Dealer: E Vul: N/S
NORTH
♠ A84
♥ Q98
♦ Q53
♣ Q842
WEST EAST
♠ KQJ97 ♠ 106532
♥ J73 ♥ A542
♦ 42 ♦ A
♣ A63 ♣ K95
SOUTH
♠ —
♥ K106
♦ KJ109876
♣ J106
Congratulations to Pat Kelly and Mavis Simpson on their third place in the Intermediate Section of the Ivy Dahler Swiss Pairs at the recent Gold Coast Congress. This is an event which attracts players from all parts of Australia as well as a strong overseas contingent. Board 2 from Round 8 shows the kind of bidding and play needed to do well at this level.
With a hand just strong enough to bid, Mavis opened 1S to which Pat responded 4S (fast arrival) which is a fair risk with IMPs scoring. Mavis (East and declarer) won the Jack of clubs lead with the King – a key play, as the Ace will be needed as an entry to dummy later. Mavis could see four possible losers: one club, two hearts and the Ace of spades. Her best chance of making one of the heart losers disappear was to employ a tactic known as a strip and throw in. Don’t worry; it’s very proper. When you have ten trumps, it’s a good idea to strip down the shorter suits in the hope that one of the defenders will be forced to make a discard that they don’t want to do. So it proved on this hand. Early on, South discarded the six of hearts – a fatal error for the defence. Mavis drew trumps in three rounds, cashed the Ace of diamonds, then crossed to the preserved Ace of clubs and trumped West’s losing diamond in hand. Now Mavis conceded a club and when back on lead played the Ace of hearts and threw South in with a small heart to South’s now singleton King. South now had only diamonds left. On South’s diamond continuation, Mavis discarded the useless Jack of hearts in dummy and trumped the diamond to score the tenth trick. The six IMPs scored on this board kept Pat and Mavis in touch with the leaders.
Results, Monday,10/02/25 (5-table Mitchell): N/S R. Hart N. McGinness (58.7) 1; N. Collins D. Moran (57.9) 2. E/W P. Campbell T. Hinde (68.3) 1; P. Kelly J. Nankervis (54.6) 2. Friday, 14.02.25 (5 & 1/2-table Howell) N. Collins M. Simpson (69.9) 1; L. Don P. Kelly (67.1) 2; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (58.2) 3; D. Moran N. McGinness (51.8) 4.
