Dealer: S Vul: E/W
NORTH
♠ K1073
♥ K62
♦ A4
♣ K984
WEST EAST
♠ QJ64 ♠ A8
♥ J94 ♥ AQ
♦ 109 ♦ KQJ8732
♣ Q1053 ♣ AJ
SOUTH
♠ 952
♥ 108753
♦ 65
♣ 762
Don’t overlook the value of nines and tens in a bridge hand. They can sometimes be the difference between a winning hand and a losing one. Monday winners, Ros Hart and Jenny Smith showed how to use those humble looking cards on Board 3 (above)
East held the kind of hand where East could not afford to allow partner the chance to pass before the auction reached game level. Ros, sitting East, had to decide very early in the auction whether to jump to 3NT or 5D. With three outside Aces to go with six certain diamond tricks, 3NT seemed to be the obvious choice, despite having three short suits. South led the orthodox five of hearts (fourth highest card in best suit), which guaranteed two heart tricks for declarer. Now dummy’s two diamonds came into play. A low diamond from hand to the ten gave North no winning choice. If North played low, declarer could immediately take a finesse in one of the black suits. If North took the Ace of diamonds immediately, dummy’s remaining diamond would become an entry which would allow the finesse in either spades or clubs to be launched. Ros could make two tricks in one of the black suits, but not both. Her only losers were the Ace of diamonds and a black King.
Diamonds were favoured at the other tables, but 5D was worth only 600 as against 660 for 3NT also making eleven tricks.
Results, Monday 17/06/24 (4 & ½-table Howell) R. Hart J. Smith (59.0) 1; P. Campbell D. Moran (58.3) 2; D. Duggan N. McGinness (52.8) 3 eq; T. Hinde L. Don (52.8) 3 eq. Friday, 21/06/24 (4 & ½-table Howell): B. Bonnell N. Bonnell (72.9) 1; R. Hart J. Smith (68,1) 2; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (59.7) 3; L. Munson L. Don (49.3) 4.
