By Neil Bonnell, Warwick Bridge Club
Board3 (pictured) from last Friday illustrates the importance of vulnerability when considering what to bid.
Each board has the vulnerability marked on it according to a standard pattern. When vulnerable a declarer can gain a bonus of 500 for making a game contract and 300 when not. The penalty for failing to make a contract when doubled and vulnerable is 200 for the first undertrick and 300 for each subsequent lost trick.
On the board above it was inevitable, with long suits abounding, that the bidding would climb quickly. South as the first bidder had an interesting choice: bid 1S just to get things started, show less than opening points, bid a pre-emptive 3S to show a seven-card suit or jump straight to 4S and pocket a bonus of 300 points if successful. At most tables South played in 4S. Barbara Reid/Joyce McKeen and Tony Hinde/Neil Bonnell made eleven tricks for a score of 450, while Ros Hart and Jenny Smith made twelve tricks for 480 after West led the Ace of hearts and failed to follow up with the Ace of clubs. This allowed Jenny to discard the two of clubs under a top heart. The most spectacular bid came from another table when East, with the worst hand of the four, played in 5C. East did have an eight-card suit but was vulnerable. North/South won five tricks: the Ace of spades, the King of clubs and three diamonds. By failing to double 5C, East/West scored only 300 instead of the 800 possible. Had the situation been North/South vulnerable and East/West not, there would have been little risk for East. Of course, South could have simply bid 5S and joined the other pairs who make eleven tricks.
Results: Monday, 24/10/22 (6-table Teams Championship Rd 1): N. Collins, M. Simpson, J. Rose D. Moran (76 IMPs) 1; B. Bonnell, N. Bonnell, J. Nankervis, P. Kelly (67 IMPs) 2. Friday, 28/10/22 (5 and ½-table Howell): J. Nankervis P. Kelly (61.2) 1; R. Hart Jenny Smith (60.8) 2; J. Rose D. Moran (60.4) 3; N. Collins M. Simpson (60.0) 4.
