Dealer: W Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ A752
♥ 6542
♦ 96
♣ 875
WEST EAST
♠ 85 ♠ KQ93
♥ J87 ♥ K
♦ A742 ♦ QJ10853
♣ 9432 ♣ A10
SOUTH
♠ J104
♥ AQ1093
♦ K
♣ KQJ6
Last Friday was a special day for the Bridge Club with the highest attendance since Covid. Club members also helped Dianne Dawes celebrate a significant birthday with a special afternoon tea and birthday cake. Dianne thanked club members for their friendship and helpfulness, which has allowed her to enjoy her bridge.
Dianne staged her own celebration with a good score on Board 8. All four players took part in the auction on this board, although West and North bid on minimum values. East opened the bidding with 1D, followed by 1H from Dianne (South) and 2D by West. With an Ace, four hearts and only two diamonds, North couldn’t resist joining in with 2H. When East/West reached 4D Dianne retaliated with 4H, which became the contract.
West led the Ace of diamonds and North displayed a threadbare dummy. Dianne couldn’t avoid losing two spades, one diamond, one club and, however the hearts were played, one heart. The penalty of minus 100 turned out to be worth plus 80%, as most East/West pairs scored 130 for ten tricks in diamonds. There was an element of risk in the bid of 4H, as East/West had the option of doubling the contract and gaining 300 points. On the other hand, had East/West gone on to 5D, they would have failed by one trick and given North/South plus 90 per cent. Their losses would have been two Aces and one club. North hadn’t been completely wrong to bid. The only way for North/South to achieve a good score was to push their opponents around a bit.
Results, Monday, 03/03/25 ((6 & 1/2 – table Mitchell): N/S R. Hart H. Price (69.2) 1; N. Collins M. Simpson (64.2) 2; J. Smith L. Munson (56.2) 3. E/W P. Campbell D. Moran (65.4) 1; W. Milne J. Sipple (60.0) 2; C. Duggan N. McGinness (57.9) 3. E/W L. Munson J. Nankervis (61.9) 1; N. McGinness H. Price (56.8) 2; P. Kelly D. Moran (56.5) 3.
