Dealer: Vul:
NORTH
♠ 8
♥ 109853
♦ A873
♣ 943
WEST EAST
♠ Q96 ♠ K107542
♥ AQJ4 ♥ K72
♦ J542 ♦ 108
♣ 86 ♣ AQ
SOUTH
♠ AJ3
♥ 6
♦ KQ9
♣ KJ10752
The winners of the local heat of the Grand National Open Teams are Noela Collins, Mavis Simpson, Warwick Milne and Janny Sipple. They will compete in the Zone final for the right to represent the Darling Downs Zone in the National Final. Tony Hinde, Len Don, Ros Hart, Sue Goddard were runners up. The winners’ best score came on Board 22, where both pairs achieved positive results.
At the home table Noela and Mavis snatched the contract by raising the bidding to 4C by South (Mavis) after East/West had reached 3S. What must have been intended as a sacrifice turned out to be a sound contract. West’s understandable lead of the six of spades was won by South’s Ace. There was now the opportunity to trump a spade in dummy, come back to hand via a diamond and send back South’s remaining spade for a second trump. Dummy then exited with a trump. East could now take a heart trick in addition to the Ace of clubs, but declarer has no further losers. Eleven tricks scored plus 150. At the away table, Warwick and Janny played in 4S by Janny (East). South’s hopeful lead of the six of hearts was won by East, who then led a small spade towards the Queen. South made the error of rising with the Ace, which allowed both the Queen and King to win. The defence could win two diamonds in addition, but those were their last tricks. The potentially losing Queen of clubs was discarded on West’s fourth heart. East/West’s ten tricks were five spades, four hearts and the Ace of clubs. This score of 620 added to 150 at the other table was worth 13 IMPs to the team.
Results, Monday, 16/06/25 (4-table GNOT heat): Collins team (40 Imps) 1; Hinde team (-9) 2. Overall: Collins team (95) 1; Hinde team (50) 2. Friday, 20/06/25 (5 & 1/2-table Howell) M. Johnston, C. Duggan (61.6) 1; N. Collins P. Kelly (57.6) 2; T. Hinde L. Don (57.3) 3; L. Munson, J. Nankervis (53.6) 4.
