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Friday the 13th’s Grand-Slam-a-Palooza will be reviewed in order of descending minus scores. We shall begin with Board 25, on which two pairs failed in 6S and Joill even set 4S: ……………A1072 ……………K ……………A93 ……………AQ976 Q6…………………….853 Q8632……………….J1074 Q8642……………….void 3……………………….J108542 ……………KJ94 ……………A95 ……………KJ1075 ……………K Georold scored 7/11 matchpoints for playing in 3NT declared by South, making six. This one is rather puzzling. The most plausible auction I can conjure is 1C-1S; 2S-3NT, as they played this board in the second round, before either of them would have gotten into operational mode. Four pairs played in 4S, with North taking twelve or nine tricks and South ten or thirteen. Two pairs played 5S S +1. That left five pairs in slam; two Norths went down in 6S, Sareff played 6NT N =, Ruleste 7S S = and Kerma 7NT S =. I’ll guess that the result of 6S -1 came about after a club lead, after which declarer led a trump to dummy’s ace and then finessed on the way back. Would it be smart of East to play the club deuce on the opening lead? It might signal to West that East wants a diamond switch if West gets in, but South might also get suspicious to see an opponent play an unexpected deuce. This is the sort of hand that often traps old-fashioned bidders such as Celeste and Norma, who remain with standard Blackwood. Note that North and South hold all the aces and kings between them. A pair that does not find out about the queen of trumps can get into these grand slams. Note how much easier 7S would be to make with A1072 2 AQ9 AQ976 KQJ9 A95 KJ1075 4 Here I can suppose Ruleste’s auction to have been 1C-1S; 3S-4NT; 5S-5NT; 6D-7S. Norma might have started with 1D, but I suspect not, as South only initiates the asking sequence if North jumps. If the auction starts 1C-1D; 1S, South makes the first show of strength (say, with 2H as Fourth Suit Forcing), and it’s just as likely North will start asking. Jerik would have known they held all the aces and kings right away, and then would have had the rest of the auction to find a fit, perhaps settling on diamonds or maybe finding the 4-4 spade fit. I’m not sure how they adjust their slam auctions to find queens when a 1C opener knows what the ace and king situation is. Precision has a tricky time of it. The auction starts 1C-2D, and then opener can delay the diamond support until finding out about responder’s clubs with 3C-3H, denying club support but showing at least four controls, so that North knows South holds the heart ace and at least two of the three missing kings. North can then choose to go to a natural auction with 3S, over which South can go to 4NT and make a normal auction of it, probably settling in 6S. Or North may take the route of asking about South’s diamonds with 4D-4S, showing a five-card suit with one top honour. That could lead to either 6D or 6NT. South might not have been left in 7S, which gives me the idea that Kerma’s auction might have gone the same as Ruleste’s, except that East might have made a quite reasonable double of 7S on the diamond void. Doubles of grand slams by opening leader’s partner, except when they are on a surprise trump trick (which I do not advise, recalling the time one Tuesday when the Baushers were doubled in 7S by a player with J1097 in trumps; Phyllis, who had running clubs, could have pulled the double to a cold 7NTm but her psychic friend made her leave the double in, and Larry made 7S doubled when the doubler foolishly ruffed a club low), are sure to be a void. Here, though, if South is doubled in 7S, West will probably not have the clue of a diamond bid from South to assist in the selection between equally long red suits. I would still expect, though, that 7S doubled would be set even after a heart lead. East’s double would flag the diamond void for South (if the void were in clubs, West would certainly have led a club holding seven), but it would be reasonable of declarer to guess East to hold the spade queen and finesse that West, resulting in two down. 6S doubled with a heart lead, though, seems likely to make an overtrick, a

We continue Friday the 13th’s Grand-Slam-a-Palooza with Board 4, Karleta’s second grand slam of the day: ……………J86 ……………3 ……………Q109652 ……………974 K102………………….A4 A108542…………….KJ7 AJ3…………………….K87 K……………………….AQJ63 ……………Q9753 ……………Q96 ……………4 ……………10852 This hand has some similarities to Board 25. There are nine trumps instead of eight, and a combined 33 HCP instead of 32, but the major-suit fit is missing the queen, the partnership holds all the aces and kings and the responding hand holds the singleton club king opposite five headed by the ace-queen (although here East holds the jack as well). The extra point and extra trump, along with opening bidder’s not holding a singleton king, gave a considerable boost to the bidding results. Board 25 resulted in seven game contracts, three small slams and two grand slams (weirdly, two of the three small slams failed while both grand slams made); here, while the first pair stopped in game, the next seven E-W pairs and one later bid small slams, while three of the last four E-W pairs to play the hand bid grand slams, with only Karleta succeeding, in 7H. Jerik were N-S top when their opponents tried 7NT. That contract did have more chance of succeeding than 7H, with only the minor drawback of potentially failing by more than one trick. There is a legitimate play for the contract if declarer does not bring in the hearts. It needs a lot – a 4-3 club split, the diamond finesse and either an especially lucky spade position or for one defender to hold both major guards – heart Qxx and spade QJx or longer, allowing a squeeze. Accordingly, after misguessing the hearts, declarer took the diamond finesse and ended two down (although he could have saved one down by taking the king first, then winning the second diamond and giving up the heart queen, as the red queens were in opposite hands). In 7H, Breta guessed the trumps correctly, while Phary’s opponents did not. A reasonable auction might be something like 1C-1H; 2NT-3H; 4C-4NT; 5C-5D; 5H-6NT. After opener’s jump rebid of 2NT, responder can use 3C as a relay to 3D with all hands that want to stop below game, freeing up a direct 3H as forcing (I have an old book of Sam Stayman’s from the 1960s in which 1m-1M; 2NT-3M is listed as non-forcing, back in the day before relay-style conventions were common). East has an excellent hand for hearts – good controls, good support, good side suit. It would be possible to cue bid the spade ace first with 3S but starting with a cue bid of 4C allows East to follow with 4S if West cue bids 4D. As it happens, West knows the side has 33-34 HCP, and is going to small slam at least. East shows three key cards – good. But East denies holding the queen of hearts. The six-level is high enough; East can’t have quite enough to provide good play for a grand slam without bringing in the hearts. 6NT is a good matchpoint try. The only risky hand East might hold would be, say, AQJx KJx xx AQJx – missing the heart queen and diamond king-queen. Even then, the chance of an opening diamond lead is not high, as North would probably not lead away from the quing. And even after a diamond lead, more than half the time West will bring in the hearts and make an overtrick. 7H is fine if the opening lead is a trump, which is likely to happen if opening leader holds, say, a low doubleton. One can be uneasy about leading a singleton trump against a grand slam, especially against opponents who don’t look for the trump queen. Or the opponents could hold an eight-card fit with all the top three honours missing jack-fourth in partner’s hand. Now, as we saw in the case of Board 25 (although that was an eight-card fit, so that there was less chance of opening leader’s holding a singleton), it is not unreasonable when, playing a grand slam with a two-way finesse (or here there’s even the third alternative of playing for the drop) for the queen of trumps, assuming that an opponent who does not lead a trump may well hold the queen. Here, that line of thinking would not work. Is there any clue that might tip table presence the other way? There are fo

Moving on with Friday the 13th’s Grand-Slam-a-Palooza we arrive at the tragedy of Board 2: ……………Q102 ……………106 ……………KQ1075 ……………Q106 AK65…………….……void AKJ…….………….….Q98752 3…………………..……A984 AK732…………….….J98 ……………J98743 ……………43 ……………J62 ……………54 Six of the twelve E-W pairs stopped in game (Lune doing particularly well when their opponents arrived in the inferiour 5C). Every other table played, at any level, in hearts. Jam salvaged a decent result in 4H, being the only pair to take thirteen tricks. This strikes me as rather unlikely with the trumps splitting 2-2. If declarer draws trumps, the clubs can be established, and, if declarer ruffs two diamonds, the 2-2 trump split (or singleton ten) also allows declarer to take all the tricks. Five pairs bid the small slam, in which Boyce and Glotin made the overtricks. Shahuvon were N-S top when their opponents bid 7H and went one down. If East’s heart deuce were the ten, or even if the jack and deuce were swapped, 7H would be almost a guaranteed make. Declarer could easily trump two diamonds. As the cards lie, that line would have a chance of success of about 52.5%, as it would rely on dropping the ten-spot (which would work here). Establishing the clubs offers a much better chance. Assuming the standard opening lead of a trump and third hand following, declarer can cash one club (in case of a singleton queen, after which one diamond ruff will suffice). Then cash West’s top spades, discarding East’s other two clubs, and ruff the second round of clubs with an intermediate spot. If clubs split 3-2, then West has three winning clubs on which to discard East’s low diamonds; draw trumps, ending in the West hand, and that’s it. If clubs split 4-1 and either North has the shortage or South cannot overruff, then the hearts must split 2-2 – lead a trump to West, which must draw the N-S trumps, then trump the third round of clubs, cash the diamond ace and reach West with a diamond ruff to discard the remaining two diamonds on West’s last two clubs. If North holds at least two cards in each black suit and a third in either, declarer can survive North’s holding all four trumps. Billie Hecker would have enjoyed such a layout, which might have appeared in the Goren column as one of the exploits of Trump Coup Tommy. I’ll suppose a club lead from South to West’s ace, then the heart ace, giving the bad news. Spade ace, spade king discarding a diamond and a club. Spade ruff, diamond ace, then East’s last club to the king. If North follows, declarer is home free in the position: …..6……….void …..KJ……..Q987 …..void……98 …..732…….void If North ever ruffs with the heart ten, East overruffs and has a high crossruff remaining. Otherwise, black and red ruffs alternate. Eventually, North will have to underruff. East when down to two trumps will finesse North’s ten by ruffing. In this position, the lead must be in the West hand, or else East will be on lead at trick twelve with Q9 of hearts and unable to catch North’s 106. If East held only one trump more than West, either hand could be on lead. Can 7H be bid? It does not seem too far-fetched. If East opens 2H (the void is less of a deterrent than it once was), West certainly envisions slam. The auction could be 2H-4NT; 6H-7H. East jumps to 6H to show one key card and a void in spades (the only suit higher than the trump suit; switch the red suits and 2D-4NT; 6D does not specify in which major the void lies). Unless East is Marge Fiedler (who would highly likely not hold the queen of hearts), West can bid 7H with reasonable expectation of being able to establish the clubs. If East passes and West opens 2C (Bill Reich might refrain, even with the six Quick Tricks, but I cannot think of anyone else who might), then East probably must give a 2H positive if the possibility exists. After 2C-2D; 3C-3H, West might not want to commit to the five-level. If West merely raises to 4H, East can advance. The Losing Trick Count is seven, and West should hold half the deck. A 4S cue-bid probably leads to 6H; West might cue-bid 5C and get 5D in reply, but then what? A 2H positi

Please add Wendy and Eric for 12/27

We conclude Friday the 13th’s Grand-Slam-a-Palooza with Board 23: ……………103 ……………7 ……………974 ……………Q1076532 Q9…………….………..AKJ874 QJ10963…….….…….A A5…………………..…..KQJ2 AJ9…………….….…….K8 ……………652 ……………K8542 ……………10863 ……………4 Jerik managed to convince their opponents to stop in 4S. but everyone else reached at least a small slam. Kerma’s opponents were the only ones to take only twelve tricks (in 6NT), three pairs made the overtrick in 6S, five pairs made the overtrick in 6NT, and the E-w top for 7NT = was shared by Kedndall (who began the game with this board) and Karleta. There is nothing to the play. Only South’s holding all five spades (and the heart king’s not dropping singleton) will defeat 7NT. This hand comes down to a bidding exercise. Anyone in the East seat can find West’s two aces in the minors. It comes down to a question of whether East can find West’s spade queen while also allowing for the possibility of finding a diamond fit, as 7D could well be a worthwhile spot if West holds four diamonds and one or two low spades. That probably explains why only two pairs bid the grand slam – a much better one, note, missing the irrelevant (to East) heart king, than the grand slams with all four aces and kings but missing a vital queen or two. Keeping the option open to find a diamond fit reduces the chance of East’s being able to ask for key cards in spades. If East could make a strong jump shift and were to begin with 2S (appropriate if the hand were AKJ10xx Ax KQJ Kx), it would be easy. West might opt for 2NT to let East show whether the hand intended to play in hearts or spades; over either 2NT or 3H, East could rebid 3S, then follow with 4NT clearly asking for key cards in spades. That does remind me of a hand from about 1991, when, partnering Herself, I escaped a bidding accident with a decent result. Holding AKQJ10xx Kx x Axx, I was responder on the sequence 1H-2S; 3C-3S; 4D-4NT; 5H-7S, As Hildegarde Gilley put her opening lead face down, I remarked that at least it wasn’t an ace. Hildegard asked why I thought it wasn’t an ace, to which I replied that surely she wouldn’t have expected me to ask for key cards with a void, so that, holding an ace, she’d have doubled (especially given that, as Fredda and Shirley may recall from the time when the both doubled 1NT-6NT only to have Mary and Louise run to and make 7D because the wrong side couldn’t find the killing lead), especially as she’d still have been on opening lead had we run to 7NT. Hildegarde turned over the ace of diamonds. Herself put down x Axxx KQxx Jxxx, having outdone herself by producing an auction in which all her bids were wrong. 1H was light. 3C completely didn’t describe the hand, as I could not possibly want to play in clubs on the auction 1H-2S. 4D was even worse, going past 3NT as well as sounding like an encouraging call after I’d set spades firmly as trumps. 5H could not possibly have been right. Herself thought that 4NT asked for key cards in diamonds as the last bid suit, but not when my bidding had indicated that I clearly intended to play with spades as trumps. But, if I really were asking for key cards in diamonds, of course her correct response would have been 5S to show two key cards with the diamond queen. That would at least have tipped me off to the auction’s having gone off the rails somewhere. But 7S one down was not a bad result at all. In addition to her diamond ace, Hildegarde’s clubs were 1098 and her partner’s KQx. Various other tables reached small slams in spades or no-trumps, all going two down after a club lead from either side. If East responds 1S to 1H, then West presumably rebids 2H, which likely for East removes the possibility of 7D (although, if East’s diamonds were KQJ10, one might keep the thought in mind, as 7D would be quite playable opposite x QJxxxx Axx Axx). East’s problem is how to set spades as trumps in a forcing auction, to be able to ask for key cards in spades. If 3S were forcing, as the sequence was once, that would be lovely; West would carry on to 4S and off we’d go. But with 3S as invitational, all East can d

13 tables Glotin get the nursery. ………….…………………......…………......……….3N.Gloria-Jatin(8) v Steve-Hank(17) .6.Hill-Larry(1) v Susan-Joe(10)…...……………......……………......…….........…………………….5.Cheryl-Ken(11) v Karlene-Breta(22) .7.Erik-Jim(4) v Vicki-Phoebe(13)………………………………...…......……………...………………4.Ed-Kendall(20) v Nancy-Emily(23) .8.Laurel-Mary(16) v Harry-Carolyn(25)...…………………......……………………...………………..2.Doug-Jane(5) v Shirley-Arlene(6) .9.Donna-Joanne(15) v Pritchards(26)……………...…...………...……………………...…...……….1.Arthur-Carl(7) v Martin-Judy(18) 10.Jeff-Kevin(3) v Ruth-Celeste(14)……………………………......…......…...….........…...………...13.Diane-Pat(19) v Lucy-Linda(24) 11.Deborah-Tom(2) v Rita-Harold(9)...………………………………………...………………......…...12.Gayle-Rick(12) v Linda-Hara(21)

13 tables Glotin get the nursery. ………….…………………......…………......……….3N.Gloria-Jatin(8) v Steve-Hank(17) .6.Deborah-Tom(1) v Susan-Joe(10)…...……………......……………......…….........….…….5.Cheryl-Ken(11) v Karlene-Breta(22) .7.Jeff-Kevin(4) v Vicki-Phoebe(13)………………………………...…......……………...………………4.Ed-Kendall(20) v Nancy-Emily(23) .8.Laurel-Mary(16) v Harry-Carolyn(25)...…………………......…………………………..…………..2.Doug-Jane(5) v Shirley-Arlene(6) .9.Donna-Joanne(15) v Pritchards(26)……………...…...………...……………………...…...……….1. Wendric(27) v Carthurl(7)/Marudy(18) 10.Erik-Jim(3) v Ruth-Celeste(14)……………………………......…......…...….........…...……...13.Diane-Pat(19) v Lucy-Linda(24) 11.Louise-Mary(2) v Rita-Harold(9)...………………………………………...………………......….....12.Gayle-Rick(12) v Linda-Hara(21) Reply Like More

Please add Gayle and Rick for this coming Friday. Thank you, Gayle

Due to needing a new computer, I shall need Emily's membership number before submitting my monthly report. 13.5 tables average - 132 172.18 1.50(A) Nancy Horn - Emily Blum 168.36 1.13(A) K Hart - Jeff Horowitz 158.53 0.90(B) Lucy Lacava - Linda Chaffkin 151.24 0.67(A) Martin Arnold - Judith Paletta 150.94 0.54(A) Rita Brieger - Harold Miller 150.68 0.78(C) Eric Frieden - Wendy Frieden 145.55 0.56(C) James Uebelacker - Erik Rosenthal 140.50 0.39(C) Betty Pritchard - Roy Pritchard 139.24 0.30(A) Mary Whittemore - Laurel Koegel 137.61 0.27(A) Gloria Sieron - Jatin Mehta 132.64 0.25(A) Carl Yohans Jr - W Kenneth Graebe 131.95 0.25(B) Susan Smith - Joseph Zelson 128.00 0.21(B) Thomas Murray - Deborah Radoff 128.00 0.21(B) Rick Seaburg - Gayle Stevens 127.15 Diane Wood - Karlene Wood 125.00 Doug Tendler - Jane Mathias 124.41 Arlene Leshine - Shirley Fruchter 124.21 Kenneth Steele - Cheryl Lipson 123.95 Donna Gagliardi - Joanne Dargan 123.86 Carolyn Johns - Harry Meyers 123.32 Linda Bradford - Haroula Dobyns 122.64 Louise Wood - Mary Connolly 116.18 Kendall Clark - Edward Konowitz 114.00 Ruth Sachs - Celeste Hocs 108.32 Hank Voegeli - Steve Grodzinsky 102.39 Diane Olin - Patricia Walsh 91.24 Vicki Rethy - Phoebe Edwards

I have been poking about in Live for Clubs trying to figure out why some players don't receive results (Arlene and others). I did find something suggesting that it lies in players' email preferences in MyACBL. Here is a copy of something that might help: Dear Member, Soon you’ll have a summary of how you played at the club delivered directly to your inbox! We’re using a new program called ACBL Live for Clubs, and it sends results emails just like ACBL Live does for tournaments. If you’re already subscribed to ACBL emails, you don’t need to do anything to start getting these emails. However, if you aren’t subscribed to ACBL emails yet, you will need to change your privacy settings via your MyACBL portal. Don’t want to receive these special notifications? Just click the “unsubscribe” link in any of the ACBL Live for Clubs emails. Don’t worry — it won’t affect any of your other email settings. You can also see your club results online at acbl.org/liveforclubs. You’ll find breakdowns of the games and can also see how your friends did. I hope you enjoy using ACBL Live for Clubs! Let me know if you have any questions.

Small Slams...18/19...(733/1118, 65.56%) Grand Slams...3/3...(82/138, 59.42%; Karleta 11/31, 35.48%, Field 71/105, 67.62%) Doubles...9/13...(913/1178, 77.50%) Redoubles...---...(1/3, 33.33%) Louise's HCP...237/24..(19256/1945, average 9.90) Slam Challenge, Autumn Quarter: George...---...(148.5/267...55.62%) Lucy...---...(102/212...48.11%)

Pls add Stacy:Ilona Fri Jan 10. Thx.

Please add Lucindy to Jan 3- Happy New Year to all!

Average Bulls-Eye - G: KARLETA S: Haorge B: Lara-Wendric Blitz Room - G: TRILL 23 S: Haorge B: Ritold-Saren Consistency Marker - G: GANDY S: Jevin B: Algernot Double Wins - G: GANDY S: Jevin B: Diaron 1100 Club - G: JEFF S: Bob Silverstein B: Ken Steele Flat Boards: Game 49, Game Set 6, Partial 10, Partial Set 2, Slam 2 Grand Slams - G: KARLETA S: Algernot B: Haorge Halved Rounds - G: JEVIN S: Haorge B: Lara Intimidators - G: KARLETA S: Haorge B: Lara Justified Confidence - G: ALGERNOT S: Dane-Garek Killer Comebacks - G: RITOLD-WENDRIC B: Glynneth-Louwen Late or Missed Boards - G: DANE S: Alluva B: Ritold Middle March - G: RULESTE S: Betroy-Boyce-Davoe

On Friday 24 January we will be participating in the Junior Fund Game (held to support ACBL junior teams), after which players will receive hand analysis prepared by a leading Junior player who will almost certainly consider practically every 11-point hand a clear opening bid. (Gert Pedersen, known for opening 11-counts with no aces and/or a singleton queen would have been in her element.)

Please sign Carol C and Donna hersh up for Jan 10. Thank you. Happy new year.

1/3 (30): Lynne L-June Joyce-Arthur R Stacy-Ilona Cheryl-Carol G Arlene-Carl Gareth-Lynn G Martin-Judy Ruth-Celeste Ed-Irene Joe Z-Sam Hill-Larry Nancy-Emily Erik R-Jim Howard-Duncan Lynn N-Susan Eleanor-Maribeth Linda Be-Zeena Hara-Linda Br Norma-Gloria Tom-Deborah Doug-Jane M Donna H-Carol C Karlene-Breta Harry-Carolyn Jeff-Kevin Charles-Louise Jatin-Laurel Aniko-Rita Pritchards Rick-Gayle S 1/10 (10): Ann-Lucille A Cheryl-Mystery Date Ed-Kendall C Erik R-Jim Doug-Jane M Carl-Ken G Ken S-Norma Lucy L-Linda C Phoebe-Mary Louise-Shirley

Please add Lucindy for Jan 3rd! Thanks and Happy New Year!!

We have added Mary squared since Tuesday (they are seeded between Dane and Jam), but I shall delay the diagramme until later as Michael Hellman is home and looking for a partner.

16 tables As always, some pairs may be moved for stationary positions, movement balancing or putting players into their desired portion of the room (although it is highly tempting to put both Arlene and Norma into the nursery so that they can commiserate with each other, as Gloria has spent most of her time in there recently she will get a week out). 1 - Jeff-Kevin 2 - Larry-Hill 3 - Emily-Nancy 4 - Louise-Charles 5 - Linda-Lucy 6 - Jim-Erik 7 - Arthur-Joyce 8 - Martin-Judy 9 - Deborah-Tom 10 - Rita-Aniko 11 - Arlene-Carl 12 - Laurel-Jatin 13 - Linda-Zeena 14 - Norma-Gloria 15 - Doug-Jane 16 - Sam-Joe 17 - Lynn-Susan 18 - Rick-Gayle 19 - Pritchards 20 - Lynne-June 21 - Carol-Cheryl 22 - Irene-Ed 23 - Gareth-Lynn 24 - Ruth-Celeste 25 - Breta-Karlene 26 - Howard-Duncan 27 - Carol-Donna 28 - Stacy-Ilona 29 - Hara-Linda 30 - Kathy-Chris 31 - Eleanor-Maribeth 32 - Harry-Carolyn