The most spectacular play

Claire Duggan, Nea McGinness, Susan Goddard and Ros Hart were ready to play. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Dealer: E Vul: E/W

NORTH

♠ 865

♥ 10862

♦ 1085

♣ 763

WEST EAST

♠ AQ1094 ♠ K73

♥ AJ9 ♥ Q

♦ KQ6 ♦ J742

♣ 95 ♣ AKQJ10

SOUTH

♠ J2

♥ K7543

♦ A93

♣ 842

The annual general meeting of the Warwick Bridge Club will be held on Monday 11 March. Nominations have been called for positions on the committee as well as for any motions to be put at the meeting.

Nea McGinness, co-winner of Monday’s game, succeeded in every contract she played. Perhaps the most spectacular play occurred on Board 3 (above). At all tables West became declarer in 4S, requiring ten tricks to be made. Only Nea found a way to prevent South from winning neither the Ace of diamonds nor the King of hearts. After a lead is made, declarer routinely plans the play. All the other declarers seem to have taken the easy way out by deciding to set up two diamond tricks by playing the King or Queen from West’s hand, thereby forcing out the Ace but setting up two diamond tricks.

Nea, West, found a better way. On North’s lead of the five of spades Nea won with the King in dummy (East) and continued with the Queen of hearts. South had no real choice but to cover the Queen with the King, which in turn lost to the Ace. The nine of hearts could now be trumped in dummy and the remaining spade continued to West’s Ace. Trumps were drawn in three rounds and the five running club tricks enjoyed. Nea won five spades in hand, a ruff in dummy, two hearts and five clubs. On trick thirteen, South was left with a now useless Ace of diamonds. 710 was a top score, as no one had bid 6S, which looked to be no more than a 50-50 chance.

Results, Monday, 19/02/24 (5 & ½-table Howell): N. McGinness N. Bonnell (65.3) 1; J. Nankervis P. Kelly (60.2) 2; N. Collins D. Moran (59.3) 3; J. Mobbs S. Goddard (54.2) 4. Friday, 23/02/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S N. Collins J. Nankervis (61.7) 1; N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (54.6) 2; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (52.1) 3. E/W C. Duggan P. Kelly (59.2) 1; L. James S. Head (52.5) 2; D. Moran N. McGinness (51.2) 3.