1:
?
...............A92
...............107632
...............A3
...............A42
Q87654................K3
4...........................Q95
8...........................1097542
K10873.................J9
...............J10
...............AKJ8
...............KQJ6
...............Q65
?
1H from North and likely 2NT from South. If E-W enter the auction they may reach a 4S sacrifice. The only West to bid 4S, though, had the rather different auction of 1H-4H; South pressed on to 5Hx, East likely thinking that West bid 4S to make. Another pair stopped in 4NT S after South decided to look for slam but North bailed out. Heve, who usually only play 3NT with eight-card fits in a major, extended it to nine and stopped in 3NT.
?
Harob were very lucky to set 5Hx. Declarer should have played East for the heart queen rather than try to drop Qx in the West hand, and even then that would just turn twelve tricks into eleven; declarer dropped a trick somewhere. Declarer in 4NT also dropped a trick, although it is much more reasonable that that should have happened in no-trumps than in hearts. Heve were N-S top in 3NT +2, with no reason not to play for the drop in hearts.
?
3NT S +2
4NT S =
5Hx N -1
?
2:
?
...............964
...............Q9
...............AK107
...............8753
AKQ107..............J53
32........................KJ1086
5..........................J63
KJ1096................AQ
...............82
...............A754
...............Q9842
...............42
?
East opened 1H and West got to 4S. A classic auction was 1H-1S; 1NT-3C; 3S-4S. Had West dealt, the auction might have been 1S-2H; 3C-3S; 4S, with a slightly higher chance of West's looking for slam, as the Loser Count is about right for it.
?
Play was simple. Declarer had five winners in each black suit and an overtrick if the hearts were guessed correctly. Everyone made the overtrick for a flat board.
?
4S W +1 (3)
?
3:
?
...............1032
...............952
...............543
...............A842
J76.........................AK985
10973.....................AK
KJ76.......................A10982
73............................10
...............Q4
...............QJ64
...............Q
...............KQJ965
?
After 1C from South, two of the three E-W pairs were unable to reach game. The one exception came about after the auction 1C-P-1NT-X; 2C-2H-3C-3S; 4C-P-P-X; P-4S. Would West have carried on to 4S had South not bid 4C? I suspect not but we'll never know. The other auctions ended in 1S E and 2D E.
?
The cards lie kindly for E-W. Spades will rarely come in without at least one loser. Playing for a doubleton queen (or singleton with South) has the highest chance of success and here it works. Both spade contracts tok twelve tricks, giving Kokbot the E-W top for bidding game. Heve were N-S top because their opponents played in diamonds.
?
2D E +3
1S E +5
4S E +2
?
Leaders: Heve 5. Harob-Kokbot 4
?
4:
?
...............9764
...............Q76
...............K2
...............J432
K...........................QJ85
10984...................AKJ2
Q8765...................J93
1085......................AQ
...............A1032
...............53
...............A104
...............K976
?
With 18 HCP, East likely opens 1D planning 2NT on the next round. One actions appeared to have gone 1D-2D; 2H, left in by West. Another East somehow ended in 3NT. Jerik began artificially 1C-1D and then finished in 4H E after a 1NT rebid and Stayman.
?
The object of the hand for the defence is to keep declarer from reaching dummy to finesse in hearts. Against either hearts or no-trumps a diamond lead is required, specifically the ten-spot against no-trumps to extract the maximum number of tricks. Jim was E-W top making 4H aftr the reasonable opening lead of a trump; he had time to knock out the spade ace, discard dummy's losing clubs and then establish the diamonds, although it was important not to cash the spades before leading the first diamond/ Phoebot were N-S top defending 3NT -2.
?
3NT E -2
2H E =
4H E =
?
5:
?
...............A76
...............J873
...............96
...............9865
1083.....................Q4
A1064...................Q9
J107......................KQ5432
J74........................AK3
...............KJ952
...............K52
...............A8
...............Q102
?
If East opens a semi-balanced 1NT that ends the auction. Otherwise it goes something like P-1D-1S-X; 2S-3D. 1NT E was played once and 3D E twice.
?
Declarer has nine tricks in diamonds; South cannot lead clubs or get enough clubs led through from North before a discard can be taken on the established ten of hearts. Both declarers in diamonds took nine tricks. 1NT yields declarer seven tricks on a squeeze. East cannot discard a heart on the spades or a switch to the heart king gives N-S at least a seventh trick and likely more. East comes down to:
?
.....................
A10..............Q9
J107.............KQ54
J74...............AK
?
After the spades, South can lead a club and another club after East knocks out the diamond ace. The last diamond squeezes South in hearts and clubs. Harob defeated 1NT one trick, but would have been N-S top even if it had made.
?
1NT E -1
3D E = (2)
?
6:
?
...............5
...............A82
...............KQ105
...............QJ942
K1083...................J64
K6.........................Q9543
AJ86.....................9742
873........................A
...............AQ972
...............J107
...............3
...............K1065
?
The hand could have been passed out, depending on whether North uses the Rule of Fifteen with all minimum hands in fourth seat or only with marginal ones. West probably opened 1D at all three tables. If North overcalled 2C, the auction ended in 3C N, played twice. The third auction was likely P-P-1D-P; 1H-1S-P-1NT. East might have tried 2D, especially if the pair were in agreement that 1D would not be on junk.
?
Once again there were nine tricks in the minor but this time 1NT yielded eight tricks to declarer. Mary managed a ninth for the N-S top; East lead a diamond to the ace rather than the jack and that was all she needed. Harold took a tenth trick in 3C, leaving Kokbot E-W top for defending 3C =.
?
1NT N +2
3C N +1
3C N =
?
Leaders: Heve-Kokbot 7.5, Harob 7
?
7:
?
...............1062
...............J1062
...............52
...............Q962
Q7...........................K9543
A864.......................KQ
AK93.......................Q10864
1087.........................K
...............AJ8
...............975
...............J7
...............AJ543
?
Unless South opened light it seemed as if E-W would reach game without much trouble. But two auctions fizzled out rather early and ended in 2D W. Jerik got into a bit of a prolonged auction with even some sort of a slam try before finishing in 5D W. At least E-W avoided the bad luck of reaching 3NT W after 1D-1S; 1NT. 3NT E gets lucky because the hand with the club ace is on lead, and we don't have Owen around to lead the ace. West declaring has eight top tricks once in; 3NT is -2 off the top if North leads a club but still -1 after a lead of the heart jack unless North discards a heart or perhaps a club on the run of the diamonds. 3NT E has the luck of the hand with the club ace being on lead and therefore likely leading a low club, although N-S can still get a plausible set of 3NT if South leads a heart.
?
Diamond contracts are held to eleven contracts by a black-suit lead. Hank saved the middle score, taking twelve tricks after a heart lead. Erik was E-W top in 5D =.
?
2D W +3
2D W +4
5D W =
?
8:
?
...............K2
...............K83
...............KJ62
...............8753
954.......................A10
7...........................109652
Q107543..............98
962.......................AKJ10
...............QJ8763
...............AQJ4
...............A
...............Q4
?
West is too weak for a 2D opening; East opens a reluctant 1H in third seat, South overcalls 1S and then North is mildly encouraging, though less so with what looks like a poorly-placed heart king. Contracts were 3S S, 3NT N and 4S S.
?
Spade contracts are held to eight tricks by heart ruffs. Maurie properly set 4S two tricks. Against Phoebe the defence picked up the first heart ruff but then West led the last spade instead of returning a club to East for the second ruff. As the club queen drops, East can cash out four club tricks when in with the heart ace, which resulted in the expected -1 for the middle score.
?
3S S +1
3NT N -1
4S S -2
?
9:
?
...............KJ63
...............983
...............1086
...............J83
1074.......................AQ85
KQ..........................A742
AJ42.......................K975
Q1076.....................9
...............92
...............J1065
...............Q3
...............AK542
?
1D from East. If South overcalls 2C West likely just bids 3NT. If? South passes West may make an inverted raise to 2D. One auction ended in 2D E; possibly West intended an inverted raise and East thought it was a normal single raise. The other two auctions finished in 3NT W.
?
Diamond contracts can take eleven tricks; if N-S do not lead trumps there is even a decent chance of twelve after a successful spade finesse, discard of a spade loser on the third heart and cross-ruff. It is just important to ruff the heart with the diamond jack. It didn't really matter; as 3NT was making Kokbot were going to be N-S top no matter what. Declarer finished with ten tricks. West can force 3NT +1 with the favourable lie of the cards; there is either a trick for the club queen or a third spade winner. It looks as if N-S are more likely to overperform, but one West in 3NT took ten tricks and Erik took eleven after a spade lead for the E-W top.?
?
2D E +2
3NT W +1
3NT W +2
?
Leaders: Kokbot 11.5, Harob 10, Heve 9.5
?
10:
?
...............953
...............A973
...............1098
...............Q32
AKQ62.................J87
J6.........................852
AJ74.....................K65
K10.......................A984
...............104
...............KQ104
...............Q32
...............J765
?
It looks like 1S-2S; 4S. West might take a conservative view and invite with 3D, but even then East will likely accept. One West apparently opened 1NT and was left there. Another West stopped in 3S and the third went to 4S.
?
In spades, West does well to take the diamond finesse early, then draw two trumps and play the third round of diamonds before drawing the last trump. This caters to either opponent's being short in both spades and diamonds. Of course, with the diamonds lying perfectly spades will take eleven tricks without a serious error. In 1NT everything hinged on the lead. For once, the often-maligned lead from Axxx would have paid off. When North chose the reasonable diamond ten instead, Hank took eleven tricks for the middle score.?
?
3S W +2
1NT W +4
4S E +1
?
11:
?
...............QJ
...............A106
...............852
...............KQ862
A94......................1087652
KJ9874................Q3
6...........................10973
J93.......................7
...............K3
...............52
...............AKQJ4
...............A1054
?
If the ghost of Fredda is watching over our games, this board must have pleased her. After 1D-2C game forcing, South can raise to 3C, which might then elicit 3H and 3NT. If 2C is not game-forcing, South's only noncommittal action is a jump to 3D. If South makes a jump raise to 4C, North likely wants to show the heart ace just in case, as 5C will not score well against 3NT; 6C -1 may not lose much. We finished with contracts of 5C N, 5C S and 3NT S, reached after a 1NT opening bid which I cannot approve. The hand is too good with five solid diamonds as well as the maximum HCP count.
?
Slam in either minor makes; whichever is the side suit provides a discard or two and takes care of the heart loser. With only one declarer in 3NT it did not matter whether E-W found the heart lead to hold declarer to eleven tricks. That did not happen; Kok took twelve tricks.
?
3NT S +3
5C S +1 (2)
?
12:
?
...............1075
...............J94
...............63
...............QJ1054
AQJ842................K9
A10.......................K753
QJ4.......................A9752
A9.........................76
...............63
...............Q862
...............K108
...............K832
?
For the second time in the game everyone reached the same contract, and again it was 4S W. 1S-1NT; 3S-4S looks as likely as anything.
?
Declarer has eleven tricks after the natural club lead. Two declarers posted +450. Laurie received a diamond lead, which gave her the time needed to draw trumps and establish diamonds to take care of her club loser for the E-W top.
?
4S W +1 (2)
4S W +2
?
Leaders: Kokbot 17, Maurie 14, Heve 12.5
?
13:
?
...............105
...............J842
...............Q76
...............K853
J976......................K82
A109......................Q53
953........................AKJ8
A92........................J76
...............AQ43
...............K76
...............1042
...............Q104
?
Finally everyone in the same contract but not 4S W. This time everyone played 1NT E, presumably after 1D-1S; 1NT.
?
On lead with spades having been bid by dummy, a club looks more appealing than a heart, as Q10x can do well with any honour in partner's hand and does not have so many losing layouts as the heart lead, which rates to give away a trick if partner holds jack or queen unsupported. Kok took nine tricks after a heart lead, the only lead to allow a ninth trick. Phoebot held declarer to seven tricks for N-S top; the third declarer took the expected eight tricks for the middle score.
?
1NT E =
1NT E +1
1NT E +2
?
14:
?
...............10
...............9
...............AK842
...............QJ10642
Q8............................AK9654
AJ83........................10742
J10............................Q96
K8753.......................----
...............J732
...............KQ65
...............753
...............A9
?
Had East opened 1S, the auction might have begun 1S-P-1NT-2NT. A 2S opening bid shut out the diamonds as well as the hearts. All three auctions were competitive to differing extents. Contracts were 3C N, 3S E and 4C N.
?
Either clubs or spades could have taken nine tricks. In 3S declarer loses a spade, a heart and two diamonds. In clubs North takes the red winners and starts ruffing, losing one trick in each suit. The bad trump splits were enough to cause a slight discombobulation to all three declarers, resulting in eight tricks for all three contracts. This altered the scores to N-S top for Jerik and E-W top for Harob instead of those tops going to Phoebot and Kokbot.
?
3S E -1
3C N -1
4C N -2
?
15:
?
...............5
...............105
...............KJ92
...............K98764
K6.............................Q1094
KJ98.........................A73
10876........................Q543
A102..........................QJ
...............AJ8732
...............Q642
...............A
...............53
?
1S-1NT; 2S seemed likely to be an uncontested N-S auction. One South rebid 2H instead of 2S and North, under duress, left it in.?One North starte with a 2C response and had to play 3NT. At the third table West made a light double, resulting in 3NT E.
?
Phoebe ended up N-S top, escaping in 2H -1 after a diamond was led to queen and ace when a heart had to be led to save one trick and East had to duck to save the other. 3NT N could have finished -5 but declarer got out for -3. Harold made 3NT E, but a club lead could have led to a set.
?
2H S -1
3NT N -3
3NT E =
?
Leaders: Kokbot 20, Harob 15.5, Maurie 15
?
16:
?
...............102
...............A97
...............AK97
...............AQ103
QJ54........................K8763
QJ643......................K52
86.............................2
97.............................KJ84
...............A9
...............108
...............QJ10543
...............652
?
1NT from North. Did South leave it there, switch to a diamond partial or show interest in game? 3NT was absolutely there but everyone missed it. One South left 1NT in and another pushed the auction into 3D N. The third South showed some sort of interest in game but that convinced North, who had an absolute maximum for diamonds, to drive all the way to 6D S.
?
Everyone took the nine tricks that could have been forced by either side. This gave Maurie the N-S top on +150 and Jerik the E-W top, also on +150.
?
1NT N +2
3D N =
6D S -3
?
17:
?
...............9875
...............8432
...............KJ10
...............72
Q104...................62
AKQ6..................J10
A87.....................96542
KQ8....................J1064
...............AKJ3
...............975
...............Q3
...............A953
?
South opens 1C. With 20 HCP West doubles and likely follows with 2NT on the next round. This ended one auction; the other two auctions ended in 5D E and 3NT W.
?
Both diamonds and no-trumps could have had a forced result of eight tricks for declarer. Maurie took their five tricks against 5D and were N-S top. The two declarers in no-trumps both took nine tricks after three rounds of spades when a heart or diamond return would have held declarer to eight tricks, although for rather different reasons. A diamond return would have established a fifth winner for N-S; a heart return would have disrupted the entries for declarer's three club tricks. South could then have returned a diamond after winning the third round of clubs and at least one winner would have ended up stranded. Bob was E-W top in 3NT =.
?
5D E -3
2NT W +1
3NT W =
?
18:
?
...............7
...............KJ752
...............9872
...............AQ4
9...........................AK10843
A10943.................Q6
AK104...................65
872........................KJ10
...............QJ652
...............8
...............QJ3
...............9653
?
Two Wests responded 2H to East's 1S and the auctions finished in 3NT E. The third auction was 1S-1NT; 2S-2NT.
?
The declaring Easts both made the nine tricks they could have forced. The spade split was grim but South never had an entry to take the queen and jack; declarer had a sufficiently good layout to come to three diamond winners and two in each other suit. Phoebot were always going to be N-S top defending 2NT; at trick eight West led the heart queen to the king when ducking would have endplayed Northbot.
?
2NT W -1
3NT E = (2)
?
Final: Kokbot 21.5, Maurie 19.5, Harob 18.5
