The clear winners of the Friday Red Point Event are Pat Kelly and David Moran. They combined solid defence with a keen sense of when a game could be bid.
On Board 22 last Friday they were the only East/West pair to bid and make 4S, which required ten tricks to be made. After two passes West, (David) opened 1C, which is simply a starter bid to get the auction under way. Following best practice, East (Pat) responded with one spade. After West supported spades, East was able to add a point for the shape of the hand and invite to game. 4S by West concluded the auction.
South cashed two hearts, but could find no effective continuation.
A third heart would be trumped in East’s hand, allowing trumps to be drawn in three rounds and four of East’s clubs to be established. Neither a club nor a diamond return would have helped the defence.
Three other pairs also made ten tricks in spades, but stopped below game.
Pat and David scored 420, well ahead of a string of scores of 170. Bottom of the pile was the pair who chose to play in clubs instead of spades. They too made 10 tricks, but scored only 130. That is why successful players look for games in hearts, spades and no-trumps instead of in clubs and diamonds.
Results, Monday, 07/05/24 (4 & ½-table Howell ) N. Collins M. Simpson (60.4) 1; R. Hart H. Tilbrook (54.9) 2; N. Bonnell T. Hinde (54.2) 3; D. Dawes S. Head (51.4) 4 eq. J. Mobbs S. Goddard (51.4) 4 eq. Friday, 10/05/24 (Round 2 Red Point Event 5-table Mitchell): N/S R. Hart J. Smith (62.1) 1; J. Mobbs M. Simpson (50.4) 2. E/W P. Kelly D. Moran (64.6) 1; N. Collins N. McGinness (63.3) 2. Overall: P. Kelly D. Moran 1; R. Hart J. Smith 2; N. Collins N. McGinness 3. (Second and third placings provisional.)
