Dealer: N Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ AK9
♥ 7
♦ QJ1062
♣ J942
WEST EAST
♠ QI10765 ♠ 843
♥ 5432 ♥ AKQ10
♦ A4 ♦ K9853
♣ 10 ♣ 5
SOUTH
♠ 2
♥ J986
♦ 10
♣ AKQ8763
The Marx Brothers were enthusiastic bridge players and good enough to feature in a television show consisting of half-comedy, half-serious bridge contests. In one show, Chico advised his partner “If you lika my lead, nod your head and smile”. Chico’s method of signalling which he recommended to partner was, of course, illegal.
In normal play one can, by prior agreement, play either a low card to encourage or a high card. On Board 1 (above) in last Friday’s game Noela Collins (North), playing her favourite system now that Mavis Simpson had returned from her travels, was able to open 1C. Mavis saw to it that the bidding moved quickly to 5C.
When East led the Ace of hearts West wanted East to play a diamond at trick two. Using the convention of a low card to encourage, West should have played the five of hearts, which would have told East to choose another suit. At the table, it appears that there was no such agreement. East blithely continued with the King of hearts and that was that. Noela trumped the King and drew trumps in just one round.
It was now possible to trump diamonds in dummy and hearts in hand and to use the Ace and King of spades to allow heart discards from dummy. Twelve tricks making was worth 420 for a top score North/South.
The best lead of the day came when South was declared. West chose the unusual lead of the four of diamonds, despite holding the Ace. This is the kind of lead made by experts (wanting partner to be on lead), beginners (knowing no better) or by someone who has pulled out the wrong card.
In practice, it forced East to win the King, making it an easy choice to continue with the Ace of Hearts. Keeping declarer to eleven tricks was worth 80 per cent. Elsewhere Warwick Milne and Janny Sipple stole the auction in 4S, conceding only 50 points for a top East/West.
Results: Monday 02/10/23 (5 & ½-table Howell): N. Bonnell T.Hinde (64.3) 1; P. Campbell D. Moran (56.9) 2; W. Milne, J. Sipple (56.0) 3; S. Goddard J. Mobbs (53.7) 4. Friday, 06/10/23 (6-table Mitchell): N/S N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (61.9) 1; N. Collins M. Simpson (57.7) 2; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (56.2) 3. E/W J. Rose D. Moran (59.6) 1; L. Munson J. Nankervis (58.1) 2; W. Milne J. Sipple (49.8) 3.
