Dealer: N Vul: Both
NORTH
♠ A54
♥ K4
♦ J109
♣ Q10864
WEST EAST
♠ 7 ♠ Q83
♥ AJ10532 ♥ Q96
♦ A8763 ♦ KQ52
♣ 5 ♣ 932
SOUTH
♠ KJ10962
♥ 87
♦ 4
♣ AKJ7
Expect vigorous bidding when one pair holds most of the red suits (hearts and diamonds) and their opponents are strong in the blacks (spades and clubs), On Board 13 (lucky for some) last Monday overall winners Tony Hinde and Len Don held the North/South cards.
At their table, the early skirmishes were 1C from North, pass from East, 1S from South and 2H by West. The bidding clicked into top gear after North supported South’s spades and East chimed in with a bid in hearts. South had every reason to jump to 4S and East/West gave up. Declarer won the lead by East of a low club and then played the Ace of spades from dummy (North), followed by a low spade to the Jack and then the King. It was now safe to cash the clubs and concede just a heart and a diamond. At some other tables, South languished in 3S. 650 was a top score North/South for Tony and Len
When this hand came around to Mavis Simpson and Noela Collins, they were sitting Est/West. If you hear a bridge player saying to partner, “You have great shape” this refers not to physical attributes but to a hand like West’s, which contains two long suits and a shortage or two. Mavis and Noela matched their opponents bid for bid in hearts against spades until the auction reached 5H by West. North’s lead of the Ace of spades was not fatal, but the continuation of a spade was. South attempted to cash the King, but this was trumped by West. Declarer could now cross to dummy, play the preserved Queen of spades and discard West’s five of clubs. Declarer’s losers were now reduced to the two missing Aces. Noela and Mavis, who also scored 650 for this contract, were the only East/West pair to play in hearts. It’s not often that you see plus 650 in opposite columns on the scoresheet.
Results, Monday, 18/11/24, (5 & 1/2-table Howell): L. Don T. Hinde (70.4) 1; J. Nankervis P. Kelly (66.6) 2; R. Hart H. Price (62.5) 3; N. Collins M. Simpson (56.9) 4. Friday, 22/11/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S M. Simpson P. Kelly (67.1) 1; J. Smith R. Hart (58.3) 2. E/W L. Munson J. Nankervis (58.7) 1; D. Moran N. McGinness (55.4) 2.
