Dealer: W Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ 108
♥ 8543
♦ J765
♣ AQ8
WEST EAST
♠ A7653 ♠ KJ942
♥ J6 ♥ 2
♦ AQ2 ♦ K1043
♣ KJ10 ♣ 973
SOUTH
♠ Q
♥ AKQ1097
♦ 98
♣ 6542
Bridge is back in full swing after the Christmas-New Year break. If you want to see how this game is played you are welcome to come along to our Wednesday morning supervised play session between 9.30 and 12.
On Board 8 from last Friday only two East/West pairs made the par score of 420 for 4S making ten tricks, although all East/West pairs played in spades. East/West winners, Pat Kelly and David Moran, took advantage of North’s lead of the Ace of clubs, which immediately promoted West’s King of clubs. Because South had bid hearts strongly, North may have feared that a heart lead would be trumped. There was now no sensible choice but to continue with a heart. The defence was now over. Trumps could be drawn in two rounds and the diamonds attacked. After winning with the Ace and Queen, declarer could take a finesse against North’s Jack. West’s Jack of clubs could be discarded on East’s fourth diamond. Eleven tricks gave Pat and David 450 and a top score East/West.
Only Tony Hinde and Judy Mobbs found the excellent sacrifice of 5H over East/West’s 4S. This condemned their opponents to a poor score whether they doubled or bid on to 5S. They bid on. The only way to make eleven tricks in spades was to hope for assistance from the defenders. This didn’t happen. North led the eight of hearts to South’s Queen. As the eight was a signal not to continue hearts, South had an easy choice in switching to clubs, the suit which was weakest in dummy (East). This gave North/South two club tricks to go with the Ace of hearts. The 50 points scored by Judy and Tony was the only positive score on the North/South side of the ledger.
Results: Monday, 15/01/24 (4 & ½ table Howell): N. Collins J. Smith (66.7) 1; H. Price S. Head (62.5) 2; W. Milne J. Sipple (52.8) 3; J. Nankervis P. Kelly (51.4) 4. Friday (5 table Mitchell) N/S N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (59.9) 1; N. Collins J. Nankervis (54.9) 2. E/W P. Kelly D. Moran (68.0) 1; J. Loy M. Johnston (47.1) 2.
