Dealer:S Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ —
♥ KQ3
♦ Q10742
♣ AKJ62
WEST EAST
♠ AKQ53 ♠ 108742
♥ A98 ♥ J1075
♦ 85 ♦ A
♣ Q75 ♣ 985
SOUTH
♠ J96
♥ 642
♦ KJ963
♣ 104
A perennial problem faced by bridge players is whether to match opponents who have bid to the five level. At that level, declarer can afford to lose only two tricks. On Board 11 last Friday, North/South had a relatively straightforward path to 5D. The question for East/West was: could anything be done about this?
At two of the four tables, overall winners Mavis Simpson/Pat Kelly and runners-up Neil Bonnell/Valerie Prentice reached an uneventful 5D, which made eleven tricks for plus 600. At one of the other tables East/West bid 5S over their opponents’ 5D. This failed by two tricks, but even though doubled cost only 300 – a worthwhile sacrifice. At the remaining table Carla Hall and Sandra Hall must have hypnotised their North/South opponents, who allowed East/West to play in 4S by West, undoubled. At least the North/South pair found the right defence. North should play both top clubs and then follow with a third club for partner to trump. South can exit with a heart, which will lead to two heart tricks to keep declarer to eight tricks. Minus just 100 was the top score for East/West. Did any of these results help in deciding whether to cover your opponents’ bid at the five level? Just this: it is helpful to hold, as North did, a void in your opponent’s best suit.
Results, Monday, 24/11/25 (4 & 1/2-table Howell): J. Nankervis P. Kelly (66.3) 1; R. Hart N. McGinness (60.2) 2; C. Hall D. Dawes (55.0) 3; W. Milne J. Sipple (52.8) Handicap: C. Hall D. Dawes 1. Friday, 28.11.25 (4-table Howell): M. Simpson P. Kelly (65.7) 1; N. Bonnell V. Prentice (60.1) 2; J. Rose V. Rose (55.2) 3; T. Hinde L. Don (50.4) 4.
