Dealer: E Vul: E/W
NORTH
♠ AJ52
♥ 1087532
♦ 1094
♣ —
WEST EAST
♠ Q98 ♠ 10
♥ KQJ4 ♥ 96
♦ A7 ♦ KQ2
♣ Q832 ♣ AKJ10976
SOUTH
♠ K7643
♥ A
♦ J8653
♣ 54
Congratulations to Lois James and Sandra Head on their win in the Handicap Pairs Championship. Having won round one, they repeated this performance in round two.
Hand of the week comes from last Friday’s game, where signalling legally to partner was necessary for a successful defence on Board 22 (above). At most tables, East became declarer in a high-level club contract. At one table where the contract was 5C, South’s opening lead was the Ace of hearts. South’s plan was, at trick two, to put partner on lead so that North could then return a heart for South to trump. The contract would be defeated before East could take out trumps. South did well to choose a spade continuation, but gave no information to partner. When holding a suit with only one honour card, it is usual to lead a low card to signal the possession of an honour. If you don’t want partner to return that suit, then you play a card such as seven, eight or nine. It seems that South rather carelessly led the three of spades. North won the trick and continued with a spade, which declarer trumped. The defence was now over. Declarer (Warwick Milne) drew two rounds of trumps and now had tricks to burn in diamonds and hearts to add to the remaining clubs. The score of 600 helped Warwick and partner Janny Sipple to their overall win. The only pair who played in 3NT by West failed by one trick. North’s opening lead was the two of spades, signalling the possession of at least one honour card. South won the trick with the King of spades and returned a low spade, trapping East’s Queen. Good signalling allowed North/South to win the first five tricks.
Monday, 02/09/24 (4 & 1/2-table Handicap Championship): L. James S. Head (68.1) 1; L. Don D. Dawes (65.0) 2; T. Hinde D. Moran (64.0) 3. Overall: L. James S. Head 1; C. Duggan N. McGinness 2; W. Milne J. Sipple 3. .Friday, 13/09/24 (4 & 1/2-table Howell): W. Milne J. Sipple (59.7) 1; J. Nankervis L. Munson (57.6) 2; C. Duggan R. Hart (56.9) 3; D. Moran N. McGinness (54.8) 4.
