Dealer: W Vul: Both
NORTH
♠ QJ2
♥ 86
♦ 10763
♣ J763
WEST EAST
♠ AK543 ♠ 1096
♥ AQ4 ♥ K103
♦ 852 ♦ AKQJ4
♣ Q9 ♣ A8
SOUTH
♠ 87
♥ J9752
♦ 9
♣ K10542
Congratulations to the four members who improved their status in the Australian Bridge Federation’s masterpoint scale. They are: Sue Goddard (Bronze State Master), Claire Duggan (State), Sandra Head (Regional) and Warwick Milne (Bronze Local).
Why was it that only two out of five West players won twelve tricks on Board 20 last Friday? Four out of five West players settled in 4S, foregoing the opportunity of achieving a bonus for bidding and making 6S or 6NT. The most common lead was the passive eight of hearts. Once dummy (East) was displayed, declarer could count eleven tricks: two spades, three hearts, five diamonds and one club. Only Warwick Milne and Pat Kelly realised the value of the fourth and fifth spades. As the cards lie, declarer could win the first trick with the King of hearts in dummy (East), play the ten of spades and let it run if South plays low. North can win the first trick, but, with North/South’s spades splitting 3-2 declarer now has total control. Declarer can win any return, draw the defenders’ remaining trumps and cash East’s diamonds. This would allow declarer to discard the losing club from hand and to win the twelfth trick with a small spade. The one West who bid 6NT received the lead of the Queen of spades and could have made twelve tricks by simply allowing the Queen to win. With the favourable distribution of the spades the total number of tricks would have been four spades, three hearts, one club with only four diamonds needed. At the table, declarer tried to make twelve tricks without the help of the small spades. After eleven tricks had been won, declarer had to concede the King of clubs and the Jack of spades for a score of minus 100.
Results: Monday, 29/07/24 (3 & ½-table Howell): N. Collins M. Simpson (72.5) 1; P. Kelly D. Moran (63.3) 2; N. Bonnell T. Hinde (56.7) 3. Friday, 02/08/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (56.7) 1; D. Hambly L. Munson (52.5) 2; T. Hine J. Mobbs (52.1) 3. E/W W. Milne J. Sipple (61.2) 1; P. Kelly D. Moran (55.2) 2; S. Goddard N. McGinness (50.2) 3.
