By Neil Bonnell, Warwick Bridge Club
The winners of the Club Novice Championship (for players under 50 masterpoints) are Claire Duggan and Mary Johnston.
On Board 5 last Friday, Mary and Claire shared a top score when they made all thirteen tricks in 3NT. They made two important early decisions: to arrange for West (Mary) to become declarer and to play in no trumps rather than hearts.
Those players who chose to play in 4H had to settle for eleven tricks and 450 points.
North wasn’t to know it, but the Ace of diamonds was the only lead that could have kept Mary to twelve tricks. Instead, North led the neutral seven of hearts and waited for partner to gain the lead and switch to a diamond. It was a long wait.
When dummy appears, declarer can count seven tricks in the major suits (hearts and spades) and a probable five in clubs. When the defenders’ clubs fall in two rounds declarer now has six club tricks and can claim all thirteen tricks for a score of 520.
It’s not surprising that no pair reached a small slam (6C or 6NT) because East/West’s combined count of 29 High Card Points was less than the 33 that is generally regarded as necessary for bidding to that level. A curious feature of this deal is that in the unlikely event of East becoming declarer in 3NT, declarer could fail by two tricks.
On a diamond lead by South, the defenders would win the first six tricks. North wouldn’t have had to wait very long to capture West’s King of diamonds.
The Club Pairs Championship will be held on Mondays 6th and 13th September.
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Results
Monday, 23/08/21 (5 & ½-table Howell): N. Collins D. Moran (65.3) 1; T. Hinde N. Bonnell (63.0) 2; J. Rose P. Campbell (62.50) 3; P. Kelly J. Nankervis (59.3) 4.
Friday, 27/08/21 (6-table Mitchell): N/S N. Collins M. Simpson (58.9) 1; D. Moran H. Richardson (53.2) 2; J. Rose T.Hinde (51.9) 3. E/W Novice Pairs Championship: C. Duggan M. Johnston (61.8) 1; T. Graham H. Nielsen (59.5) 2; J. Hegarty A. Jordan (55.3) 3.
