Dealer: N Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ 6
♥ KJ3
♦ J10762
♣ Q864
WEST EAST
♠ J10 ♠ A32
♥ A10642 ♥ Q9875
♦ Q9853 ♦ AK
♣ 10 ♣ J63
SOUTH
♠ KQ98754
♥ —
♦ 4
♣ AK972
Strangely, heart contracts outnumbered spade contracts on Board 1 (above) from last Monday. Some South players obviously underestimated the strength of their hand. It is just one card away from being a “Kiwi,” which is the name given to an all-black hand. 1H was the standard opening bid for East, putting South to the test. 2H from South would have shown a good hand and either a void or just one card in hearts, but it is not quite the right shape for this bid. 1S is the wimp’s choice which gives West an easy response of 2H. 4S is the par bid. You don’t want West bidding again if you can help it.
Two pairs were allowed to play in spades, one at the four level and the other pushed to 5S. What a difference the lead makes! Defending against by 5S, West attempted to take a heart trick before it disappeared. As South (Sue Goddard) had bid spades twice West should have realised that it was unlikely that she had any hearts at all. The Ace of hearts was trumped in hand and a club led to the Queen in dummy. Now the King of hearts could be played and the diamond four discarded from hand. Next came a trump and the defence was over. Declarer won six spades, five diamonds and the King of hearts for a score of 480. At the other table where spades were trumps West led the hopeful ten of clubs. Declarer won in dummy and continued with the six of spades. East won with the Ace and gave West a club ruff. When West returned a diamond, the defence won their third trick to hold declarer to ten tricks for a score of 420.
Congratulations to Barbara Reid and Len Don, who have become a Silver Local Master and Graduate Master respectively.
Results, Monday. 29/05.24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S N. Collins M. Simpson (59.8) 1; J. Smith L. Munson (52.3) 2. E/W R. Hart N. McGinness (56.7) 1; C. Duggan D. Dawes (49.8) 2. Friday, 03/05/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S J. Nankervis L. Munson (60.0) 1; N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (58.7) 2. E/W P. Kelly D. Moran (58.7) 1; G. Schmidt I. House (57.1) 2.
