Dealer: S Vul: N/S
NORTH
♠ A65
♥ K
♦ AJ97
♣ J8765
WEST EAST
♠ K ♠ 843
♥ A9652 ♥ QJ10874
♦ K10 ♦ 863
♣ KQ1093 ♣ 2
SOUTH
♠ QJ10972
♥ 3
♦ Q542
♣ A4
The winners of the local heat of the Grand National Open Teams are Noela Collins, Mavis Simpson, David Moran and John Nankervis. They held off a strong challenge from Ros Hart, Jenny Smith, Leanne Munson and Nea McGinness. This team did well on Board 31 (above).
Across the room it was common for North/South to trade bids in hearts and spades until the bidding reached the four level. At one table when East/West (Hart team) reached 4H, North/South decided to pass, correctly calculating that the contract would fail. As neither North nor South had a strong hand, game in spades seemed out of reach. North/South duly won one spade, two diamonds and a club for a score of plus 50.
Bridge can be a cruel game to those who make reasonable, but losing, decisions. At the away table North/South did not want to risk 4H making and so bid 4S – possibly as a sacrifice bid. Declarer must have been delighted to find that the King of spades was a singleton and that the King of diamonds could be trapped. Declarer’s only losers were the Ace of hearts and a club. The Hart team scored 650 on this board and conceded only 50 at the other table. This translated into 12 IMPs. In teams it pays to try for vulnerable games if there is any chance of success. Playing safe did not pay off in this instance.
Results, Monday, 01/07/24 (5 table Rd 2 GNOT) R. Hart, J, Smith, L. Munson, N. McGinness (59 IMPs) 1: J. Mobbs, S. Goddard, M. Johnston, C. Duggan (27 IMPs) 2; N. Collins, M. Simpson, D. Moran, J. Nankervis (26 IMPs) 3. Overall: Collins 1; Hart 2; Bonnell 3. Friday, 05/07/24 (4 & ½-table Howell) R. Hart J. Smith (56.9) 1; C. Duggan S. Head (55.6) 2; S. Goddard N. McGinness (54.9) 3; W. Milne J. Sipple (54.2) 4.
