Dealer: S Vul: Both
NORTH
♠ J
♥ J
♦ AQ7643
♣ AQ753
WEST EAST
♠ A854 ♠ K973
♥ Q64 ♥ AK108753
♦ 5 ♦ 10
♣ K9842 ♣ 10
SOUTH
♠ Q1062
♥ 92
♦ KJ982
♣ J6
In bridge, there are special bids for special situations. For example, 4NT is commonly used to ask partner to show how many Aces partner holds by making the appropriate bid in response. There is, however, another way to use the bid of 4NT, as we will see on Board 7 (above) from last Friday. After two passes, North will open 1D, which shows twelve high card points and at this stage a four-card suit. If East/West bid slowly to their game of 4H (ten tricks needed) North will have an opportunity to bid clubs as well as diamonds, But what if East jumps, as some experts suggest, straight to 4H over North’s opening bid? The special way of using 4NT now comes into play. In this situation, 4NT promises two five-card suits, usually clubs and diamonds, the minor suits. South will then be only too pleased to raise the bidding to 5D, which is worth eleven tricks.
For North/South only Tony Hinde and Judy Mobbs reached 5D, but were not allowed to play there. East/West covered 5D with 5H, which was doubled and failed by two tricks for a penalty of 500 points – a top score North/South. Most East/West pairs played in 4H only to fail by one trick. They won just the nine obvious tricks: seven hearts and two top spades. The exception was John Nankervis and Leanne Munson. John (declarer) realised the value of the nine and eight of clubs. After two rounds of trumps declarer can play the ten of clubs, routinely covered by the Jack, King and Ace. North now has only clubs and diamonds and is helpless. One way or another, dummy (West) will provide a club winner to bring the total to ten tricks.
Results, Monday, 05/08/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S J. Nankervis P. Kelly (64.2) 1; T. Hinde L. Don (57.1) 2. E/W P. Campbell D. Moran (64.2) 1; S. Head N. Bonnell (58.3) 2. Friday, (5 & !/2-table Mitchell): N/S R. Hart P. Kelly (53.7) 1; N. Collins M. Sinpson (51.7) 2; J. Smith L. Don (49.2) 3. E/W L. Munson J. Nankervis (69.0) 1; W. Milne J. Sipple (62.0) 2; A. Macdonald (50.5) 3.
