By Neil Bonnell, Warwick Bridge Club
Last Monday Jill Smith was inducted as a life member of the Warwick Bridge Club in recognition of her loyal and generous support of the club over the past 20 years.
Both the current president Claire Duggan and past president Neil Bonnell spoke warmly of Jill’s contribution to the club.
In Monday’s game Jill and regular partner Jenny Smith scored an equal top on Board 1 (above) when they made all 13 tricks in 3NT. This scored better than the 4H which was bid at some other tables.
There is no story about the play; it is simply a matter of playing five winners in each of hearts and clubs, then crossing to the Ace of spades (if not already played) and North’s two top diamonds. What is curious about this hand is that no North/South pair was able to bid a small slam (12 tricks) let alone the grand slam (13 tricks). One South player was heard to apologise to partner for not being more aggressive in the bidding – and she was right to say so. After North opens 2C, showing 19-21 high card points, South has a much better idea of the combined value of the two hands than North. It is unusual for a player with no Aces initiate an Ace-asking sequence, but if South had done so, South would have discovered that North had four Aces and a King. That would surely have been enough to find the small slam. I shall now have to go back to my beginners’ group and admit that I wrong when I told them not to bother asking for Aces when you have none yourself. The hand above is one of those rare examples where the player with the weaker hand should be driving the partnership to a slam.
Results: Friday, 07/10/22 (5-table Mitchell): N/S T. Hinde J. Mobbs (57.5) 1; N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (51.7) 2. E/W P. Kelly C. Hall (56.2) ; A. Macdonald D. Moran (52.1) 2. Handicap: T. Hinde J. Mobbs 1; G. Scmidt L. Don 2. E/W P. Kelly C. Hall 1; C. Duggan D. Dawes 2. Monday, 10/10/22 (6-table Mitchell): N/S J. Rose P. Campbell (65.3) 1; Jenny Smith Jill Smith (54.7) 2 eq; R. Hart N. McGinness (54.7) 2 eq. E/W P. Kelly C. Duggan (69.3) 1; T. Hinde N. Bonnell (64.0) 2; A. Macdonald H. Price (47.0) 3. Handicaps; No change.
