemed likely that the auction would begin 1C-1D-X-2D; 2H, with West playing 2H once and 3H once. The third contract was the unlikely 1NT E, made slightly less unlikely by the perpetrators' being Heve, who are prone to play in no-trumps with a major fit.

?

Despite the 4-4 fit, 1NT proved to be the contract with a better layout. 2H could be held to eight tricks by a club ruff. Against 1NT, even if South establishes the club suit, there is no entry to run it. N-S get only two club tricks and declarer has time to bring in three tricks in the kindly-divided spades. However, declarer has to duck a club lead to bring this about. Against Donbot declarer left the spades a little too late and did not preserve enough entries to be able to bring in the suit, resulting in 1NT =. Neither of the pairs defending against heart found the club ruff, so that both Bob and Mary scored +140.

?

1NT E =

2H W +1; 3H W =

?

9:

?

...............107

...............AKQ10

...............96

...............Q10954

A65432.................J9

43..........................J865

1084......................A72

A8..........................J732

...............KQ8

...............972

...............KQJ53

...............K6

?

North apparently didn't open, as North's doing so seems almost sure to result in a game contract. After a 1D opening from South West likely competes. Game is possible: P-P-1D-1S; X-P-1NT-P; 2NT-P-3NT is quite possible. West may overcall 2S instead. Everyone stopped short of game in three different contracts: 2NT S, 3C N and 3D S.

?

Either 3m contract could have been held to nine tricks. Both declarers took ten. Don played 3C and was still only due for nine tricks up until trick ten. East, on lead with J8 in hearts and A7 in diamonds, had to lead the diamond ace to hold Don but led the heart jack instead to give the overtrick. This tied Ken's result in 3D S. The overtricks put pressure on Louise in 2NT. She could be held to nine tricks by a spade lead, which would still be top, but underperforming would have given her a bottom. She took her nine tricks and had the top despite the overtricks in the minors.??

?

2NT S +1

3C N +1; 3D S +1

?

Leaders: Maurie-Heve 11, Lobot-Donbot 10, Harob 9.5

?

10:

?

...............103

...............A85432

...............107

...............Q54

K862......................AQ94

J97.........................K

Q.............................J95432

108763...................J9

...............J75

...............Q106

...............AK86

...............AK2

?

South opens 1NT and then it all falls on North's valuation of the hand. North might transfer to 2H and then raise to 3H as an invitation, but all three Norths opted to pass 2H.

?

The play here was as straightforward as anything all day. There are two spade losers and usually one heart loser. The spots are not there to offer any sensible alternative to leading the ace. With the usual one loser in trumps everyone took ten tricks for a flat board.

?

2H S +2 (3)

?

11:

?

...............95

...............K109853

...............A982

...............J

AQ872......................KJ106

Q...............................76

764............................J3

10985........................AKQ62

...............43

...............AJ42

...............KQ105

...............743

?

This hand was a bit hard to understand. North presumably opens 2H in third seat. This makes East a little uncomfortable. Is the action of choice to double and risk West's bidding diamonds or to bid 3C? Doubling likely gets West to 4S one way or another, but then I don't know why South didn't carry on to 5H. Perhaps if 4D could have been a fit-showing jump then North, with a secondary fit in diamonds, could have carried on to the nice sacrifice in 5H. Contracts were 3S E and 4S W twice.

?

Here is the double fit at its finest; we had a potential double game swing here, either 4H or 4S making in a breeze. Harob were N-S top for having kept from pushing E-W into game. Don received a club lead against 4S and made an overtrick for the E-W top.

?

3S E +1

4S W =

4S W +1

?

12:

?

...............AK64

...............76

...............J94

...............AK52

82........................QJ105

AKQ84................102

Q752....................A3

106.......................J8743

...............973

...............J953

...............K1086

...............Q9

?

If West passes, North opens 1NT; one West balanced with a presumably DONT 2D and was left there. One West played 2H, likely after 1H-X-1S-P; 2D-P-2H or something similar. The third auction got really out of line starting with East's rebid: 1H-X-1S-P; 2D-P-3C-P; 3H-P-4H-X.

?

Harob took their expected six tricks against 4Hx for the N-S top. Don took six tricks in 2H and tied Mary, who managed an impressive six tricks in 2D, for E-W top.

?

4Hx W -3

2D W -2; 2H W -2

?

Leaders: Donbot-Maurie-Harob 14.5, Lourene 12.5, Heve 12

?

13:

?

...............96

...............764

...............10984

...............Q1053

Q4............................853

AJ85........................KQ10932

AK............................QJ6

AKJ92......................8

...............AKJ1072

...............----

...............7532

...............764

?

2H from East and South cannot do much. West could likely have stolen a remarkably lucky top with 3NT but twice raised to 4H and once resorted to 4NT, stopping in 5H with one key card missing. This told West nothing about whether East did or didn't control spades.

?

South led the spade ace-king at every table and we had another flat board.

?

4H E +1 (2); 5H E =

?

14:

?

...............K8

...............QJ10973

...............A986

...............7

J54............................A62

AK6...........................2

752.............................KQJ103

QJ103........................A985

...............Q10973

...............854

...............4

...............K642

?

This looked reasonably easy: 1D-2NT from E-W would shut North out and East would likely accept the invitation. 3NT W was reached twice; the third contract was 4D E.

?

3NT can make by establishing the diamonds before the clubs. With hearts 6-3 and the length with North it is important to attack North's possible entry first; declarer does not mind losing the lead to South later. But Harob managed -2 and Maurie -3 against 3NT when declarer tackled the two suits in the wrong order. 4D could also make but Hank had E-W top for even -1.

?

3NT W -3

3NT W -2

4D W -1

?

15:

?

...............J4

...............J104

...............10863

...............10953

A7632....................Q8

4.............................Q7653

A42........................KQJ9

Q642......................87

...............K1095

...............AK92

...............75

...............AKJ

?

A good deal depends on whether, after South's 1C opening bid, West overcalls 1S or not. If West does not, we get something like 1C-P-P-1H; 1NT and it may end there. 1C-1S may get a disastrous 2H from East or a stopperless 1NT, which likely ends the auction. It seems that West bid all three times, as contracts were 1NT E twice and 2H E.

?

A little weirdly, the winning lead against 1NT E is a low heart (or top heart followed by a low one), establishing a third trick for N-S in the suit and providing an entry to the North hand for a spade lead through to establish two spade tricks, and all before East can get the club queen established in time. Any other start to the defence gives declarer a trick or at least a tempo. Not surprisingly, the two 1NT contracts, both succeeded, Hank emerging with eight tricks when North led a club instead of a spade at the crucial trick. 2H can also get out for -1, but all N-S have to do for that set is just cash the top clubs when they're led and wait for their four heart tricks. Harob were N-S top anyway and picked up an extra undertrick.?

?

2H E -2

1NT E =

1NT E +1

?

Leaders: Maurie-Harob 18.5, Heve 17, Donbot 16.5

?

16:

?

...............A7

...............J6

...............KQJ72

...............Q543

KJ1082.................643

K954.....................A732

1083......................A54

8............................AJ2

...............Q95

...............Q108

...............96

...............K10976

?

If East doubles 1D, West likely competes to 2S with the good five-card suit and range nearly good enough for a jump. If East passes 1D, South responds 1NT and that is likely it. Contracts were 1NT S twice and 2S W, the last after East passed 1D but doubled 1NT.

?

The layout quite suits E-W. Spade contracts take nine tricks without much trouble; both majors split 3-2 and the spade queen is onside. Bob took nine tricks in 2S as expected. 1NT S could have finished -2, which happened once for the middle score. Steve made 1NT S when the opening lead was the spade jack and West later discarded a spade on the diamonds.

?

1NT S =

1NT S -2

2S W +1

?

17:

?

...............Q

...............AKJ62

...............K985

...............Q74

AJ9........................K1042

Q97........................43

QJ2........................A1063

AK102....................J86

...............87653

...............1085

...............74

...............953

?

1H-P-P and West is good enough to double and then bid 1NT. Will East make any sort of move towards game? The one game that was bid came after East overbid and jumped to 2S in reply to the double; West then jumped to 3NT, quite reasonably. East might have made a move after 1H-P-P-X; P-1S-P-1NT, but the other two Wests were left there or even balanced with 1NT instead of a double.

?

No-trumps can take eleven tricks; if North does not lead hearts the hand gets squeezed. Everyone took eleven tricks, giving Bob E-W top and dividing N-S top between Lourene and Heve.

?

1NT W +4 (2)

3NT W +2

?

18:

?

...............J987

...............J

...............K1085

...............K875

A..........................10543

KQ765..................A93

A632.....................Q974

A93.......................Q10

...............KQ62

...............10842

...............J

...............J642

?

West opens 1H, East raises to 2H and West likely comes out with some sort of invitation. One West stopped in 2H, another finished in 3H and the last West played 4H. The third auction was 1H-2H; 3D-4H.

?

Despite the 4-1 splits in the red suits, that the singletons are jacks mitigates the bad effect. 4H makes even against a spade lead if declarer avoids leading trumps too soon. All three contracts finished with an overtrick, giving Lourene the N-S top when West led the club ace at trick eight instead of a diamond. Harob were E-W top for being the only pair in 4H.

?

2H W +1

3H W +1

4H W +1

?

Final: Harob 24.5, Heve 21.5, Maurie 18.5, Lourene-Donbot 18

1:

?

...............A1098

...............109762

...............5

...............1082

Q43.......................K765

AQJ5.....................K

J10987..................AQ

5............................AKQJ94

...............J2

...............843

...............K6432

...............763

?

We started with a hand that does not seem to fit a lot of partnerships. Some Easts opened 2C and some 1C. The choice ought to have made the difference between slam and no slam. After 1C, East rebids 2S and it will be hard to move West off 3NT. East may raise to 4NT invitationally but that should be all. After a 2C opening bid West should move towards slam and East has a quite reasonable acceptance. At our tables slam was reached thrice, with two other pairs looking: 3NT E, 3NT W, 5NT W twice, 6C E and 6NT E twice.

?

Declarer has the tricks to make slam but cannot untangle them if the opening lead is a heart. After, say, a club lead, East wins and leads the spade king. If North takes that and returns a spade the hearts cannot produce four tricks by unblocking. Luckily North gets squeezed in the majors, although declarer is likely to try the diamond finesse instead. If North ducks the spade the squeeze still operates but in a different way. West comes down to the spade queen and the four hearts. North must keep all four hearts and blank the spade ace. East can then unblock the heart king, get out with a spade and North will have to lead into West's hearts. Chances are, though, that declarer will prefer the diamond finesse to the squeeze, and a heart lead ruins declarer's communications. John made 6NT after a diamond lead for E-W top; Leighry were N-S top after a heart lead was ducked and the result was 6NT -3.

?

6NT E -3

5NT W -1; 6C E -1

3NT E +3 (2); 5NT W +1

6NT E =

?

2:

?

...............AQ9

...............10964

...............KJ94

...............AQ

8743.....................J1062

53.........................QJ72

A862....................Q5

1095.....................KJ8

...............K5

...............AK8

...............1073

...............76432

?

We nearly had 3NT N at every table. One North, though, opened 1D instead of 1NT, E-W competed and the auction ended in a lowly 2S W.

?

3NT S would have offered West a couple of leads that might have made declarer squirm a bit, but with North declaring the only lead to hold declarer to the contract was a spade. Leigh Ann took ten tricks after the lead of the queen of hearts; by the time West got in for a club lead, she had her overtrick already secured. Harold and Kevin also took ten tricks in 3NT. Two declarers made the contract and Elott posted a set, declarer likely passing up the heart finesse.

?

3NT N +1 (3)

3NT N = (2)

2S W -1

3NT N -1

?

3:

?

...............AJ103

...............Q96

...............8743

...............K2

Q652.....................K974

A2.........................10854

K96.......................AQ

J963......................Q107

...............8

...............KJ73

...............J1052

...............A854

?

My personal choice of a 1S opening bid in third seat was made only by Kevin. Ritold and Giselaine produced a passout; at all the other tables East opened 1C in fourth seat, the hand just meeting the Rule of Fifteen. Two Wests were allowed to play in their 1S response (I don't know why South didn't make a balancing double. Jeff played 1NT S after Kevin's 1S opening. Higher contracts were 2D N, 2H S and 3D S after a curious auction in which South overcalled 1D on J1052, spades were never bid and N-S had a chance to defend 3C.

?

Haorge posted N-S top when declarer misguessed the trumps, began with a low spade to the queen and then at trick four led the good king from dummy, establishing Hank's jack and ten. Tracy took the seven tricks in 1S that he could force to be E-W top. Diamonds could have been held to eight tricks in either of two ways - either draw three rounds of trumps and wait, or else play a spade and force declarer to lose a spade trick by taking an early two ruffs (or transpose into the other line). Kin and Ken both took nine tricks in diamonds for a good score, tying Henry's 2H S =.

?

1S W -2

2D N +1; 2H S =; 3D S =

1NT S =

Passed Out

1S W =

?

4:

?

...............J

...............KJ106

...............A964

...............10874

532...........................A964

Q532........................98

Q108........................753

K52..........................AQJ3

...............KQ1087

...............A74

...............KJ2

...............96

?

It seemed a tossup which side would declare 1NT on the hand. I was looking for P-P-1C-1S; X and then does North pass and let East bid 1NT or does North bid 1NT first? It was evenly divided: 1NT E, 1NTx E, 1NT N twice, then 2C E and 2S S twice.

?

Whoever declares, no-trumps contracts ought to yield eight tricks to N-S. Both N-S pairs of defenders against 1NT took eight tricks, giving Karleta the N-S top thanks to the double. Harold managed a trick more than expected when the E-W club honours crashed together in three rounds. 2S could have forced nine tricks but both pairs of defenders held the contract to eight tricks.

?

1NTx E -2

1NT E -2

1NT N +2

2S S = (2)

2C E -1

1NT N =

?

5:

?

...............K5

...............54

...............AQ10742

...............K65

Q2.............................A1076

AKJ106.....................9872

K86...........................9

J74............................10832

...............J9843

...............Q3

...............J53

...............AQ9

?

This turned into a Battle of the Reds. After 1D-P-1S a 2H overcall from West?usually?secured the contract in hearts. 1D-P-1S-P; 2D-P-3D could have kept West out, with perhaps the exciting prospect of North's attempting 3NT. Hearts won out over diamonds by a 4-3 margin, with the three-level most popular: 2H W, 3D N twice, 3H W thrice and 4D N.

?

It would have been nice to see 3NT N attempted; would East have found the heart lead? Weirdly the hearts are the safest lead looking at just the East hand and become the killing aggressive lead looking at the whole deal. Against diamonds E-W should defend passively, but West got into a pickle after taking two rounds of hearts, although there is nothing wrong with a club switch. North must hold a spade honour to have opened the bidding and any spade losers will not go anywhere. Just sit back and wait. But all three declarers in diamonds took ten tricks. Hearts always come to nine tricks because the frozen spades allow declarer to establish the clubs. Three declarers took nine tricks in hearts while Louise took ten, which seems highly unlikely, an underlead of the diamond ace seeming to be the only helpful thing North can do that gives West a useful trick.

?

3D N +1 (2); 4D N =

2H W +1; 3H W = (2)

3H W +1

?

6:

?

...............Q9872

...............AQ72

...............2

...............KJ3

K4.........................A103

10853....................KJ9

98..........................AJ75

107654..................AQ9

...............J65

...............64

...............KQ10643

...............82

?

I never saw the auction for which I was looking. Marudy, I knew, would play 2NT E after a 2D opening bid. But I expected to see 1D-P-P-X; 1NT at least once. I did see one East follow the balancing double with 2NT, which, played thrice, was the plurality contract. Two Norths declared 2S after beginning with an overcall instead of a double. One South left a reopening double in.?At the last table East bid 1NT later in the auction and South removed that to 2D.

?

The hand is kind to E-W, who can take eight tricks in either no-trumps or diamonds. Diamonds even offer a chance of nine tricks, as the spade ruff and two entries to dummy are priceless. Only a diamond lead through East from North holds declarer to eight tricks; without that lead South in the end position will have to ruff two of North's winners and give East three trump tricks in addition to the spade ruff. Scott made two overtricks in 1Dx after a heart lead and return. 2NT can make because North gets endplayed and takes only three spades and two hearts, though that requires near-psychic levels of guessing. Jevin were N-S top defending 2NT -2; East played clubs first from hand instead of hearts and later started hearts instead of continuing clubs. Gareth made 2NT E for a fine declaring result and was unlucky not to score better against Scott's 1Dx E +2 and Mahn's 2D S -3. 2S turns into another titanic battle of throwing the opposition on lead. Perfect defence should produce a two-trick set but -1 was a reasonable practical result for Troward and I was not surprised to see Ken make 2S.

?

2NT E -2

2S N =

2NT E -1

2S N -1

2NT E =

2D S -3

1Dx E +2

?

7:

?

...............Q64

...............A832

...............KQJ2

...............A9

A98.........................K753

J10..........................K764

9853........................1076

Q873.......................J10

...............J102

...............Q95

...............A4

...............K6542

?

Could we get everyone into 3NT? Not this time. One South raised to 2NT only and North declined.

?

Nine tricks was the probable outcome, reached at five tables of the seven. A spade lead and return, ducked by East, gives declarer the most interesting choice. The king of hearts onside is more likely than 3-3 clubs but also requires 4-3 spades, while playing for an even club split means wanting to be able to lose the lead to West. Kevin took ten tricks when each side persisted in playing the other's suit. East, moved by the better spots, led a heart to jack(?) and ace. Kevin then ran the spade jack to the ace and West returned a second heart, allowing Kevin a third heart trick and the time required to bring it in. Mahn defeated 3NT when declarer ducked a club and then cashed the king too early, establishing the fifth winner for the defence.

?

3NT N +1 (2)

3NT N = (4)

3NT N -1

?

8:

?

...............AQ742

...............KJ97

...............1064

...............5

KJ863.....................1095

1083........................6

97............................AKQ8

Q87.........................KJ643

...............----

...............AQ542

...............J532

...............A1092

?

This time we got everyone to game. The hand would have suited Jerik, who might have opened 1S in second seat and had an uncontested run to 4H, As it was, East usually opened in third seat, letting West bid 1S over South's 1H overcall. But the fit was good enough that nobody stopped in a partial; contracts were 4H S five times, 4S W and 4Sx W.

?

Mark had a lucky escape in 4Sx; North led a club, which would have allowed for two ruffs with the spade ace-queen still to win. South cashed the heart ace at trick two, though, unsure of where the singleton lay. But it was highly unlikely that North would have led a club from Q85 instead of partner's hearts. Both declarers in spades escaped with eight tricks. 4H makes on the splendid fit, with two aces and eight tricks with trumps. Whether the diamonds are led off the top or not declarer can cross-ruff right away. In a cross-ruffing situation it pays to count winners rather than losers; Troward's opponent drew a second round of trumps and had to go down.

?

4H S = (4)

4Sx W -2

4S W -2

4H S -1

?

9:

?

...............Q652

...............AKQ

...............K

...............A9854

A98.........................J4

10862.....................543

72............................QJ105

QJ103.....................K762

...............K1073

...............J97

...............A98643

...............----

?

it seems we have a game full of bypassers, as South declared in spades every time except when North opened 1S and the auction was 1S-3S; 4NT-5H; 6S. I wondered if any Norths would splinter into 4D after 1C-1S and how excited South might get if that happened. There was one contract of 6S S. One pair managed to stop in 3S S and another in 3NT N, leaving 4S S as only a plurality contract.

?

We see how important the trump jack can be when the fit is only eight cards and a higher honour is also missing. Eleven tricks are the limit in spades. Kevin gave the defence a chance to go wrong. After a diamond lead to his king he cashed his three heart winners and then began a cross-ruff. At trick ten, dummy having ruffed two clubs, West led the fourth diamond go through and Kevin scored a low ruff, then ruffed another club with the spade ten and was sure of two of the last three tricks. Had West ruffed the fourth diamond, Kevin would have had to overruff with his queen. Then, even if he finessed the spade ten, West would win the ace and set the contract by returning either a club or heart, whichever West had saved. A heart would be ruffed, overruffed and overoverruffed, leaving West with the thirteenth trump; a club would force South to ruff with the king and establish East's jack. Glynneth set 6S two tricks; the other spade contracts took ten tricks or eleven. 3NT was not terribly secure but made when the spades behaved.

?

6S N =

4S S +1 (2)

4S S =

3NT N =

3S S +2

6S S -2

?

10:

?

...............10943

...............A82

...............974

...............A102

A82........................K765

95...........................KQJ1063

AJ1032...................K8

K53.........................9

...............QJ

...............74

...............Q65

...............QJ8764

?

We did get everyone into game. Not everyone reached the same game; contracts were 3NT W, 4H E five times and 5H E. If West does offer 3NT as an alternative, East ought to return to 4H; the suit is playable opposite a low singleton and there is a good chance there will not be enough fast tricks in no-trumps to match the result in hearts.

?

Declarer catches a bit of a break in 3NT; only a club lead holds declarer to nine tricks (and then West has to duck to get them!). Callie led a spade but received good luck when West discarded diamonds on the hearts and came only to ten tricks. 4H always had eleven tricks with the friendly diamonds and a chance of twelve if the clubs were never led. Jevin set 4H after a spade lead when declarer avoided the diamond finesse.

?

4H E -1

3NT W +1

4H E +1 (3)

4H E +2; 5H E +1

?

11:

?

...............10764

...............Q863

...............Q85

...............J5

AQ985...................KJ3

AJ..........................754

J92.........................1043

A63........................KQ94

...............2

...............K1092

...............AK76

...............10872

?

One West opened 1NT and was left there. I did not get the full breakdown of 1S or 1NT opening bids; one West declared 3NT. The other contracts were all in spades: 2S, 3S and 4S thrice. I did see one West bid 3S over 1NT-2NT.

?

This would have been a good hand for Heve, as declarer has nine top tricks in either no-trumps or spades and the clubs deny declarer in 4S a tenth. Weirdly, though, with West declaring at every table, South frequently unguarded the clubs, despite seeing the clear threat in the East hand. Two of the three 4S contracts made; it was only set by Jevin. Rekenee even set 3S when declarer didn't draw all the trumps and Ken ruffed a high club. Tracy was E-W top in 3NT +2; South unguarded the clubs and the opening lad was a heart to the ten and jack.

?

3S W -1; 4S W -1

2S W +2

1NT W +3

4S W = (2)

3NT W +2

?

12:

?

...............J7

...............AJ94

...............Q32

...............AJ86

9853.....................AKQ6

Q85.......................K87

86..........................K104

KQ72.....................543

...............1042

...............1032

...............AJ975

...............109

?

This was the last hand without a game contract. Over 1C from North, East had a choice between pass, double on a flat hand, 1NT without a stopper and 1S on four. It appears all four options were taken. Contracts were 1NT E, 1NT N, 2S E twice, 2S W twice and 4D S after the lengthy auction P-1C-X-1D; 1S-2D-2S-3D; P-P-3S-P; P-4D.

?

No-trumps can yield eight tricks to N-S. East declaring after a diamond lead has a chance of a make but cannot force it, although Judy did bring in seven tricks while Ken made 1NT N. 2S could have lost two tricks in each of the side suits; three declarers were set but John brought in the contract. Lin made 4D for the N-S top after E-W began with two rounds of spades, allowing her entries and timing to draw trumps and establish the discard she needed.

?

4D S =

1NT N =

2S E -1; 2S W -1 (2)

1NT E =

2S E =

?

13:

?

...............J103

...............----

...............AQ10842

...............Q1075

98754.........................----

Q982..........................AK107654

3.................................J6

J86.............................K943

...............AKQ62

...............J3

...............K975

...............A2

?

North often opened 2D, East came in in hearts and then South usually bid spades. West often raised hearts. Could N-S have found slam? Yes if North had made a splinter raise had there been room. It's irregular but, as North really ought not to hold four spades, a splinter raise can be made on three and then South knows that xxx x Axxxxx xxx makes slam more than half the time. I would also hold that 2D-2H-2S-3H; 4H ought to be considered a splinter, given the hand's already being so limited in strength. A little surprisingly the auction only once got higher than 4S: 2D-2H-2S-3H; 3S-4H-4S-X; P-5H-X, stumbling into a good spot. North declared twice, 4D and 5D; the other four contracts were 4S S.

?

Thirteen tricks were available in spades with a heart ruff, thanks to North's holding both jack and ten of trumps. Marudy held declarer to ten tricks when the spade ten was overtaken by the ace. John was always going to score 5/6 in 5Hx -1 or -2 but even managed to make 5Hx when North led a club.

?

4S S +3 (3)

4S S =; 5D N +1

4D N +2

5Hx E =

?

14:

?

...............A1052

...............Q52

...............9865

...............K8

J93.........................Q764

A96.........................3

10............................AQ732

1097542..................QJ6

...............K8

...............KJ10874

...............KJ4

...............A3

?

Would N-S find 4H? The North hand is just worth a limit raise, and will certainly accept any invitation from South after a single raise, whether East opens the bidding or not. South can reasonably invite if the auction does begin 1H-2H. 4H was reached by a 4-3 marin, with 3H played the other three times. At IMP scoring, there would be a huge premium on reaching the unsinkable 3NT. Jevin's auction was 1D-X-P-2S; P-3H-P-4H.

?

The opening lead was a diamond and the entire fate of the hand came down to whether South rose with the king on the second round or finessed. Results split four ways with four declarers playing the king (taking nine tricks) and three the jack (taking ten): +420 for Rita and Jeff, +170 for Renee, -140 for Elott and Marudy, and +50 for Mahn and Giselaine.

?

4H S = (2)

3H S +1

3H S = (2)

4H S -1 (2)

?

15:

?

...............9765

...............A

...............KQ97

...............AJ95

K82......................J43

J1098...................7532

53.........................A1062

K1042...................83

...............AQ10

...............KQ64

...............J82

...............Q76

?

We finally got everyone into the same game, although not from the same side of the table every time. Everyone arrived in 3NT, six times from the South side and once from the North.

?

Declarer can always take eleven tricks, but E-W might talk declarer out of finessing in clubs by persisting in hearts and establishing the suit or perhaps can get two diamond tricks if East ducks two rounds. Breta and Lin were the only two declarers in 3NT to take the possible eleven tricks. Against Breta East switched to a spade when in, allowing declarer time to play on clubs. Lin led a diamond from dummy and East rose with the ace, making the play of the hand rather easier.?

?

3NT S +2 (2)

3NT S +1

3NT S = (4)

?

16:

?

...............----

...............Q9843

...............J8643

...............J98

8642......................QJ1053

752.........................AKJ10

9.............................K2

KQ1075..................43

...............AK97

...............6

...............AQ1075

...............A62

?

Possible auctions might be or begin 1S-2D-3S-5D or 1S-X-3S. west might begin with 2S over a pass, but 3S in a competitive auction seems fine. One South ended in 3NT and another in the only partial of 4D. East played 4S and 4Sx, along with 5D N, 5D S and 5Dx S.

?

5D can force eleven tricks but not twelve. The hearts can establish but declarer cannot do that and draw the trumps, certainly not without help. All the diamond contracts took eleven tricks. 4S looked like taking eight tricks; Leighry picked up a third undertrick against 4Sx but -2 would have been top anyway. 3NT is -2 against a major lead, -1 against a diamond and = against a club. Elott began with a major lead and dropped a trick along the way, but were still E-W top.

?

4Sx E -3

5Dx S =

5D N =; 5D S =

4S E -2

4D S +1

3NT S -1

?

17:

?

...............65

...............KQJ975

...............Q108

...............97

AJ8743..................----

10...........................862

AJ75......................K96432

A8..........................KJ43

...............KQ1092

...............A43

...............----

...............Q10652

?

North began with 2H and then it was up to South to see what came next. The three undoubled contracts were all partials: 3H N, 3S W and 4C E. Four auctions ended with a double: 2H-P-4H-X, 2H-P-2NT-3S; P-P-X, 2H-P-4H-4S; 5H(?)-P-P-X and the lengthy 2H-P-P-X; P-3D-3H-3S; 4H-P-P-4S; P-P-X-5D; P-P-5H-X, presumably the longest auction of the game.

?

No contract made. South's diamond void was of moderate use, but there was nothing useful for declarer to do after ruffing a diamond lead. The defence could get a bit busy and give declarer more than eight tricks. Spades could take seven tricks, although the declarers in spades were held to six. Just defending meant at worst an average score, 3H N -1 when Leighry opposed Elott, the only defenders to take their full five tricks against hearts, as everyone else allowed nine.

?

3Sx W -3

3S W -3; 4C E -3

3H N -1

4Hx N -1

5Hx N -2 (2)

?

18:

?

...............8

...............862

...............AQ106

...............AJ1074

A109.......................KQ752

Q1093.....................AKJ4

943..........................75

K65..........................92

...............J643

...............75

...............KJ82

...............Q83

?

East declared in spades at every table. North might have opened and/or N-S might have competed to the three-level, especially if North began with 1D for rebid considerations instead of 1C. North is more likely to take action after P-1S-P-2S (presumably with 2NT) than after 1C-1S-P (or 1NT)-2S. Contracts were 2S E twice, 3S E four times and 4S E.

?

Declarer in spades could force nine tricks but was unlikely to bring in the trumps unless South had obligingly bid 1NT over a 1S overcall. Soctt?played?2S +1 despite not guessing the spades when South led a club to North's ace. Frank also took nine tricks in 3S but most declarers took the normal eight and Jevin held declarer to six to finish with a shared top.

?

2S E -2; 4S E -2

3S E -1 (3)

2S E +1; 3S E =

1:

?

...............AQJ4

...............52

...............A1032

...............K43

109863...................K752

A104.......................K9

7..............................J864

9865.......................AQJ

...............----

...............QJ8763

...............KQ95

...............1072

?

It really looked as if this auction might have died quietly in 2H after 1D-1H; 1S-2H. South had the loser count for 3H or 3D on the second round and one could equally easily see 3NT N after a 3D rebid particularly; I just hoped not to see 4H. Of course, the game being what it is, naturally some Easts had to make an off-shape takeout double and a significant minority of contracts were by E-W, with spades as popular as hearts for trumps. Contracts were 2D N, 2H S thrice, 2S W twice, 2NT N, 3D N, 3S W, 3NT E, 4D N and 4S W.

?

The hand sits prettily for E-W. E-W can manage six tricks against a heart contract declared by South but requires the hair-raising defence of a club lead, low heart return to the ace, second club, cash the third club, then East leads a diamond, gets in with the heart king, and gives West a ruff. A diamond lead may well produce five tricks; declarer has to rise with the ace to get a club discard but E-W still get two club tricks, the top two hearts and a ruff (or else a diamond instead). Ritold did take six tricks on defence; Eric took nine in 2H as declarer. The hand lies beautifully for E-W in spades; Jatin emerged with E-W top in 4S = after a lengthy auction; I do not blame N-S for not setting 4S, as, despite the 4-0 trumps, North must lead the spade, ace, queen or jack for the set; North wants to play four rounds of trumps to reduce West's capacity for diamond ruffs. The hand went back and forth, with five changes in the double dummy outcome, N-S making the last inaccuracy. All the spade contracts made. 3NT E -5 against Conndy was just about on par. If North declares in no-trumps, East has some brutally bad leads from which to choose. The only lead to hold declarer to eight tricks by force is a club from AQJ, despite the auction's likely clarifying that declarer holds the king. How often will we see that sort of hand? The lead might be found just because the other leads are so bad, but even Bill might miss it.

?

3NT E -5

2H S +1

2D N +1; 2H S =; 3D N =

2H S -1

2NT N -2; 4H N -2

2S W = (2)

3S W =

4D N -3

4S W =

?

2:

?

...............AKQ3

...............KQ65

...............94

...............AJ8

J84........................9765

A93........................84

KQJ106.................A732

92..........................763

...............102

...............J1072

...............85

...............KQ1054

?

1D by West in third seat and a double from North. East might just squeeze out 2D; West played 2D and 3D. South can enter the auction over 2D, which seems to make it easier for N-S to find game. South declared in hearts at every other table: 2H twice, 3H six times and 4H thrice. One of the auctions to reach 4H was P-P-1D-X; P-1H-P-4H. 4H is too much but 3H seems reasonable enough, although a cue-bid of diamonds instead ought to do just as well. South has more than enough to accept a 3H invitation and might even give a look for game opposite 2H.

?

The play offered no surprises or mysteries. All Souths in hearts took exactly ten tricks, providing a tie for top to Lee, Dee and Serge. Similarly both Wests playing diamonds took exactly seven tricks, giving Glotin a perfect start in 2D -1.

?

4H S = (3)

2H S +2 (2); 3H S +1 (6)

3D W -2

2D W -1

?

3:

?

...............5

...............9

...............AQ1097654

...............532

Q2.............................AK107

AKQ1043..................862

83..............................KJ2

AQ8...........................KJ6

...............J98643

...............J75

...............----

...............10974

?

West opened 1H and the ball was in North's court. The popular choice of overcall was 4D, bid nine times. Three Norths were content with 3D while Connie went all the way to 5D. 3D seems to allow E-W to reach the top spot of 6NT; East may settle for 3NT over 3D and West has enough extras for a natural raise to 4NT, an invitation which East will be happy to accept. At twelve tables West played 4H; as Connie had bid 5D, East had to go to 5H, although the defensive potential of the hand might have made a double preferable despite the vulnerability (on the hand an 1100 penalty was in the air, second best to 6NT.

?

The whole hand came down to the opening lead. Would North lead the diamond ace and then give South a ruff? That lead was found by Connie, Liz, Doug, Jim (U), Deebot, Serbot and Marbot. The other Wests received a different lead, providing scores of +680 to Lynn, Leigh Ann, Jatin, Rich, Martin and Elaine.

?

4H W +1 (6)

4H W +1 (6); 5H W =

?

4:

?

...............J

...............QJ943

...............KQ

...............AQ1032

K952..........................A108743

1076...........................K852

6.................................984

KJ987.........................----

...............Q6

...............A

...............AJ107532

...............654

?

This one could get tricky after P-1H-2S-3D. If West raises to 3S as expected North can pass, letting South rebid 4D. If West passes, North has to find a rebid, in which case 4D may be the least of evils. One North apparently rebid 3H and regretted it when South raised to 4H. Contracts were 3D S, 3S E thrice, 4D S four times, 4H N, 4S E, 5Cx N (not the wisest of doubles, as N-S could easily have gone back to 5D) and 5D S twice. The 3D contract came about after North misclicked and opened the bidding 1S, which shut E-W out of the auction, much to their distress.

?

Pharah did find some good fortune in the misclick, as Phyllis led a club rather than a spade. This made Pharah the only E-W pair to hold a diamond contract to ten tricks; five declarers took twelve tricks in diamonds and one took eleven, giving Eric and Dianne a tie for N-S top. E-W top was Haorge's for 5Cx N -3. Lernot were second, defending 4H -4. Nine tricks could have been the limit in spades as long as N-S were careful not to allow an extra entry to the West hand. Serbot did defeat 4S but Gisela took eleven tricks and Geoff ten in 3S.

?

5D S +1 (2)

4D S +2 (3)

4D S +1

3D S +1

4S E -1

3S E =

3S E +1

3S E +2

4H N -4

5Cx N -3

?

5:

?

...............A92

...............K1063

...............Q108

...............AK2

QJ85.......................K4

97............................AQJ54

A9763......................J42

86............................Q109

...............10763

...............82

...............K5

...............J7543

?

1NT N was only left in five times, matching 2H E for the most frequently declared contract. The other three contracts were 2S W, 3H E and a perplexing 2D E.

?

Why a balance hand would want to interfere over 1NT is beyond me. Unless East insists on establishing hearts (which allows a make if declarer guesses the spade and diamond position accurately) 1NT should be defeated while 2H does well to get out for -1. Henry, NJ and Judy (P) made 2H to tie for E-W top. Conndy were N-S top defending 2H -3, receiving a trick at trick two when West led a spade and another at trick eight when a diamond was ruffed and overruffed. Curiously, 1NT never took seven tricks; Ken and Jim (U) took eight tricks while the other three declarers took six; maybe E-W allowed them four club winners? 2D E = seemed the most normal of successful contracts for Haorge, begging only the question of how they got there.

?

2H E -3

1NT N +1 (2)

3H E -2

2H E -1; 2S W -1

2D E =

1NT N -1 (3)

2H E = (3)

?

6:

?

...............93

...............1064

...............AJ987

...............QJ2

K108......................J764

J52.........................Q983

Q1042....................K

986.........................K543

...............AQ52

...............AK7

...............653

...............A107

?

1NT S was left in only once. All the other Norths made at least a move towards game and eventually South declared 3NT. The invitation seems reasonable enough, the good diamonds counting for something beyond the honour value.

?

The hand is quite straightforward to play as well, with ten tricks coming in when diamonds and clubs behave, North's good diamond spots making the 4-1 split of no consequence. Declarer just has to know to finesse an intermediate first. If anything the 4-1 split is a help, as it spoils the likely falsecard of king or queen from H10x. Six Souths managed to take ten tricks, dividing the top between Cindy, Phoebe, Erik, Dee, Serge and Marjorie. Three declarers in 3NT were defeated, with Stenj taking E-W top on their score of +100.

?

3NT S +1 (6)

3NT S = (3)

1NT S +1

3NT S -1 (2)

3NT S -2

?

7:

?

...............A96

...............KJ987

...............A

...............Q754

K52.........................J4

104..........................AQ52

Q92.........................KJ876

J9832......................106

...............Q10873

...............63

...............10953

...............AK

?

Pairs that play Flannery may have had an advantage on this auction, as it is fairly common for Flannery pairs to play that the auction 1H-1S shows five, given that opener would not hold four spades unless the hand were good enough for a reverse. Of course, North might find it difficult to decide between 2S and 3S. Otherwise the auction would likely begin 1H-1S; 2C-2H; 2S, over which South could have made one more move and North may well have accepted. 4S S was reached thrice. One North rebid 1NT instead of 2C and was left there, one East was left in 2D, four Souths played 2S, one North played 3H and South played 3S thrice.

?

The four and three of spades play potentially crucial roles in the play of 4S. After, say, a diamond lead, followed by two clubs and a heart to East, five rounds of ruffs in the minors, if East sacrifices the jack and four of spades, will be followed by a heart to East's ace, leaving West with the spade K52 over South's 1083; as long as West does not then overruff, the spade five promotes for the setting trick. There are plenty of pitfalls; if E-W begin with three hearts South must ruff with an intermediate spot. A key point, though, is that, if South can slip in a ruff with the spade three, five ruffs in the minors will bring declarer ten tricks as there will be two trump winners to come in the end position. Ruffing the low club first forces East to ruff; then, after the second diamond ruff, the spade ace and club queen can be cashed to produce the same result. But declarer is unlikely to guess that clubs will be 5-2 and that it will be necessary to lead low from the North hand on the third round. Glynneth managed to set 4S when declarer led the club queen too early; the other declarers in 4S also went down. Liz and Dianne were the only declarers to take ten tricks in spades.

?

2S S +2; 3S S +1

2S S +1 (2); 3S S = (2)

1NT N +1

2S S =

2D E -1

3H N -1; 4S S -1 (3)

?

8:

?

...............1097

...............J85

...............J73

...............J1082

A32.........................QJ854

A6...........................K9

95............................AQ84

KQ7654...................A9

...............K6

...............Q107432

...............K1062

...............3

?

1C-P-1S and then does South act? If not we get 2C-2D; then 2S (or perhaps East chooses 3NT on the second round. 2H may elicit a Support Double. 3H seems likely to be passed around to a reopening double by East, with West bidding 3S. E-W always reached game, but not always 4S. Contracts were 3NT E six times, 3NT W, 4S E five times and 5C W.

?

Spade contracts can take twelve tricks by force, but, after a heart lead, declarer has to be careful because of the spade three-spot and four-spot again. If the opening lead is a heart then two rounds of spades followed by the top clubs and a club ruff force declarer to draw the last trump while there is still control of the hand and there is an entry to dummy. If declarer makes the common play of leading a heart to the ace to play the next club then North ruffs and there is no entry to dummy for the last club. Oops! Larry, Sandy and Sarah were the three Easts to take twelve tricks in 4S. 3NT never took more than ten tricks; Keianne and Dane posted a set to tie for N-S top. 5C made the expected eleven tricks.

?

3NT E -1; 3NT W -1

3NT E =; 5C W =

4S E = (2)

3NT E +1 (4)

4S E +2 (3)

?

9:

?

...............Q7

...............AJ103

...............AQJ3

...............AK4

53...............................A42

9752...........................K4

1092...........................K874

QJ83..........................9652

...............KJ10986

...............Q86

...............65

...............107

?

This auction usually began with 2NT from North, South then driving to 4S, often with a Texas transfer. One pair reached 6S N, a possible outcome if South starts with a Jacoby transfer and then bids 4S, which North takes as showing some slam interest. One North declared 4NT one way or another. Jerik's auction began with their forcing 1C, to which Erik responded with a semi-positive 2S, showing limited HCP but a decent six-card suit. Jim opted for 3NT.

?

A diamond lead from West if South were to declare in spades prevents declarer from getting rid of the loser. That holds South to ten tricks. With North declaring there is time to play hearts, as West never gets in. Two declarers managed to hold themselves to ten tricks by finessing in diamonds first, the others all took eleven. Jim (U) and Dee in 3NT and 4NT had very good luck that East held the heart king, which was the only way dummy could be reached to run the spades. Even so, a club lead would have been disastrous for either declarer, but they both avoided that unpleasant fate and emerged with a tie for top.

?

3NT N +2; 4NT N +1

4S N +1 (8)

4S N = (2)

6S N -1

?

10:

?

...............J76

...............AKQ

...............A42

...............Q965

AQ8......................952

72.........................J10643

KQ1065................J97

KJ10.....................72

...............K1043

...............985

...............83

...............A843

?

We saw 1NT by West and a transfer from East eight times, finishing in 2H W. One West was left in 1NT. Two Wests opened 1D and North overcalled 1NT, left in once and doubled the other time. The last two Wests somehow both declared 2NT, a strange outcome.

?

1NT N favours N-S because East only gets the lead once. A spade lead lets E-W establish four diamond tricks, but the North can establish two spades. Otherwise North can establish three club tricks for seven tricks either way and perhaps an eighth. Giselaine were able to set 1NTx two tricks for the E-W top, a bit lucky. Bob made 1NT N and was a little unlucky not to score well for +90. 2H could have been set two tricks, although the contract was made four times, by Leigh Ann, Rich, Carl and Rita. Rich had the contract secured after three tricks - North led the top three hearts. A low diamond lead at trick two would have saved -2,?while a low club or spade at trick three could have saved -1.

?

2H W -2; 2NT W -2

1NT W -1; 2H W -1 (3); 2NT W -1

1NT N =

2H W = (4)

1NTx N -1

?

11:

?

...............8

...............QJ7

...............93

...............KJ108532

AK6............................QJ10732

A1083.........................K65

AJ1082.......................654

4..................................6

...............954

...............942

...............KQ7

...............AQ97

?

This was Heve's moment of glory and a most surprising double game swing. Game was reached at almost every table; after P-1D-3C West had a double to reopen and the field as a whole did rather well not to get East stuck in a partial. One North stole the bid in 4C. Seven Easts played 4S and four auctions went higher, two ending in 5Cx N and two in 5S E. Hank passed 3C rather than raise at once and received a most curious reward. West reopened with 3D rather than a double. This was passed back around to Hank, who reopened in turn with 3NT, ending the auction.?

?

Spades were cold for eleven tricks, although Lark's opponents managed to go down in 4S. All the club contracts took the expected nine tricks. Hank could have finished -5 in 3NT but he made the contract. West led an intermediate diamond and Hank was sure of -1 after running the clubs. But West discarded all the low cards in the majors, could not reach East in the end position, and had to give Hank another diamond trick.

?

3NT S =

4S E -1

4C N -1

5Cx S -2 (2)

4S E +1 (2); 5S E = (2)

?

12:

?

...............76

...............102

...............A10983

...............10873

10.............................9532

K4............................AQ9763

KQ654.....................72

KQ542.....................A

...............AKQJ84

...............J85

...............J

...............J96

?

The first six calls seem likely to be 1D-P-1H-1S; 2C-P; is East then content with 2H or will we see 3H? One South played 2S and one West played 3D but all the other auctions went to 3H E or 4H E, with the game surprising taking a 9-2 majority.

?

The natural diamond lead does no good against 4H, which is set only if South begins with a low heart. The key to the hand is that, if East draws trumps, it is impossible to get discards on the clubs in time. If East takes two discards on the clubs, there is no way to draw the last trump and the contract loses to a diamond ruff or overruff of a club. Curiously the two declarers in 3H justified their conservative bidding by going down against Boric and Lark. But 4H made six times (with overtricks for Harold, NJ and Geoff, Geoff after a spade lead and spade ruff), failing only three times, with Jaz taking the N-S top for 4H -3, just ahead of Erik's 2S S =.

?

4H E -3

2S S =

3D W -2

3H E -1 (2); 4H E -1 (2)

4H E = (3)

4H E +1 (3)

?

13:

?

...............9732

...............QJ87

...............984

...............83

84...........................AJ1065

A943.......................10

AK73.......................J1062

K64.........................Q107

...............KQ

...............K652

...............Q5

...............AJ952

?

One South opened 1C and was left in. Three Souths were left in an opening bid of 1NT. The next contract up the line was 2C S, with West playing 2NT thrice and East declaring the other five times, once in 2H after an accident in the auction (South opened 1NT, West overcalled 2D and East apparently misread the auction, bidding 2H) and four times in 2S. I was looking for a possible 3D E and a rainbow, but East never bid 2S as a balance against 1NT showing spades and a minor, or if East did, West left it in 2S.

?

This was a particularly unlucky 5-4-2-2 1NT, as the two doubletons mean that the diamond queen drops and the spades can run as well, allowing E-W to force 1NT -3. Erik made 1NT, much to his own astonishment. E-W never played a second diamond, so that his Qx was of some value after all. After that West had two chances to win a heart lead with the ace and passed them both up. The club switch and each heart duck contributed one trick to Erik's favourite charity and his seventh trick came in with both spades and diamonds wide open at the time. 2S took nine tricks three of the four times and eight the other. At least as heroic as Erik's 1NT = was declarer's escaping in 2H -1 against Conndy, but that only scored 1/12, as two of the three 2NT contracts were defeated, although Phyllis managed 2NT W +1, impressive enough, although West has an easier time declaring if the auction flagged most of the high cards via a 1NT opening bid or a sequence starting 1C-P-P. E-W top was a tie between Louff's 1NT S -2 and Randi's 2C S -2.

?

2H E -1; 2NT W -1 (2)

1NT S =

1C S -1; 1NT S -1

2S E =

2S E +1 (3)

2NT W +1

1NT S -2; 2C S -2

?

14:

?

...............AKQ32

...............K74

...............----

...............QJ763

1087..........................J654

QJ963.......................A5

65..............................KQ104

AK2...........................985

...............9

...............1082

...............AJ98732

...............104

?

South opened 3D at almost every table although did not do so at least once, as the auction ended in 3C N, which is easier to see if South passes rather than after South opens 2D (P-P-1H-2H; X-2NT-P-3C seems plausible). 3D S was left in six times. There was also a contract of 3H W, suggesting that the opening bid was not 3D, as the West hand is too weak for a direct 3H and East over such an overcall is quite good enough for 3NT. Two Norths tried 3NT and were left there. After a 3S response from North two Souths returned to 4D and played the hand there. The most unfortunate example of bidding One More Time resulted in 4H W.

?

This hand proved to be the big declaring trap of the day, twelve contracts failing by a total of 34 tricks. The one successful declarer was Liz in 3C =. 3C -2 can be forced - a club lead and heart switch allow East to ruff a club and E-W to draw South's trumps; declarer will be -1 and will still have a spade to lose. A three-trick set can be forced against either 3D or 3NT, 3D -2 scoring just above average for Eric and Serge as declarer. Doug got out for 3NT -1 and Lee for 3D -1, Lee after a high club lead and a switch to the heart nine, perhaps a mouse slip. Only two contracts were set more than three tricks, Pharah gaining one trick on par to defend 4D S -5 and Marbot managing to defend 4H W -6, a result which can actually be forced. North starts with three spades, on which South discards the clubs, then N-S score the next six tricks cross-ruffing in the minors, the minor defensive trap there being that, if South leads the diamond ace on the first or second round North has to ruff it.

?

4H W -6

3C N =

3H W -2

3D S -1; 3NT N -1

3D S -2 (2)

3D S -3 (3); 3NT N -3; 4D S -1

4D S -5

?

15:

?

...............J1043

...............5

...............Q1054

...............6543

K5.......................AQ92

AKQJ9643..........1087

J72......................A963

----.......................A10

...............876

...............2

...............K8

...............KQJ9872

?

Had West been dealer, the auction might have been vastly different, especially perhaps for Paun if their variant of Namyats allows the bid to hold a void. East has the perfect hands opposite Namyats as long as West's four-loser hand includes sufficiently solid trumps. They might even have found the seven-level if East, who would have initiated an asking sequence, could have found the king of spades.

?

The usual beginning of the auction was 3C-4H. Had the vulnerability been equal or favourable, there would have been far fewer than the six 4H contracts we actually had, with one pair in 5H and the other six in 6H: Pharah, Haorge, Marudy, Glynneth, Leighry and Randi. Randi's auction was 3C-4H-5C-5H; P-6H. All thirteen declarers took all thirteen tricks.

?

4H W +3 (6); 5H W +2

6H W +1 (6)

?

16:

?

...............Q87

...............J

...............J842

...............AQ864

J643.......................K92

109.........................KQ652

109653...................AQ7

K5...........................109

...............A105

...............A8743

...............K

...............J732

?

Two passes to East and then likely a 1H opening bid; I don't know whether our upgraders would consider the hand worth 1NT. Two Norths did not balance when 1H was left in(!) while one South left in a balancing double for penalties. One South declared 1NT, presumably also after a balancing double. Higher contracts were 2C N, 2Cx N, 2C S, 2D E, 2H E twice, 2S W, 2NT S and 3D W. There was not really any denomination that was much of a surprise when it turned out to be trumps.

?

The layout favoured N-S, even more so when East or West declared and missed the dropping of the diamond king offside. No E-W contract made and all were at least -2 except that Judy (P) bettered expectations as declarer and took seven tricks in 2D E -1 for the E-W top. N-S top went to Serbot defending 1Hx E -2. Rich bettered par by one trick in 2S W -2. N-S declaring could force eight tricks in no-trumps or a stunning eleven in clubs, as everything sat perfectly. Not only were clubs 2-2 with the king onside, but the diamond queen ruffs out to establish the jack and the hearts provide a ruffing finesse for discards of the two spade losers after a lead of jack/queen/ace and the first heart ruff allow South's 87 to cover two of North's spades for the price of only one trick scored by East's king. The spades were practically frozen for both sides; E-W could not force a trick in the suit; N-S could only force two by running the queen and then the eight, an unlikely line. Doug took eleven tricks in 2Cx, just missing out on the N-S top by twenty points. The other club contracts took ten or eleven tricks, no-trumps overperforming with nine or ten, as East had numerous dangerous leads and West no entries.?

?

1Hx E -2

2Cx N +3

2H E -4 (2)

1H E -3; 3D W -3

1H E -2; 2S W -2

2NT S +2

1NT S +2; 2C S +3

2C N +2

2D E -1

?

17:

?

...............85

...............AQ97

...............A6

...............KQ843

Q43........................AKJ107

J3...........................865

Q85........................974

J10732...................96

...............962

...............K1042

...............KJ1032

...............A?

?

Almost everyone got to game. Possible auctions include 1NT-2C; 2H-4H; 1C-1S-X-2S; 3H-P-4H; 1C-1H; 3H-4H, etc. One South was left in 2D, one East in 2S and one North in 3H. Games were 4H N nine times and 4H S.

?

Declarer could force eleven tricks in hearts. Connie took all thirteen after a diamond lead but nobody else took more than eleven. Pharah, Marudy, Stenj and Glynneth all held declarer to ten for good scores. Sandi was E-W top playing 2S E -2.

?

4H N +3

4H N +1 (4); 4H S +1

4H N = (4)

3H N +2

2D S +2

2S E -2

?

18:

?

...............J95

...............Q83

...............J6

...............AJ874

AQ108432........K7

6........................1095

97......................AK1053

Q96...................K105

...............6

...............AKJ742

...............Q842

...............32

?

West has a loser count that makes the hand worth eventually reaching 4S, likely as a second-round rebid. After 1D-1H-1S-2H; P-P(or 3H)-3S, East can reasonably accept the invitation with good cards and an encouraging heart holding (especially if the auction suggests that N-S hold nine hearts). One pair had some sort of bidding accident and played 3D E, 3S W was played thrice, 4H S and 4S W eight times.

?

Spades could take eleven tricks with a correct guess in clubs. Gernot, Jatin and Rich all posted scores of +450 to share E-W top. Vioebe were the one N-S pair to defeat 4S. Declarer led a diamond at trick seven instead of drawing trumps, then passed up the club finesse at trick ten. Conndy were N-S top defending 3D E -2.

?

3D E -2

4S W -1

4H S -1

3S W +1 (2)

3S W +2

4S W = (4)

4S W +1 (3)

1:

?

...............74

...............AJ654

...............93

...............K1065

QJ9..............................A8653

Q1073..........................K98

AQJ862.......................10754

----...............................2

...............K102

...............2

...............K

...............AQJ98743

?

?With twenty-two trumps combined in the two sides' suits this hand was sure to get competitive. It's hard to imagine the auction dying below 4C (P-P-1C-1D; 1H-3D-4C might go around if East opts to make a pushy jump raise rather than bid the spades). One auction did end in 4C S, another in 5C S and the third in the absolute par contract of 5Dx W.

?

South is a little lucky the spade ten does not play an important role in the proceedings. Give East QJxxx in spades and West Axx and then 5C would be set when the spade ten might be the setting trick against 5D. But with the ace onside Bob made 5C in comfort, while Ibot defended 4C +1. Loubot were stuck defending 5Dx, which requires an immediate heart ruff for a one-trick set. But declarer took too long to get around to playing trumps, allowed a cross-ruff, and finished -3.

?

5Dx W -3

5C S =

4C S +1

?

2:

?

...............AK2

...............KQ752

...............7632

...............3

Q97...........................J653

106............................A943

AQJ95.......................K8

QJ4...........................1076

...............1084

...............J8

...............104

...............AK9852

?

A 3C opening bid from South would likely have been left in, but nobody resorted to such a course of action at the vulnerability. One East was left in 1NT (P-P-1D-1H; 1NT and one West pulled to 2D. At the third table E-W likely stayed out of the auction, letting North play 2H after 1H-1NT; 2D-2H.

?

2H might have made without much surprise but finished -1. When E-W declared results were flipped over double dummy, with 2D = and 1NT -1 instead of the reverse. Paul made 2D when North led the spade king and switched to the heart king instead of the singleton club. Loubot defeated 1NT when East discarded a heart on diamonds and surrendered the guard in the suit.

?

1NT E -1

2D W =

2H N -1

?

3:

?

...............63

...............A54

...............K53

...............A9875

AJ109.......................7

J10876......................KQ92

9874.........................AQJ2

----............................K643

...............KQ8542

...............3

...............106

...............QJ102

?

2S-P-P-X likely begins the auction. West would likely have passed at reverse vulnerability but here probably bids 3H. I think the hand has sufficient value with the void not to use lebensohl 2NT to show a weak hand. West played in hearts at all three tables, the only difference being the level: 3H, 4H and 5H.

?

Declarer had eleven tricks in hearts, as taken by Paul in 4H, although Loubot held declarer to 3H =. Irene was in good for and posted 5H +1 when North switched to the club ace at trick four.

?

3H W =

4H W +1

5H W +1

?

Leaders: Ibot-Loubot 6, Paydar-Harob 3

?

4:

?

...............3

...............KJ96

...............Q9862

...............1086

K87........................AJ1064

A8542....................Q10

----.........................A53

QJ742....................K53

...............Q952

...............73

...............KJ1074

...............A9

?

West passed at least twice (I missed one auction), once raising to 2S and ending the auction, once employing Drury on the second round. The Drury auction and the third auction both ended in 4S E, appropriately enough.

?

With the club ace doubleton, N-S lost their best chance of setting 4S, which they might have been able to do by force had they been able to block off the club suit given the 4-1 trumps. Declarer should be safe in 4S anyway but Paydar and Loubot set the contract, Loubot managing -2 for the N-S top. Laurie took ten tricks in 2S. A key aspect of the play is to ruff the first diamond when led in order to retain control of the suit with the ace.

?

4S E -2

4S E -1

2S E +2

?

5:

...............KJ10965

...............AQJ

...............K10

...............J2

Q2.............................A4

9432..........................K106

5432..........................AJ

A84............................Q109763

...............873

...............875

...............Q9876

...............K5

?

Auctions got at least mildly competitive. It seemed likely to go all the way to 3S via 1S-2C-2S-3C; 3S, but one N-S pair let 3C sit and one E-W pair let 2S sit.

?

East has a tough time on opening lead. A club lead allows nine tricks. Ace and another spade or ace and another diamond (unless North unblocks the diamond king) could leave declarer stuck and having to break the clubs, although North could always force nine tricks one way or another; it is slightly easier for North to endplay East than for East to endplay North; also the diamonds establish so that East may have to lead clubs voluntarily and hope dummy rises with the king. Harold took ten tricks after East led a club to the ace and West continued with a club to the king instead of a heart. 2S made on the number. Mike could have made 3C but was still E-W top despite finishing -1.

?

3S N +1

2S N =

3C E -1

?

6:

?

...............K10965

...............A

...............97543

...............J8

Q74.....................A832

J6........................KQ932

102......................J

AKQ1063............975

...............J

...............108754

...............AKQ86

...............42

?

This auction was sure to become competitive, whoever opened. P-1H-2C-X; 3C-3D could start the auction, or it might begin P-P-1C-1S; 2H and then maybe 3D from South. The auction could perhaps end in 3C W, although all of ours went higher. The exotic contract was 3S E, along with 4D S and the more aggressive 5C W.

?

With trumps 5-1 3S could have been set four tricks, although -2 was enough to give Paydar the N-S top. Declarer saved two tricks after a diamond, diamond ruffed, heart king to ace and then a club instead of a low spade. Bob took ten tricks in 4D after a long and suspenseful wait to see whether he ruffed the third spade or took the ruffing finesse. Ken was -1 in 5C as expected but was still E-W top. With North holding the singleton ace in hearts eleven tricks in clubs become within the realm of possibility, although that outcome can still be prevented by a heart ruff.

?

3S E -2

4D S =

5C W -1

?

Leaders: Ibot-Loubot 8, Paydar 7, Harob 6

?

7:

?

...............1043

...............----

...............A765

...............AKQJ82

A65...........................Q872

K52...........................AQ87643

QJ842.......................3

65..............................7

...............KJ9

...............J109

...............K109

...............10943

?

1C from North was often met with 3H from East. This ended the auction twice; the third North came in and finished by declaring 5C.

?

South's spades were just what was needed, right down to the nine. Harold had to lose a diamond but made the contract on a successful spade finesse. 3H also made for Mike and Louise; Louise even made an overtrick when South switched to the spade king to break the suit instead of a nice safe club.

?

5C N =

3H E =

3H E +1

?

8:

?

...............QJ642

...............A5

...............J109

...............1063

A95.......................1083

K862.....................QJ10974

AKQ654................8

----.........................842

...............K7

...............3

...............732

...............AKQJ975

?

Another big club suit but this time West opens 1D and East likely responds either 1H light or with a weak jump shift of 2H. Try as South might in clubs, West insisted on hearts, reaching 4H twice and 5H at the third table. 5C was the limit of how high South could go safely at equal vulnerability.

?

Hear contracts had twelve easy tricks. If South happened to get off to the opening lead of the spade king East's spades could have gone away on the diamonds before losing the ace of trumps. Mike and Louise took an easy twelve tricks; Harob held declarer to eleven tricks on a misclick.

?

4H E +1

4H E +2; 5H E +1

?

9:

?

...............52

...............K10985

...............J54

...............874

Q98..........................A107

J2.............................AQ6

A987.........................Q63

KQ52........................AJ103

...............KJ643

...............743

...............K102

...............96

?

We got everyone into 3NT E. East opened 1NT and West either trotted out Puppet Stayman or went directly to 3NT.

?

Declarer had ten tricks available in 3NT, with the interesting feature of playing the diamonds to keep either North or South off lead depending on whether the defence played spades or hearts. Harob secured their fourth defensive trick on trick eight, when declarer led a club and ended in dummy at the last chance to take the diamond finesse that would have established the overtrick. Mike and Louise took ten tricks as East.

?

3NT E =

3NT E +1 (2)

?

Leaders: Loubot 13, Harob 12

?

10:

?

...............108

...............52

...............9753

...............109875

6432.....................A75

AK8643................Q9

----........................K1084

A62.......................KJ43

...............KQJ9

...............J107

...............AQJ62

...............Q

?

One South got exceptionally lucky here. Unable to bear passing after East opened 1D, South just had to overcall 1NT. West made a penalty double and East missed that the double was for penalties, pulling to 2C. West bid 2H and East went back to 3C, playing the hand there. The other two Wests declared 2H and 4H.

?

1NTx almost could have been five tricks down. West starts with a low heart, then switches to clubs. After nine tricks East comes down to one spade and three diamonds or two of each. If East keeps one spade and three diamonds South must keep two of each. If East keeps two of each South can keep either but if keeping two of each must keep the nine of spades, discarding two honours, in order to get the lead in dummy if East then continues with ace and another spade. But even -4 is an 1100 penalty for E-W. Ten tricks in hearts were easy, although Maurie held declarer to 2H +1 for the middle score. Harob escaped with the N-S top defending 3C = and Louise was E-W top in 4H =.

?

3C E =

2H W +1

4H W =

?

11:

?

...............J64

...............Q642

...............1094

...............AJ7

Q32......................K10975

A953....................K107

J876.....................KQ

K3........................Q94

...............A8

...............J8

...............A532

...............108652

?

1S from East in fourth seat and likely Drury again from West. This time, though, East is disinclined to accept the invitation; the hand has no ace and the diamond doubleton king-queen could prove clunky. Contracts were 2S E twice and 3S E.

?

Declarer can take ten tricks in spades mainly because North's ten and nine of diamonds both come down in three rounds, providing two discards instead of one, but just guessing the spades looked to do well enough. Declarers were spread out. Harob held declarer to eight tricks and Ibot to nine; Haydar took the regulation ten.

?

2S E =

2S E +1

3S E +1

?

12:

?

...............843

...............QJ10

...............KQJ7

...............754

AKJ975..............10

K842..................A765

109.....................852

3.........................K10982

...............Q62

...............93

...............A643

...............AQJ6

?

West opened 1S, East responded 1NT and all three Wests rebid 2S instead of 2H. 2S was left in at every table. Would South have come in over 1S-P-1NT-P; 2H-P-P? It would have been risky but 3D could have escaped for -1 if not doubled.

?

In 2S declarer had nine tricks when the trumps behaved perfectly and the hearts split 3-2. Against Ibot declarer delayed establishing the hearts too long and emerged with only eight tricks; the other declarers, Paul and Ken, took nine. 2H would also have provided only one overtrick, but it would have been slightly easier. Declarer could have catered to a doubleton queen of spades perhaps and would have had no trouble had North held Qxx.

?

2S W =

2S W +1 (2)

?

Leaders: Harob 16.5, Loubot 16, Paydar 12.5

?

13:

?

...............9652

...............864

...............J1086

...............AJ

AJ4.........................Q73

A753.......................KJ

KQ7.........................A432

1082........................KQ75

...............K108

...............Q1092

...............95

...............9643

?

Here was another hand that started in 1NT and ended in 3NT. If I were West at IMPs I would be disinclined to use Stayman. The hand has extra strength, the pattern is flat and the four-card major is not good. If partner holds KQx KQJx J10xx Ax and 3NT fails on a club lead, it should still be outweighed, especially at matchpoints, by the times partner holds something like KQ Jxxx J10xx AKQ, when 3NT has ten sure tricks and 4H will always perform worse, even if just by ten points.

?

A lead of either major gives away a trick at once, although declarer can always take eleven tricks by force. North only gains the lead once and South actually gets squeezed in the majors, having to discard a spade and allow three spade tricks or a heart and establish dummy's fourth card in the suit just before West has to choose a discard. With that in addition to a possible gift on opening lead, it is not much surprise that Louise and Haydar took eleven tricks, while only Ibot held declarer to ten.

?

3NT E +1

3NT E +2 (2)

?

14:

?

...............KJ53

...............K4

...............A82

...............K1052

A986......................10

A8..........................9653

Q10953..................K64

A3...........................J9874

...............Q742

...............QJ1072

...............J7

...............Q6

?

One auction died in 1D W (no balance from South), another in 2D W (likely after 1D-1H; 1S-2D). The third North doubled; after South bid hearts twice North raised to 4H.

?

4H was in serious trouble and could have been -4 by force as long as a diamond trick was established early and the first spade ruff taken while West still held two entries for further ruffs. Paydar only produced -2 but that was good enough for E-W top. Eight tricks were available in diamonds and were taken by both declarers, creating a tightly packed group of scores: -90, -90 and -100.

?

1D W +1; 2D W =

4H S -2

?

15:

?

...............864

...............A863

...............Q10

...............8652

KQ103.................J975

10972..................Q

943......................AK86

K10......................Q974

...............A2

...............KJ54

...............J752

...............AJ3

?

1D-P-1H and East is sure to double either 1H or when South raises to 2H and two passes follow. 2H was left in once; West bid 2S and played it there the other two times.

?

In 2H declarer had to lose two clubs, two diamonds, one heart and one spade. Mike managed pretty well holding his lost tricks to the essentials for the crucial escape at -1 instead of scoring the dreaded -200. 2S could always force nine tricks (with the likely club lead really helping as well), with the defence having the chance to do a little better if declare got caught with a heart loser in hand at the wrong time. Ibot held 2S to eight tricks while Louise managed nine as declarer for the E-W top and a regained lead heading into the last round.

?

2H N -1

2S W =

2S W +1

?

Leaders: Loubot 20, Harob 18.5, Paydar 16, Ibot 15.5

?

16:

?

...............A942

...............104

...............5432

...............842

Q103....................KJ

A5........................Q863

QJ........................AK107

K97653................AQJ

...............8765

...............KJ972

...............986

...............10

?

Here was a nice slam that was easily bid at all three tables. The only difficulty was that E-W wanted East to declare. The three auctions varied: P-2NT; 6NT, 1C-1H; 2C-4NT; 5H-6NT and 1C-1H; 1NT-4C; 5H-6NT, the last pair surviving a sudden case of Gerbwood.

?

East as declarer, Haydar and Laurie, made 6NT easily. Irene made 6NT W after the opening lead of the spade ace. North would have had to lead a heart for the set. South might have doubled 6NT W for a heart lead, but it would have been a big gamble. A heart lead should have established a trick as East was a huge favourite to hold at least one honour, but there was no certainty that North would be able to win a trick or that one heart trick would be enough. Had South held the spade ace as well as the heart KJ a double would have been clear.

?

6NT E = (2); 6NT W =

?

17:

?

...............KQ3

...............KQ98432

...............----

...............K97

J10765.......................A84

106.............................A

653.............................AQJ84

432.............................A1065

...............92

...............J75

...............K10972

...............QJ8

?

1H-X-2H and then North got to 4H. One East left 4H in undoubled, another doubled and that ended the auction, and the third auction ended in 5Sx W (although leaving 5H in would have been E-W top).

?

This was almost enough to tip the overall result. Harold made 4Hx in comfort to score +590 against Louise's +420 in 4H undoubled. That put considerable emphasis on what happened in 5Sx. Declarer could have gotten out for -2 and the E-W top, reducing Harob's gain on Loubot to one matchpoint. The opening lead was a heart to the ace and declarer led a spade when a club was required. This was the middle score and gave Harob the lead.

?

4Hx N =

5Sx W -3

4H N =

?

18:

?

...............K2

...............Q86

...............Q1085

...............Q1075

9763.........................105

K105.........................AJ9

72..............................KJ64

AK64.........................9832

...............AQJ84

...............7432

...............A93

...............J

?

South opened 1S, North responded 1NT and South rebid 2H. Two Norths passed, ending the auction; only one North went back to 2S. The pass was not a good idea, mainly because those two-level rebids by opener in lower-ranking suits are nearly unlimited. South could easily have a strong enough hand to make game; as little as AQxxx AKJ10x xx x would be a good favourite to make 4H. The late Mr Roth once said that he would have given preference after partner opened 1D and rebid 2C with a doubleton diamond, five low clubs and only six HCP.

?

While both 2H and 2S could have been -1 by force, the set of 2S was hard to see.?Declarer's eighth winner was very slow and declarer needed to be allowed to pick up a second diamond trick at the right time. A club lead and diamond switch was not good enough. 2H could have escaped for -1, but declarer likely needed to lead trumps relentlessly, not necessarily a clear and easy path to follow with such a weak trump suit. Bob did escape for -1; Ibot managed -2 for the E-W top.

?

2S S +1

2H S -1

2H S -2

?

Final: Loubot 23, Harob 22.5, Ibot 19.5, Paydar 18

1:

?

...............2

...............A8432

...............J105

...............J753

AK7...........................Q95

Q976.........................J5

974............................AKQ862

Q62...........................109

...............J108643

...............K10

...............3

...............AK84

?

I thought E-W might reach 3NT via P-1D-1S-2NT; P-3NT, East liking having a source of tricks for partner. 3NT W was indeed played five times.

2NT was played once by East and once by West, with East declaring 2D and 3D and South 2S.

?

3NT got a fortunate layout. It might be defeated by a false-card. If North leads a club, South can win with the ace and return a low club, hoping West will play low. Otherwise there is nothing N-S can do, as E-W have nine top tricks and N-S have only four losers. Bob took eleven tricks in 3NT when North switched to a spade after two rounds of hearts. Elizabeth, Rita, Wendy and Lynn all took nine tricks in 3NT. June was N-S top stealing the bid in 2S S -1.

?

2S S -1

2D E +1

3D E +1

2NT E +1; 2NT W +1

3NT W = (4)

3NT W +2

?

2:

?

...............Q7

...............Q1082

...............65

...............J8642

J3............................K652

J94..........................A63

Q832.......................AJ1097

AQ95.......................7

...............A10984

...............K75

...............K4

...............K103

?

E-W probably will not reach 3NT, although one pair did. East opens 1D, South overcalls 1S and West will either raise to 2D or invite game. East ought to decline; either 2D or 3D should be fine. One West passed 1S and South declared the hand there; higher contracts were 2D E five times, 2NT E, 3D E twice and 3NT E.

?

Diamonds had nine tricks available and n0-trumps seven, although declarer was likely to come away with eight, as Kevin did in 2NT. Scott, Jamie, Harold and Steve (R) took ten tricks in diamonds, Harold after a spade lead when a heart or a club would have held him to nine maximum.

?

3NT E -2

1S S =

2D E +1 (2); 3D E =

2NT E =

2D E +2 (3); 3D E +1

?

3:

?

...............KQ1082

...............A53

...............KQ53

...............10

4.............................73

KQJ964..................108

10............................AJ98742

AKQ64....................82

...............AJ965

...............72

...............6

...............J9753

?

Would West sit for P-1H-1S-P; 4S? One West sat for a raise to 3S. With a Losing Trick Count of three and probably only two defensive tricks it would likely be an irresistible temptation at equal vulnerability at matchpoints. As the actual vulnerability was unfavourable, a narrow 5-4 majority did not compete to the five-level, although once it was 4Sx. Two Wests declared 5Hx and two N-S pairs pushed on to 5S, rarely a good idea. One was doubled in 5S, the other not.

?

Rosemary made 5Sx when West won the club lead and continued the suit instead of switching to a heart. It was a little unlucky that the double cost 2.5 matchpoints when it stood to gain only half a matchpoint had 5Sx finished -1. Philbot's 5S -1 was outright E-W top, the only plus score for their direction. The 5-1 clubs allowed a two-trick set of 5H, duly produced by Rekenee against 5Hx for a 7/9 score, behind Rosemary's +650 for 5Sx = and Hank's +590 for 4Sx =.

?

5Sx N =

4Sx N =

5Hx W -2

4S N +1

4S N = (3)

3S N =

5Hx W -1

5S N -1

?

4:

?

...............1074

...............A53

...............8

...............KQ7653

A2.........................KQ5

K64.......................1072

64..........................AKQJ753

AJ10982................----

...............J9863

...............QJ98

...............1092

...............4

?

E-W nearly had to right-side the contract to have West declare. It was a good thing East held the heart ten, which saved diamond contracts declared by East. East had so many winners that slam was in the air; 6D had about an even chance on the actual layout and would have been even better had East held the weaker-looking K75 Q102 AKQJ753 ----. One of the auctions that ended in 6D was 1C-2D; 3C-3D; 3S-4S; 4NT-6D. Three auctions ended in partials; contracts were 3D E twice, 3S S, 3NT E, 3NT W thrice, 5D E and 6D E twice.

?

If South is on lead and leads the heart queen, East really ought to assume that North holds the ace and withhold the king. Declarer in 5D covered, allowing Roseward the set. Both declarers in 6D finished only -1. The three Wests in 3NT all took twelve tricks. Bob received a heart lead and likely the others did as well; Eric took only eleven tricks in 3NT E.

?

5D E -1; 6D E -1 (2)

3D E +2 (2)

3S S -3

3NT E +2

3NT W +3 (3)

?

5:

?

...............Q3

...............A107

...............7542

...............AK98

4.............................AKJ1087652

8532.......................6

AKJ63....................Q8

1043.......................Q

...............9

...............KQJ94

...............109

...............J7652

?

I was a little puzzled on this hand to see multiple overcalls of 1S by East after North opened 1D (what a good time it would have been to open 1C to direct a lead). Was East really that afraid of missing slam? Partner will have to hold two aces and a king, which seems sufficiently against the odds to make 4S much the more practical choice. Two Easts made a good case for being elected lifelong president of the Pessimists Club by stopping in 3S and by allowing South to play 4H. 4S was the usual contract but two N-S pairs competed higher and finished in 5Hx S.

?

Defending spades is where North may have regretted the selection of opening bid. Five times South dutifully led partner's suit, diamonds, and East took all thirteen tricks. Bill led a heart or club, presumably a heart, but the suit was continued, although -480 still scored well. The hand was much more interesting when played in hearts, thanks to the all-important club spots, especially the ten and the eight. After an early force Glynneth's opponent drew trumps and then ran the club jack. This was not a bad idea as West was clearly favoured to hold greater length in the suit. If clubs are 3-1 it's a toss-up; if West holds all four declarer cannot escape below game without taking a risk over the trump split. There is a potential pitfall into which the more successful declarer in 5Hx fell into. One South did play the club ace and dropped the queen, but did not discard a club from dummy on the last heart. The suit blocked, as the jack was needed to capture the ten on the third round - assuming declarer had no reentry to hand other than the club jack after dropping the queen. -500 still scored above average but was two matchpoints lower than -200 would have scored. Glynneth's +1700 defending 5Hx -6 was the highest score of the day and drove their opponent, who had registered with a Robot, to quit the game, which was why various E-W pairs faced a pair of Robots later in the game.

?

4H S =

3S E +4

4S E +2

5Hx S -2

4S E +3 (5)

5Hx S -6

?

6:

?

...............AJ4

...............KQ1083

...............J95

...............76

973............................K1063

A765..........................J

A73............................K82

J42............................A10953

...............Q85

...............942

...............Q1064

...............KQ8

?

Half the East players opened 1C (was the singleton heart jack really worth that much?). When East passed so did South and West, with two Norths passing out and three opening 1H in fourth seat. All five 1C opening bids led to the auction 1C-1H; 1S-1NT. When North opened 1H South raised to 2H. This became the contract twice; one East made a balancing double and West played 2S.

?

1NT finished -1 thrice, with only Marune taking the eight tricks they could force and only Bob managing the make. 2S could have escaped -1 as well, with Karleta picking up a second undertrick right at the end of the hand when it came down to a guess of how high to ruff. Ken was N-S top in 2H =.

?

1NT W -2; 2S W -2

2H N =

1NT W -1 (3)

Passed Out (2)

2H N -1

1NT W =

?

7:

?

...............A84

...............73

...............K852

...............10762

Q632.......................K107

Q94.........................AKJ52

QJ............................10964

A953........................4

...............J95

...............1086

...............A73

...............KQJ8

?

This hand could have been passed out again as for the second hand running fourth hand did not meet the Rule of Fifteen requirements to open. I did not see any Souths open on the flat 11-count with nine losers. Two Easts opened 1H and passed West's 1S response. Some Wests resorted to Drury and left East in 2H five times. Three contracts were higher: 2NT W, 3H E and 3S W, the last likely after a raise, although, if West made a Spiral ask and found three-card support, returning to 3H seems the more likely course.

?

Heart contracts come to nine tricks, although Billbot were able to hold declarer to eight. Spade contracts could have been held to eight tricks, although Philip was E-W top taking ten when North led a spade at trick five, allowing West to draw trumps and run the hearts, while a club lead would have spoiled the entries for declarer.

?

1S W =

1S W +1; 2H E =

2NT W =

2H E +1 (4); 3H E =

3S W +1

?

8:

?

...............A2

...............K10

...............K109764

...............1096

QJ10954................3

743.........................AQ962

Q52........................J3

8.............................AQ754

...............K876

...............J85

...............A8

...............KJ32

?

Four Wests opened 2S and played the hand there. Some Norths overcalled 3D a bit light; possibly a couple of Souths balanced. Apparently one East decided to come in over 2S and finished in 4H. Higher partials than 2S were 3Cx S, 3D N, 3H E, 3S W and 4D N.

?

Spades could have been held to seven tricks had N-S found the diamond ruff. Three of the five pairs of defenders did not, giving Philip and Elizabeth +110 for 2S =. Heart contracts were more complicated but could also have been held to seven tricks, with Haorge (4H -3) N-S top and Marudy (3H -2) above average, N-S diamond contracts could have been held to eight tricks, but only by the unlikely opening lead of the club ace, leading to two ruffs. John and Northbot took ten tricks, John after a spade lead and a later heart switch. 3Cx could have escaped for -2 but Jamob were E-W top for managing a second undertrick.

?

4H E -3

3D N +1; 4D N =

3H E -2

2S W -1 (2); 3S W -1

2S W = (2)

3Cx S -2

?

9:

?

...............KJ862

...............AQ7

...............A32

...............106

1075.......................Q3

K1052....................J83

KJ75......................106

Q9..........................AJ8742

...............A94

...............964

...............Q984

...............K53

?

This was one of the times when balancing backfired, but it was unlucky for E-W that both North and South had maximum hands for the auction 1S-2S; P. Six Easts were afraid enough of the vulnerability to leave 2S in. One East bid 3C and was left there. The other three N-S pairs took a push to 3S twice and once even to 4S (if N-S didn't get there without a push).

?

The Law was actually one over, but only double dummy. 3C was unlucky to finish -2, giving Karleta the?N-S top. N-S had ten tricks available in spades but needed to drop the offside doubleton queen to take then all. Second N-S went to John's 2S +2 after a defensive error. After the diamond ten was led to queen, king and ace, diamond to eight and jack, then heart to queen, John led a third diamond and East ruffed, allowing dummy to play the low diamond after the ruff. John still got a discard of a heart on the diamond nine and the spade queen also dropped. Ten tricks.

?

3C E -2

2S N +2

2S N +1 (3); 3S N =

2S N = (2)

3S N -1; 4S N -1

?

10:

?

...............K752

...............Q3

...............Q102

...............10986

9............................J108

A1076....................KJ85

AKJ875.................643

A3..........................K75

...............AQ643

...............942

...............9

...............QJ42

?

West opened 1D and East responded 1H. South likely overcalled 1S (there was at least one takeout double). West then had a choice of rebids: 2S, 3H, 3S, 4D and 4H. Three E-W pairs stopped in 3H, perhaps after a 3H raise, perhaps after 2S followed by 3H. The others all got to 4H one way or another - 3S would show the singleton and 4D would show the strong suit. The hand is quite near slam, a good favourite opposite xxx KQxxx xx xxx. One way or another 4H E was reached by a 7-3 majority.

?

If East guesses the hearts correctly declarer takes eleven tricks, losing only a spade and a diamond. +650 was posted by Scott, Kevin, Jamie and Gisela. A misguess was dangerous; Marune set 4H after the club queen to the king, heart king and then heart to ten and queen. Two rounds of spades then left declarer stuck. Drawing trumps meant losing the diamond queen and another spade; there was no way to ruff the other spade but even if one could then one would lose a diamond and a diamond ruff.

?

4H E -1

3H E +1

3H E +2 (2)

4H E = (2)

4H E +1 (4)

?

11:

?

...............AJ842

...............A83

...............98

...............1062

10.........................Q73

K109764...............J52

AK4......................J75

873.......................KJ95

...............K965

...............Q

...............Q10632

...............AQ4

?

Of all the hands on which we almost got everyone into the same contract I would not have expected this hand to come the closest. Nine auctions ended in 3S N (1D-1H-1S-2H; 2S-3H-3S?). The last auction?was 1D-1H-1S-2H; 4S-P-4NT-P; 5H-5S, North taking South's 4S as showing a rather stronger hand.

?

The hand is stacked fairly well in declarer's favour if diamonds are started early. Double dummy it takes the opening lead of the club king or jack to hold declarer to ten tricks. As very few declarers finessed East for the spade queen the usual result was either nine or ten tricks, with ten enjoying a narrow 5-4 majority. 5S finished -3 when a club was led at trick four instead of a diamond, so that Cinise would have been E-W top anyway.

?

3S N +1 (5)

3S N = (4)

5S N -3

?

12:

?

...............9863

...............9

...............A102

...............A10983

KQJ102.................A4

A7..........................KJ1086

K9..........................Q7654

KQJ7......................2

...............75

...............Q5432

...............J83

...............654

?

We almost got everyone into the same contract again. The auction could have gone 1S-2H; 3C-3NT or 1S-1NT; 3NT or else reaching 3NT after a jump to 3C. 3NT E was reached eight times. A ninth pair reached 6NTx E, not a completely unlikely outcome if West takes a 2H response as showing opening values and East evaluates the hand as such. Jevin, who do not play 1NT forcing because they open four-card majors, stopped in 5S on the auction 1S-2H; 3C-3S; 4NT-5C; 5S.

?

4S wins the bidding contests and here provides an unstoppable eleven tricks. If North leads a trump and then another trump when in with the club ace to prevent a ruff, the diamonds establish to give West a discard. Jeff was nearly E-W top in 5S =; Eric took eleven tricks in 3NT after a heart opening lead, showing the advantage of concealing the five-card heart suit. Billbot were N-S top defending 6NTx E -2. Only a Robot in the North seat would find the defence required for -2; any human would cash the two aces and get the same top for -1.

?

6NTx E -2

3NT E -2

3NT E +1 (6)

5S W =

3NT E +2

?

13:

?

...............AQ87

...............K7

...............K642

...............AQ9

J53..........................K1096

63............................9542

AJ108......................753

K854.......................106

...............42

...............AQJ108

...............Q9

...............J732

?

1D-1H; 2NT and then South has to choose between leaving 3NT in on the next round or playing in 4H on a 5-2 fit. After that auction, by an 8-1 majority, the contract was 3NT N instead of 4H S. Marudy, after an opening of the Mexican 2D, arrived in 4H N.

?

3NT can force ten tricks against any defence, although with North declaring a diamond lead forces declarer to come up with some nifty guessing in the club suit to find the overtrick. But East usually led a spade, allowing eleven tricks and a score of +660 to Northbot, Marian, Karlene and John. Three Norths took ten tricks and only Jevin held declarer to nine. 4H similarly could have been held to ten tricks, as there was no way to manage a discard or bring in the fourth club (even with a ruff). It was a little unlucky for the declarers in 4H one hand after the 5-2 fit brought in such a high score, especially with a trump suit that was just as solid.

?

3NT N +2 (4)

3NT N +1 (3)

4H N = (2)

3NT N =

?

14:

?

...............AK942

...............K932

...............32

...............J5

Q..............................10653

----............................AJ

AKJ1086..................Q754

KQ10962..................843

...............J87

...............Q1087654

...............9

...............A7

?

South opened 3H at almost every table (one South opened 2H and one passed). Three Wests bid 4NT intending it as unusual for the minors, but I think two of the three pairs caught a really lucky break when they were not punished for running into a lack of partnership agreement. Taking 4NT as asking, they bid 5C, presumably to show one key card. One East was left in 5C; the other played in 6C after further competition. The third East bid 5D, which may have been the natural preference for diamonds or may have been taking 4NT as regular Blackwood (more sensible than 1430 with no presumably agreed suit). 5D E was left in. The other Wests all bid 4D over 3H (the tenth West opened 1D and declared 5D), ending in 4D W, 5D W twice, 5Hx S, 6D W and 7Dx W.

?

All the declaring Easts received the benefit or a red-suit lead, Jamie taking E-W top in 6C = after a diamond lead which made little sense, given South's holding of the club ace. Without the ace South might hope for a ruff, but here there is no point to that. If the lead establishes a trick in partner's hand, South cannot reach North for a diamond winner but can do so for a spade winner. Declaring Easts took twelve tricks; all declaring Wests but one took eleven, Mahn holding declarer to ten. 5Hx could have made had West begun with two diamonds, although Bill still scored well for -1 even after the club switch was found in time.

?

7Dx W -2

5D W -1; 6D W -1

5Hx S -1

4D W +1

5D W = (2)

5C E +1; 5D E +1

6C E =

?

15:

?

...............Q84

...............AKJ1052

...............6

...............Q73

K62.............................J73

8763............................Q9

10953..........................A8742

108..............................AJ9

...............A1095

...............4

...............KQJ

...............K6542

?

1C-1H; 1S and then North seems likely in another round or two (likely after Fourth Suit Forcing) to be confronted by a choice between leaving South in 3NT or playing 4H in a 6-1 fit with a semi-solid suit. Three Norths presumably jumped to 3H on the second round and were left there. Two Souths were left in 3NT. 4H N was played four times along with one lonely 5H N.

?

Hearts declared by North can be held to ten tricks by a spade lead. 3NT in particular has even greater importance on whether declarer finesses the first heart or drops the offside doubleton queen. 4H can be set one trick if the heart is finessed but 3NT is likely to be at least -2 after a misguess. But the only two-trick set was against 4H by Study. Martin was N-S top in 3NT +2; John took eleven tricks in 4H despite a spade lead; the defence continued with two rounds of diamonds and the heart guess saw him home.

?

3NT S +2

4H N +1

3NT S +1

3H N +2

3H N +1

3H N -1; 4H N -1 (2); 5H N -1

4H N -2

?

16:

?

...............K92

...............Q97

...............4

...............Q108754

A10865...................Q7

53............................AJ1064

AJ86........................9532

A6............................K9

...............J43

...............K82

...............KQ107

...............J32

?

North cannot do much after 1S by West, although one auction did end in 3Cx N. 1S-1NT; 2D never ended the auction, although East's rebid often did: 2H, 2S, 2NT twice and 3D twice. Other contracts were 2NT W, 3H E and 3NT E for a rainbow hand.

?

Most declarers took the double dummy number of tricks. No-trumps can be held to eight tricks by club leads, although Eric managed an overtrick in 2NT E after a different lead. E-W could take nine tricks in either major or ten in diamonds. North may have to rise with the queen on the first heart against a spade contract in order to prevent the suit from establishing for discards of diamonds. Karleta held 3D to nine tricks when declarer led a diamond to the jack on the first round instead of the eight. E-W top went to Philbot, who punished 3Cx N with the double dummy three-trick set.

?

3NT E -1

2S W =; 3D W =

2NT E =; 2NT W =

3D W +1

2H E +1

2NT E +1

3H E +3

3Cx N -3

?

17:

?

...............AQJ6

...............52

...............A974

...............Q94

K943...................5

AKJ106...............Q9

----......................KJ86532

J1075..................K32

...............10872

...............8743

...............Q10

...............A86

?

It appears that two East made a natural 3D overcall of North's 1D opening bid. It was left in (or else East passed fist and backed into the auction later). Another East was able to play 2D, likely after 1D-1H; 1S and then South decided not to raise to 2S. Two Wests bid a natural 2H after 1D-1H and eventually declared 3H. Four Norths declared in spades, 1S and 2S twice each when neither East nor West came in with a natural bid in the opponents' suit. The last auction saw a classic accident: 1D-P-P-1H; 1S-P-P-3C; P-6H, Eastbot taking 3C as quite a strong bid.

?

Marune dropped a trick but still had a comfortable top defending 6H -4, with 3H -2 (the expected result) joint second for Karleta and Mahn. Spades by North could be held to seven tricks, with Ritold holding declarer to six, although one might think declarer more likely to overperform than the defence. East can scramble together eight tricks in diamonds, although Marudy set 2D to join Rekenee and Roseward defending 3D -1.

?

6H W -4

3H W -2 (2)

1S N = (2)

2D E -1; 3D E -1 (2)

2S N -1

2S N -2

?

18:

?

...............KQJ4

...............Q7

...............42

...............108542

109865...................7

98632.....................AKJ104

A107.......................KQJ

----..........................AQ76

...............A32

...............5

...............98653

...............KJ93

?

This hand came down entirely to the bidding. If East opened 1H West raised to 4H. Correctly predicting partner to be short in clubs, Kevin and Harold went on to 4NT and then 6H opposite one ace. If East opens 2C, as some did, West's hand explodes in value once East bids hearts. Only Cindy went part 4H, though, putting Louise directly into slam: 2C-2D; 2H-3H; 4H-6H. After 2C-2D; 2H, there is probably a good case that 4C should be a splinter raise, but just deciding to put partner into slam is not a bad idea. The other auction all finished in 4H E.

?

There was nothing to the play, everyone taking twelve tricks.

?

4H E +2 (7)

6H E = (3)

1:

?

...............1063

...............KJ3

...............K2

...............K8542

AJ8.........................Q2

AQ7.........................104

10853......................AQ74

A76..........................QJ1093

...............K9754

...............98652

...............J96

...............----

?

An auction in which East passes in second seat likely ends in 3NT W. It ought not to make much difference whether East opens or not. P-1C-2C could induce a pair like Jevin to take a crack at defending 2Hx. But P-1C-2C-3NT seems perfectly normal. 3NT W was played eight times. One pair stopped in 2NT W; the remaining contracts were 2D W and 4C W.

?

The 5-0 trumps were not a serious enough hindrance to allow a set of 4C, but Lernot tied for top anyway with Louff, who defended 2D +2. It looks as if it may help if West declares 3NT and that turns out to hold true because of West's spade eight. South on lead can start with a heart to North, followed by a spade switch and N-S come to four tricks. Swap the spade seven and eight and a spade lead might even allow declarer to go down, Declarer could always force ten tricks in 3NT; there was a fairly even spread of results - nine tricks thrice, ten tricks thrice and eleven tricks twice. Martin took eleven tricks when South discarded a club early in the play, allowing four diamond winners.

?

2D W +2; 4C W =

2NT E +3

3NT W = (3)

3NT W +1 (3)

3NT W +2 (2)

?

2:

?

...............A106

...............KQ96

...............K432

...............109

K742.......................QJ953

853..........................J107

A8............................J97

J732.........................86

...............8

...............A42

...............Q1065

...............AKQ54

?

This hand was a bit trappy. Could N-S find their way to 5D or even 6D, perhaps the interesting 4H, or would they stop the iffy 3NT? South has to decide how to plan the auction - start with 1C or 1D? rebid 2C or 2D over a 1S response? continue with 2C, 2D or 2H after a 1H response? rebid 3D or 3S if the auction begins 1C-1D? Eight pairs were unable to stay out of 3NT, played seven times by North. The other three pairs reached 4H on the 4-3 fit. One of the auctions included a Spiral ask: 1C-1H; 2H-2NT; 3D-4H. I wondered if N-S were both playing the convention the same way, but perhaps North was always going to play in hearts and just planned to stop had South rebid 3C to show 3H and a minimum raise.

?

3NT could not make after the spade lead, although at least there was play for it; declarer needed 3-3 clubs. Carthurl were E-W top posting 3NT -2. -3 was not out of the realm of possibility; if South discarded diamonds on the second and third spades, declarer may have tested the clubs and then played three rounds of hearts, leading the third round from the South hand, taking the Restricted Choice finesse. 4H could take twelve tricks on the friendly layout and Sarah did so, but I don't think declarer should play the hand that wide open. Assuming a spade lead, I like ducking. A second spade can be ruffed and then declarer just needs one red suit or the other to behave. The duck greatly reduces the chance of declarer's losing control of the hand and, even if both hearts and clubs split evenly, 4H should still take one trick more than 3NT. Bill will doubtless remember a similar hand conceived by Mr Mollo, on which the Rueful Rabbit and Karapet the Free Armenian got a top board against Papa the Greek and the Hideous Hog because the Rabbit left the crucial ace in the board, bidding and playing with only twelve cards and finding that brilliant duck without knowing it.

?

4H N +2

4H N +1

3NT N -1 (6); 3NT S -1; 4H N -1

3NT N -2

?

3:

?

...............J8

...............K107632

...............AJ5

...............A2

AK765.......................Q9432

Q4.............................A5

Q93...........................K874

983............................QJ

...............10

...............J98

...............1062

...............K107654

?

One South pressed the vulnerability to the maximum by opening 3C and declaring that contract. E-W declared in spades at all the other tables. West declared thrice, probably usually after opening the bidding. East likely overcalled 1S when North opened 1H and then West made some sort of invitational noise. E-W contracts were 2S E, 3S E four times, 3S W twice, 4S E twice and 4S W. E-W have nine trumps but very little else, the side queens particularly not being the most effective assets they could have held.

?

Gernot caught a rather kind layout, especially in the trumps, and took ten tricks for a 90% score. 3S is right-sided played by West, as only a heart opening lead from South allows N-S to avoid being endplayed into breaking the diamonds or giving a ruff-and-discard. The notable point is North's doubleton club; if North lets South win the first club for a heart lead, North gets stuck on lead later; otherwise, declarer can ruff the third club before losing the second round of hearts. West declaring took nine tricks twice while Elaine took ten in 3S for the top after a diamond switch at trick three after two rounds of clubs. Delen and Jerik held East to eight tricks, with the other Easts declaring taking nine.

?

4S E -2

3C S +1

3S E -1; 4S E -1; 4S W -1

2S E +1; 3S E = (3); 3S W =

3S W +1

?

4:

?

...............942

...............J10

...............Q652

...............KQ94

6............................AKQJ83

KQ953...................----

J10874..................K93

A7..........................10863

...............1075

...............A87642

...............A

...............J52

?

If West opens 1H it keeps N-S out of the auction; East then drives to either 4S or 3NT, just possibly 5D. If West passes, East opens 1S. If South passes, West may respond 1NT but 2H seems more likely, probably leading to game with East's solid suit elevating the hand out of the minimum class. 1S-1NT may lead to 2S E, which was the contract twice, West wisely not moving again on the misfit. A 2H overcall from South convinced West to pass, hoping for a reopening double. 2Hx was the final contract once. If the auction is P-P-1S-2H; P-P, I prefer 2S to double for a reopening, as East has so little in defence that defending could work out quite poorly. Higher contracts were 3Hx S, 3S E, 3NT W, 4S E four times and 5Hx S when North went the whole hog.

?

Heart contracts could have been held to six tricks, with a chance of declarer's taking only five if West managed a club ruff in the early going. Larbot had the high score of the day, posting 5Hx -6 for a socre of +1700 and keeping Conndy's +1100 against 3Hx -4 from the top spot. 3NT could not quite make, finishing -1 against Jeb. Spade contracts depended on the lead: ten tricks after a heart lead, nine after a black-suit lead, eight after a diamond (declarer has to draw trumps early to prevent a ruff). Declarers in spade partials went plus, but 4S failed three of the four times it was played. The one successful declarer in 4S was George; South led the ace of diamond but then switched to the ace of hearts.

?

4S E -2 (2)

3NT W -1; 4S E -1

2S E = (2)

3S E =

2Hx S -2

4S E =

3Hx S -4

5Hx S -6

?

5:

?

...............K

...............AK9753

...............9843

...............K4

A94..........................Q87632

10642.......................QJ

KJ106.......................3

76..............................8532

...............J105

...............8

...............AQ72

...............AQJ109

?

N-S have yet another choice of games, selecting between 3NT, 4H, 5D or even possibly 5C. Every pair but one did end up in game, and three games were selected (nobody got into 5C); E-W even sacrificed in 4Sx once. N-S contracts were 2NT S, 3NT S twice, 4H N thrice, 5D S twice and 5Dx S twice.

?

Trump leads wreck 4Sx but Larry (Sh) was lucky to escape with -3. It did not help much, though, as only three games the other way made. 3NT and 4H were both all right, 3NT requiring a black lead to be held to nine tricks, 4H a diamond lead to be held to ten. Hank was N-S top in 4H +2 when West ducked a spade at trick two and did not win to give East a diamond ruff, which likely would have led to a set. Jerik posted 3NT S -3 when South took the diamond finesse instead of cashing out. With the bad trumps declarers in diamonds could take only nine tricks, Haorge and Lark tied for top after finding the double.

?

4H N +2

4H S =

3NT S =

4Sx E -3

2NT S +1

4H N -1

5D S -2 (2)

3NT S -3

5Dx S -2 (2)

?

6:

?

...............754

...............KQ842

...............5

...............Q982

106........................K92

7............................J10653

A1096....................J7

A107654................KJ3

...............AQJ83

...............A9

...............KQ8432

...............----

?

One auction was surprisingly quiet: 1D-1H; 1S. I think that, with three losers, South can reasonably jump shift to 2S. I agree with the selection of 1D as the opening bid. West was usually wise enough to stay out of the auction. One North ended up in 3NT but South declared in spades at all the other tables: in addition to the one 1S, 3S twice and 4S seven times.

?

4S can take eleven tricks by force, the key being for declarer to ruff the second diamond and then eventually the third, perhaps after drawing two rounds of trumps. Largely due, however, to the tendency to cash winners early in such suits, Leigh Ann was the only declarer to take ten tricks in spades, posting 4S = for the N-S top: heart to the ace, heart ruffed, low diamond to the queen, diamond ruffed, club ruffed, diamond ruffed and overruffed, club ruffed, diamond ruffed and overruffed, club ruffed, draw trumps and the South hand was good. Everyone else in 4S was defeated, Jerik posting -3 to tie Carthurl and 3NT -3 for E-W top. The spade partials all scored +140.

?

4S S =

1S S +2; 3S S = (2)

4S S -1 (3)

4S S -2 (2)

3NT N -3; 4S S -3

?

7:

?

...............J96

...............AQ104

...............K1063

...............A6

K10........................52

K98........................J65

AQ9872.................J54

K4..........................Q9873

...............AQ8743

...............732

...............----

...............J1052

?

The auction usually began 2S-3D, with not a lot of variation after that. Four Norths left 3D in. Sarah raised Phyllis to 4S but 3S was the usual choice. 3S became the final contract five times and 3Sx once.

?

Against spades West is nearly endplayed on the opening lead, although I suspect one would get away with leading the ten of spades; who would play for the drop on the second round? A diamond lead establishes North's king and the club king allows declarer to lead towards the J10x with good consequences. West holds declarer to ten tricks with a heart lead. Phyllis took eleven tricks in 4S for what was nearly a double top, as only Gernot took eleven tricks in a spade partial. 3D could have escaped for -1 but only Larry (Sh) did as that required going through North with a middle diamond at some point. Randi were second-top N-S defending 3D -3 when declarer led a trump from dummy at trick four when it was necessary to run a middle club through South.

?

3Sx S +1

4S S +1

3D W -3

3D W -2 (2); 3S S +2

3S S +1 (3)

3D W -1

3S S -2

?

8:

?

...............K63

...............QJ842

...............32

...............862

J87.........................A42

AK..........................9753

J984.......................AK1065

K1054.....................Q

...............Q1095

...............106

...............Q7

...............AJ973

?

Unless South gets frisky after 1D-1H, which does not seem to have happened, E-W seem likely to find their way to game one way or another. One pair stopped in 2NT W, another in 3D W and one in 4D W but game was reached at the other eight tables: 3NT E, 3NT W five times and 5D W twice.

?

5D is set if North finds the active lead of a spade; Rich came through and delivered, establishing the setting trick before West could establish a discard on a club. There were nine tricks available in 3NT, the result half the time, while Judy, Hank (B) and Lee took ten, not that hard to do with West declaring, as N-S might try the clubs.

?

5D W -1

4D W =

2NT W +1; 3D W +2

3NT W = (3); 5D W =

3NT E +1; 3NT W +1 (2)

?

9:

?

...............10832

...............Q86

...............A65

...............KJ8

AKJ97...................64

J54........................A72

92..........................10874

632........................Q1095

...............Q5

...............K1093

...............KQJ3

...............A74

?

West is not likely to come in on the vulnerability after South opens 1NT. 3NT S became the contract nine times, either with Stayman or without. Two Souths did not open 1NT, those contracts eventually becoming 1NT N and 2NT N.

?

A low spade lead is the way to set 3NT by force. Even if West starts with the top spades the set is not necessarily ruined. Declarer may well decide to play East for the heart jack. Jerik and Larbot defended 3NT -2 to tie for E-W top. Sandi was one of the five Souths to make 3NT after a high spade lead; Keianne and Marudy defended 3NT -1.

?

3NT S = (5)

2NT N +1

1NT N =

3NT S -1 (2)

3NT S -2 (2)

?

10:

?

...............A85

...............Q943

...............J10

...............AK32

KQJ97...................103

K762......................A105

A8..........................9743

J5...........................9864

...............642

...............J8

...............KQ652

...............Q107

?

West opened 1S and only three Norths passed, but Rich was among the passers. No South balanced on the auction. Swap the minors and those pairs who play Equal Level Conversion have a reasonable double. As the hand was, however, P-P-1S-X was followed by 2D from South, putting North in an uncomfortable position. Only once was 2D left in. Other doubles led to 2H N, 2S W twice, 3D S and 3NT N. The last two Norths overcalled 2C on the four-card suit, vulnerable, which can reasonably go into the Don't Try This at Home category. 2C led to 2D S and 3NT N as contracts.

?

1S looked to take eight tricks, with overperformance being the order of the day. Only Randi held declarer to seven tricks; Larry (Sh) took nine when North led a club at trick six. Henry's 2C overcall escaped when Leigh Ann played 2D =, the only successful N-S contract. Conndy and Keianne tied for E-W top with a score of +300, defending 2H -3 and 3NT -3.

?

2D S =

1S W =

2D S -1; 3D S -1

1S W +1; 2S W = (2)

1S W +2

3NT N -2

2H N -3; 3NT N -3

?

11:

?

...............A762

...............9

...............AJ93

...............A753

KQ3.......................J94

AK842...................J653

72...........................654

J92.........................1086

...............1085

...............Q107

...............KQ108

...............KQ4

?

When South passed at one table West opened 1H, North doubled and South bid a conservative 1NT, ending the auction. Usually South opened 1D, West overcalled 1H, North doubled and the auction reached at least 3H. One West played 3H undoubled (perhaps after P-1H-X-3H) and two played 3Hx. Both North and South played 3S, along with 3NT S twice, 3NTx S and 4S N twice.

?

With 3-3 clubs declarer had at least nine tricks in 3NT. Sadly for E-W the normal lead of a low heart just gives declarer an overtrick. Hank (V) emerged with the N-S top in 3NTx +1; Phyllis and Henry also took ten tricks in 3NT undoubled. 4S could have been made by force thanks to South's heart ten, but declarer must duck the first two rounds of spades to keep control of the hand if E-W play hearts at every opportunity. Delen and Jerik defended 4S -1 to tie for E-W top. Opting to defend 3Hx turned out to be a good choice for Glynneth and Jeb, whose +500 score for 3Hx -3 was sufficient to better any undoubled game.

?

3NTx S +1

3Hx W -3 (2)

3NT S +1

3NT S =

1NT S +3

3S S +1

3H W -3

3S N =

4S N -1 (2)

?

12:

?

...............AJ542

...............Q53

...............K974

...............J

K9..........................108

1087.......................AJ92

AQ852....................J3

875.........................Q10642

...............Q763

...............K64

...............106

...............AK93

?

Did North open 1S? Eight Norths did, almost always getting a 2NT forcing raise from South and leading to 4S N eight times. There were three passers, the passes eventually resulting in contracts of 1S N and 2S N twice, 1S making more sense than 2S.

?

A contrary layout might have set 4S but declarer had a clear eleven tricks with the 2-2 trumps and both finesses working. Seven of the eleven declarers took the expected eleven tricks. Lark were among the pairs holding declarer to ten when North did not bother with the spade finesse. Jerik were E-W top defending 2S +2.

?

4S N +1 (5)

4S N = (3)

1S N +4; 2S N +3

2S N +2

?

13:

?

...............9652

...............A1073

...............K74

...............A3

108........................AKJ

Q102......................KJ654

AJ3........................1086

QJ842....................75

...............Q743

...............9

...............Q952

...............K1096

?

Possibly up to three Norths found a light opening bid, for North declared 2S at one table and 3S at two others. Thoe contracts were also possible after P-1H-P-2H; P-P-X if West opted for 2H rather than 1NT forcing followed by 3H. Contracts were 1NT W, 2H E twice (not that brave on South's part), 2S N, 3H E thrice, 3S N twice and 4H E twice.

?

The Law turned out to be spot on, with both 2H and 2S making on the number double dummy. The diamond suit offered a chance of either side to do better. In spades it did not make much difference whether E-W played out the trumps at once or allowed heart ruffs. Jerik were E-W top defending 3S N -2, Heve N-S top defending 4H E -3. Henry took nine tricks in 3S. Judy was one of two declarers posting +140 in hearts after N-S began with two rounds of clubs, missing the needed diamond switch.

?

4H E -3

4H E -2

3S N =

2S N =

3H E -1 (2)

3S N -2

2H E =

1NT W +1

2H E +1; 3H E =

?

14:

?

...............AJ

...............K

...............QJ86

...............J107653

K107643...............Q9

1054......................Q9873

1092......................743

A............................Q98

...............852

...............AJ62

...............AK5

...............K42

?

1NT from South seemed likely to lead to 3NT whether West bid or not. One West did come in with 2S and played there doubled; another North finished in 5C, winning the bidding contests, and everyone else fell into the trap and played 3NT S.

?

After a spade lead there was nothing declarer could do. Hearts could not even be finessed and clubs had to be played sooner or later. 3NT -2 was posted eight times. The one successful declarer in 3NT was Sharon; East inexplicably shifted to a heart after winning the first spade. Deb was the happy declarer in 5C N =, while Pharah took the expected seven tricks to score +300 against 2Sx.

?

3NT S +1

5C N =

2Sx W -2

3NT S -2 (8)

?

15:

?

...............8

...............3

...............KJ973

...............987532

J10962..................Q743

A98........................K542

A5..........................Q842

KQ10......................A

...............AK5

...............QJ1076

...............106

...............J64

?

This hand would have been much more enjoyable with the vulnerability reversed. Then, over West's 1S opening bid, North might have come in with 2NT looking to sacrifice against the nearly certain game the other way. But there is no point to North's coming in red against white, as a sacrifice could only go one down against a game, and 2NT would just help West read the hand accurately. One of the most effective light opening bids of the day came from Vicki, who opened 1H sitting South. This caused East to downgrade the hand to a single raise of West's 1S overcall, 2S ending the auction. One other pair stopped in 3S and one went looking for slam, finishing in 5Sx. The expected auction would be 1S-4C; 4S. East may not like making a splinter raise on a singleton ace but it's the standout call and West will be eager to sign off. One South doubled 4S, which was rather pointless. Yes, E-W were missing the ace and king of trumps but they had bid game anyway and ought to have the values to compensate. Had South held QJ107 AK65 106 J64 a double would have been better, as there would at least have been the unpleasant surprise of a bad trump split, although heart shortage or tipping declarer off to finesse in trumps holding AK986 opposite 5432 could still lead to a make. The trump QJ109 would likely see some doubles at matchpoints, especially if the hand would be on lead.

?

The play would have been much more interesting in 5C as well. How four declarers in spades managed not to discard two hearts on clubs and come to ten tricks is a complete mystery, but Randi, Pharah and Arday set 4S while Glynneth held declarer in 3S to nine tricks. No North led a diamond from the king, which would have allowed an eleventh trick. Everyone else took the expected ten tricks, giving Ken the E-W top in 4Sx = and Louff the N-S top defending 5Sx -1. The play would have been more interesting at reverse vulnerability as well in a hypothetical 5Cx. If E-W cash their heart winner off the top and get the club ace out early -4 can be achieved but a spade lead results in an immediate heart discard and allows -2, although declarer could still get into trouble by concentrating too hard on trumps.

?

5Sx W -1

4S W -1 (3)

3S W =

2S W +2

4S E =; 4S W = (3)

4Sx W =

?

16:

?

...............QJ97

...............AJ72

...............84

...............K54

53..........................AK84

K10985..................643

Q107......................KJ

J86.........................A1097

...............1062

...............Q

...............A96532

...............Q32

?

East opened 1NT and South usually stayed out of the auction. One West opted to leave 1NT in on the middlish strength of the hand, hoping 1NT would outperform 2H. Another West somehow finished in 2D. East played 2H six times. At least one South entered the auction, eventually declaring 3D. One East also declared 2NT and another 3NT.

?

Despite the 4-1 trump split declarer has a good chance of emerging with nine tricks in hearts, although N-S can hold hearts to eight tricks if North gets to ruff a third diamond with the seven-spot. Three declarers took nine tricks in hearts; Judy was not assured of her overtrick in 2H until trick nine when South, having just won a club finesse with the queen, returned a second club instead of finally playing the diamond. Play in no-trumps was equally interesting. The way to make 1NT by force was to win a diamond lead with the queen and finesse clubs right away; then N-S had to switch to spades to hold declarer to seven tricks. Arday set 1NT while declarers in 2NT and 3NT both took eight tricks. Leighry might have set 2D W two tricks but still scored 90% for -1.

?

1NT E -1; 2D W -1; 3NT E -1

3D S -2

2H E = (3)

2NT E =

2H E +1 (3)

?

17:

?

...............J32

...............J10972

...............52

...............KJ4

9.............................A10854

643.........................AK

A963.......................J87

Q9862....................A103

...............KQ76

...............Q85

...............KQ104

...............75

?

Seven Easts opened 1NT and played the hand there. A 1S opening bid might have led to a contract of 2C, in which declarer could have taken nine tricks without much trouble, but the one uncontested auction to begin 1S-1NT saw East raise to 2NT, passed by West. One East finished in 2S, while competition, presumably after an off-shape double from South, led to 2H N and 3H N.

?

Results in no-trumps saw declarer usually take seven or eight tricks, with both five and nine also appearing. Pharah defended 1NT -2 to tie Louff's 3S -2 for N-S top. 1NT's going down?is not unreasonable. After the diamond king and heart switch, East might lead ace and another club, securing -1 if the diamond switch is ducked. East led a diamond at trick three and could still have taken seven tricks after ducking, but could no longer make the contract after winning the ace. Mark took nine tricks for E-W top.

?

1NT E -2; 3S E -2

2NT W -1

1NT E = (2)

2H N -2; 3H N -2

1NT E +1 (3)

1NT E +2

?

18:

?

...............9

...............AK63

...............9

...............QJ108763

J832..............................64

J842..............................107

7.....................................AJ1086532

AK94..............................2

...............AKQ1075

...............Q95

...............KQ4

...............5

?

At this vulnerability, I am perhaps a little surprised that no East opened 5D. Maybe we needed Paun to be playing - as they play Namyats 4D would have been unavailable and 5D certainly applies maximal pressure. In the end there were seven 4D opening bids while 3D was opened thrice and 2D(!) once. Curiously, 2D worked best, as the final contract was 5Cx N. The 3D bidders reminded me of the late Inge-Maria Bellis, who frequently opened with a pre-empt and then bid the suit again (which always drove Florence Schannon up the wall); one 3D opening led to 4S S and the other two to 4Dx E. 4D opening bids drew 4S from South; this ended the auction five times. One North pulled to 5C and one East to 5Dx.

?

The play was clear in spades - everyone took ten tricks, losing one club, one diamond and one trump. Even if declarer were stuck with a third diamond for a fourth possible loser West is easily squeezed in clubs and hearts. Declarer also took ten tricks in both 5C and 5Cx. If East leads the diamond ace it is best not to follow with another diamond, as West with AK94 should not be given the opportunity to ruff. Just get out with a hear or even a spade and force declarer to find a finesse of the club eight. A major lead even brings a make into play, as North can discard the losing diamond right away. In diamonds N-S can take six tricks by cashing their major winners first and then sitting back to let South take two trump tricks. After a club lead or early switch, South can ruff the king on the second round but N-S will only take six tricks if East misplays and lets South score all three trumps. 4Dx was -3 both times, not enough to score as well as 4S. Arthur, playing 4Dx, escaped for -2 after what seemed to be a defensive miscommunication. South began with two top spades, North discarding the heart three. South then switched to a club and Arthur escaped. This made only a small difference in the matchpoints; Gisela in 5Dx also lost obly fice tricks and avoided finishing with a bottom score.

?

4S S = (6)

4Dx E -3; 5Dx E -3

4Dx E -2

5C N -1

5Cx N -1

1:

?

...............K9542

...............AQ643

...............93

...............6

Q3..........................A876

K7..........................109

AQJ42...................K105

KJ83......................10974

...............J10

...............J852

...............876

...............AQ52

?

Jim (U) took full advantage of the limited range of Jerik's 1S, 1H and 1D openings by opening 1S, eventually declaring 3H N. Curiously that does not seem to matter much - if North passes, West opens 1D and North can bid 2D. Louise declared 3H S?after such an auction. One West competed to 4D over 3H and the fourth ended in 3NT, perhaps after a 1NT opening bid.

?

Jim (U) and Louise both took ten tricks in 3H with the layout so benign. Even so there might have been difficulty had North been forced to ruff a diamond early as declarer might not work out the need to finesse the spades before the hearts. All four tables produced the double dummy result in the play, with Owen E-W top in 4D -1.

?

3H N +1; 3H S +1

3NT W -2

4D W -1

?

2:

?

...............A65

...............962

...............Q632

...............K64

KQJ1072...........83

K........................AQ83

AKJ109..............5

10.......................AQ9853

...............94

...............J10754

...............874

...............J72

?

West has the playing strength for a 2C opening bid and East opens the bidding. That ought to have gotten everyone to slam but the only slam auction was 1C-1S; 2C-2D; 2H-3S; 3NT-6NT. Two Wests played 4S and the fourth auction ended in 4NT E.

?

The difficulty in 6NT is that the entries to the East hand can be cut off by an early club lead. Steve made 6NT after an opening heart lead; a club lead restricts declarer to four tricks in hearts and clubs when East needs five. 6S can always make; declarer can ruff a diamond if N-S begin with a club lead or make 6S the way 6NT makes if North begins with ace and another spade. Mary took twelve tricks in 4S; Miken and Jerik best expectations defending against 4S and 4NT.

?

4NT E =

4S W +1

4S W +2

6NT E =

?

3:

?

...............Q1098732

...............1065

...............872

...............----

5.................................J64

AJ...............................98742

KJ63...........................Q5

KJ8743.......................1092

...............AK

...............KQ3

...............A1094

...............AQ65

?

South opens 2C and North drives to 4S, likely via a transfer. One pair got dangerously up to 5S but two played in 4S, once from each side. One West disregarded the vulnerability and the 2C opening bid, getting all the way up to 4Cx.

?

4S is fine when declarer discards a diamond on the club ace; either the fourth diamond establishes or in this case the heart jack drops. All the declarers in spades took eleven tricks. Defending 4Cx Miken always had -2 available but they managed a three-trick set when West did not ruff the diamond loser.?

?

4Cx W -3

4S N +1; 4S S +1; 5S N =

?

Leaders: Jerik 6.5, Maurie 6, Heve 5.5, Miken 5

?

4:

?

...............KJ86

...............AK43

...............92

...............AQ6

42........................AQ10

J2........................10975

KJ1053................876

9543....................KJ8

...............9753

...............Q86

...............AQ4

...............1072

?

1NT from North was left in twice. One South moved over a 15-17 1NT opening bid and North finished in 3NT. In the last auction North rebid 1NT with a minimum of 17 HCP instead of a maximum and South naturally drove to 3NT.

?

Erik, who was dummy, remarked to me during the hand that he'd never seen so many losing finesses in one hand and there were a good many. Heve enjoyed their defensive result of 3NT -4; one of the declarers in 1NT also took the same five tricks. Declarer could take seven tricks, mostly by forcing East on lead as often as possible at the key points during the hand. Mike managed 1NT = for the N-S top. Louise bettered par in 3NT -1 for a good score; East could have secured -2 by throwing her in at trick ten with a heart but led a club instead into her AQ and her hand was high.

?

?

?

1NT N =

3NT N -1

1NT N -2

3NT N -4

?

5:

?

...............853

...............A1072

...............82

...............10543

94..........................A762

QJ865....................4

KQ964...................1053

A............................KJ976

...............KQJ10

...............K93

...............AJ7

...............Q82

?

1NT from South and then it was a question of how West would compete with the 5-5 red suits. 2H W was played twice and 3D W twice, likely after a 2H overcall showing hearts and a minor, 2NT from East to suggest playing in the minor and West's correcting to 3D.

?

3D works out a bit better, finishing only -1 against good defence. 2H can be set two tricks. Everyone produced the expected result except for Hank, who did one trick better in 2H -1 after a diamond opening lead.

?

2H W -2

2H W -1; 3D W -1 (2)

?

6:

?

...............J53

...............J97542

...............9

...............QJ6

AKQ2......................106

AK...........................Q1065

KJ7..........................AQ1084

K954........................102

...............9874

...............8

...............6532

...............A873

?

2C followed by 2NT from West and East has reason to go looking for slam, likely in diamonds, bidding 4D after Stayman does not reveal a fit. But our players were a bit on the timid side, finishing in contracts of 3NT W thrice and 4H E.

?

3NT can always take twelve tricks but all the declarers cashed out for eleven, Stayman having told South not to discard a spade. 4H could never make; Doul picked up a second undertrick when East, down to Q10 in hearts, rose with the queen on North's heart lead. 6D would have been interesting, making if declarer drew trumps and led to the club king, failing if declarer tried to ruff a heart before drawing trumps, a reasonable line that runs into the bad luck of the 6-1 split.

?

4H E -2

3NT W +2 (3)

?

Leaders: Heve 12.5, Miken 12, Maurie 11

?

7:

?

...............K742

...............10

...............AKQ8

...............Q765

Q...........................A10865

K952.....................AQ6

J10742..................5

J104......................AK92

...............J93

...............J8743

...............963

...............83

?

For some reason two Wests passed East's 1S opening bid and the hand was played there. One North did even worse, balancing with 1NT and eventually playing 2H. The one normal auction was uncontested for E-W, 1S-1NT; 2C.

?

1S takes eight tricks after a diamond lead and does even better against other starts. Loubot were N-S top holding 1S to seven tricks when East led a club to the jack at trick eight when it was necessary to lead a heart to endplay North. Charlette took eight tricks in 1S as did Laurie in 2C. Owbot were always getting E-W top defending 2H N and eventually finished -4.

?

1S E =

2C E =

1S E +1

2H N -4

?

8:

?

...............KQ964

...............KQ764

...............J3

...............K

3...........................AJ1052

J10.......................----

AQ85....................K764

AJ9864................Q1075

...............87

...............A98532

...............1092

...............32

?

West opens 1C, North bids either 1S or 2C and then it's just a question of how high which side gets pushed. E-W don't have strong HCP count but the fit is gorgeous. Two N-S pairs were able to get out of the auction when West was still only at 4C. One E-W pair got pushed to 5C and another to 6C: 1C-2C-X-2H (not 4H?); 3C-3H-5C-5H; P-P-6C.

?

Club contracts gave declarer either twelve or thirteen tricks depending on wether declarer took the club finesse or made the anti-percentage play of dropping the offside singleton king. Jim (L) and Owen took thirteen tricks, Ken and Mary twelve.

?

4C W +2

4C W +3

5C W +2

6C W =

?

9:

?

...............KQ7653

...............Q5

...............753

...............84

10............................J84

J76432....................K

K109........................QJ82

KQ10.......................J9632

...............A92

...............A1098

...............A64

...............A75

?

After a 2S opening bid from North South really ought to think mainly of 3NT, especially if South can learn that North's spades are headed by KQ. But everyone fell into the 4S trap, usually via 2S-4S. At least at matchpoints there is a chance of getting something going in hearts that declarer would not get in no-trumps, but 3NT would be where Bill's mind would go first.

?

The good heart spots mean that 4H takes ten tricks after a diamond lead and can take eleven after any other - after a club lead, declarer wins, draws trumps and runs the heart queen; it's actually better not to drop the singleton king in such a layout. 3NT picks up a lucky tenth trick after a minor lead, eleven after a heart lead. Jim (U) took eleven tricks in 4S after the heart king opening lead; DoDo took ten tricks; the other two declarers didn't go after hearts in time at all and managed to go down.

?

4S N +1

4S N =

4S N -1 (2)

?

Leaders: Maurie 17.5, Heve 15, Loubot 14, Miken 13.5

?

10:

?

...............K764

...............Q86

...............Q753

...............J9

AJ9....................102

K109..................752

J4......................A1082

A10843..............KQ52

...............Q853

...............AJ43

...............K96

...............76

?

West opens 1C in third seat; East responds 1D, 1NT or 2C. South may come in with a takeout double, likely to get North to compete to 2S. But our Souths, with both sides vulnerable, took a tame course in the auction. Contracts were 1NT E twice and 2C W twice.

?

If N-S compete, spade contracts are likely to take only six tricks, largely due to the near-mirror distribution, making it a good thing for our Norths that they all stayed out of the auction. 2C could have been held to nine tricks by a heart lead and would have done better otherwise. 1NT could have taken nine tricks by force. The results made a Matchpoint Melee with four different scores of 110, 120, 130 and 150. Doul held 1NT to eight tricks when East led a diamond at trick eight instead of taking the spade finesse or running the clubs in order to endplay South.?

?

2C W +1

1NT E +1

2C W +2

1NT E +2

?

11:

?

...............74

...............Q72

...............A1085

...............K542

83.........................Q1052

K6.........................J10853

97643....................KQ

AJ109....................83

...............AKJ96

...............A94

...............J2

...............Q76

?

One South opened 1NT and accepted North's invitation on the basis of the good spades. Two Souths opened 1S and passed North's response of 1NT. The fourth auction had 1NT forcing brought out, eventually producing the normal 1S-1NT; 2C-2S.

?

1NT could have forced nine tricks with some silly-good guessing including the double finesse in spades and dropping the second diamond. But seven tricks was a much more realistic expectation and declarer against Maurie only took six. Hank may well have received a trump lead against 2S, as he emerged with ten tricks, although eight would have been sufficient for N-S top.

?

2S S +2

1NT N =

1NT N -1

3NT S -2

?

12:

?

...............982

...............94

...............A5

...............K98653

AKQ76...................----

J87.........................AQ10653

K863......................J42

2.............................A1075

...............J10543

...............K2

...............Q1097

...............QJ

?

Does East respond 2H to West's 1S opening bid? If the auction begins 1S-1NT; 2D-2H, dies West continue? The answer to the latter question may be Yes, though some pairs play 1S-3H as natural and invitational for just these situations to avoid having to choose between a game force and a signoff. We ended with contracts of 2H E and 4H E thrice.

?

Declarer loses the diamond ace and the trump king, although after a black suit lead East's diamonds go away on the spades and then there is a cross-ruff. Charlette took twelve tricks that way, the two declarers in 4H both took the regulation eleven and Heve held declarer in 2H to ten tricks anyway for a sort of moral double top.

?

2H E +2

4H E +1 (2)

4H E +2

?

Leaders: Heve 22, Maurie 21, Doul-Charim-Jerik 18

?

13:

?

...............J92

...............K104

...............A972

...............K97

K4.........................A108653

A5.........................982

QJ864...................3

J1054....................A86

...............Q7

...............QJ763

...............K105

...............Q32

?

All three Wests given the opportunity to open the bidding in fourth seat applied the Rule of Fifteen and passed the hand out. Only DoDo ventured to open the East hand with 2S, which ended the auction.

?

In 2S, declarer looks like wanting to trump a heart for the eighth trick. N-S can lead two rounds of spades, but neither North nor South can break the trump suit without surrendering a trick. That was too bad for the defence, as neither diamonds nor clubs will allow an extra trick if care is taken.

?

Passed Out (3)

2S E =

?

14:

?

...............Q10754

...............7432

...............Q5

...............A5

AJ863......................9

985..........................AQJ10

K9............................J104

J86..........................K7432

...............K2

...............K6

...............A87632

...............Q109

?

South bids 1D and West bids 1S whether East opens 1C or not. It even seems likely that East rebids 2C either way as well. One auction was apparently P-1D-P-1S; P-1NT to lead to 1NT S; the other auctions all ended in 3C E.

?

3C could have made with the loss of two clubs, one diamond and one heart. South could have drawn West's trumps only by winning the first diamond with the ace, which eliminates the diamond loser. But nobody made 3C. Heve were N-S top with a two-trick set when declarer ruffed a spade at trick four instead of starting the trumps. 1NT S was always settable by force, with Loubot picking up a second undertrick for show.

?

3C E -2

3C E -1 (2)

1NT S -2

?

15:

?

...............107

...............J543

...............1043

...............KJ98

A8........................KQJ9542

AK10....................Q2

J852.....................Q7

10754....................AQ

...............63

...............9876

...............AK96

...............632

?

West opens 1C or 1D and East is sure of game. One pair managed to stop in 3S by accident. Happily nobody went to 6S, the 7-2-2-2 pattern and side queens not really combining for the most slamlike mesh.

?

With the club finesse succeeding, declarer takes eleven tricks if South cashes the top two diamonds and twelve otherwise. Owen cashed the two diamonds for a good score, as did Hank, although Heve were already sure of the top when their opponents missed the game. Charlette and Mike both took twelve tricks even though South began with a top diamond - and neither of them false-carded with the queen to convince South to shift.

?

3S E +2

4S E +1

4S E +2 (2)

?

Leaders: Heve 28, Maurie 25, Charim 23, Loubot 22.5

?

16:

?

...............K4

...............AK4

...............Q1095

...............KQ73

J10982.................A763

J109......................52

843.......................KJ76

52.........................J76

...............Q5

...............Q8763

...............A2

...............A1094

?

Jerik finished in 3NT S after a 1C forcing opening bid and a 1NT control-showing response. The other pairs had a standard auction 1NT-2D; 2H-3NT, with two Norths going back to 4H and the last leaving 3NT in.

?

3NT rarely rates to outperform 4M with Kx opposite Qx in a side suit, but here after a spade lead declarer has eleven winners off the top once the clubs and hearts behave reasonably. Either denomination ought to produce eleven tricks. For the third time in the game all contracts yielded the double dummy trick count, giving Erik and Owen a tie for N-S top on +460, Doul and Loubot a tie for E-W top on -450.

?

3NT N +2 (2)

4H N +1 (2)

?

17:

?

...............632

...............Q9

...............K62

...............Q9753

J954.....................AQ10

1043.....................AJ82

85.........................QJ103

J1084...................AK

...............K87

...............K765

...............A974

...............62

?

We got everyone into the same contract with East opening 2NT and ending the auction. West should even resist temptation if East opens 2C and rebids 2NT.

?

Any lead other than a diamond should hold declarer to eight tricks, but everyone took nine for a flat board. Mike received a diamond lead, giving him his ninth trick at once. Louise received her gift on trick three - after two rounds of hearts, south switched to a diamond when a heart or club was needed. Steve received his overtrick on trick four, again with a diamond lead after a heart and two spades, but this time another spade was needed. DoDo's overtrick almost didn't come but, at trick eleven, North discarded the good queen of clubs and kept a loser.

?

2NT E +1 (4)

?

18:

?

...............K97

...............K1082

...............J10

...............KQJ8

QJ865...................A

93..........................AJ764

Q742.....................AK6

75..........................A1092

...............10432

...............Q5

...............9853

...............643

?

A 2NT opening bid from East leads to 3NT E, which was the contract twice. 1H might have been passed around, could have started 1H-1S; 3C ending in 3NT from one side or the other, or even led to 1NTx N. The hand is not suited to a 2C opening bid, which was probably the cause of the two highest contracts, 5H E and 6H E.

?

No game could make, although 3NT might have been close had hearts split 3-3. Steve finished in a sort of style playing 3NT -1, the double dummy result. Maurie picked up a second undertrick when East led a heart at trick six instead of the king of diamonds. Both heart contracts finished -3, letting Jerik pull up into second place.

?

5H E -3; 6H E -3

3NT E -2

3NT E -1

?

Final: Heve 33, Jerik 28.5, Maurie 28, Charim 27.5, Doul-Loubot 27