Dealer: E Vul: Both
NORTH
♠ 73
♥ 872
♦ K942
♣ AQ104
WEST EAST
♠ KQ10842 ♠ J96
♥ A6 ♥ 1043
♦ A105 ♦ J8
♣ 95 ♣ K8632
SOUTH
♠ A5
♥ KQJ95
♦ Q763
♣ J7
Congratulations to Janny Sipple, who has been promoted to Local Master and Carla Hall, who is now a Club Master.
Thinking ahead pays dividends, especially in a tight partscore contest. On Board 10 (above) from Friday three East/West pairs reached 3S, but only one made the necessary nine tricks. Two N/S pairs were allowed to play in 3H, but only Mavis Simpson and Noela Collins were successful. Against 3H played by Mavis (South) West predictably led the King of spades, won by Mavis’s Ace.
As declarer Mavis could see four heart tricks and one spade plus whatever tricks could be gained from clubs and diamonds.
Once East/West’s trumps had been drawn, the winning line is to leave diamonds alone and to play the Jack of clubs, being prepared for it to lose to the King of clubs. Some declarers may have done this at trick two.
When the King wins there are three promoted winners in North’s hand. Two can be used to discard diamond losers from South’s holding.
The defence is now over. Declarer can now lead the Queen of diamonds and set up the King for the ninth trick.
Only after the hand had been played did West see that the unusual opening lead of the Ace of diamonds and the continuation of another diamond would have set up a ruff for East after West gained the lead with the Ace of hearts.
When Pat Kelly and David Moran played in 3S by West declarer (David) saw the potential of the diamond ruff for the ninth trick.
When North/South’s spades split two-two, one trump was left in East’s hand. David was able to win five spades in hand, the Ace of hearts, the Ace of diamonds and a diamond trumped in dummy to go with the King of clubs.
Results: Monday, 01/05/23 (5 & ½-table Howell): T. Hinde N. Bonnell (69.0) 1; M. Simpson N. McGinness (61.6) 2; J. Nankervis P. Kelly (55.6) 3; R. Hart H. Price (49.1) 4. Friday, 05/05/23 (5-table Mitchell): N/S N. Collins M. Simpson (65.4) 1; N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (57.5) 2. E/W W.Milne J. Sipple (59.6) 1; C. Duggan S. Head (53.3) 2eq; P. Kelly D. Moran (53.3) 2eq.
