Dealer: N Vul: Nil
NORTH
♠ Q62
♥ 74
♦ A1095
♣ J962
WEST EAST
♠ K104 ♠ 9875
♥ AKQJ6 ♥ 9532
♦ KQJ ♦ 643
♣ AK ♣ 83
SOUTH
♠ AJ3
♥ 108
♦ 872
♣ Q10754
What can you expect to do with a hand like East’s on Board 17 last Monday? Well, East was able to bid twice and held a card which allowed West to make his contract of 4H. This kind of hand is called a “Yarborough”, after the Earl of Yarborough, who in the late nineteenth century
offered to pay anyone with whom he played 1000 pounds whenever they held a hand containing no card higher than the nine. To qualify for this reward, each participant had to pay the Earl one pound for every hand with a card higher than the nine. We don’t know how long it took the Earl’s fellow players to realise that he was making a tidy profit, with the odds against the appearance of a Yarborough being 1,800 to one.
On Board 17 last Monday, Tony Hinde (West) opened the bidding with the strong artificial bid of 2C, which showed that West was one trick short of game and required partner to keep bidding until game was reached. Sitting with a Yarborough. East replied with 2D, which was another artificial bid. This meant that East may hold no top honours, and at best one King. Tony continued with 2H to which East, with no high card points at all, responded with 3H. Tony raised the bidding to 4H, which required him to win ten tricks. North cashed the Ace of diamonds and then surrendered the lead to West. Trumps were drawn in two rounds, then the six of hearts was sent to East’s nine. This allowed a small spade to be played towards the King. South grabbed the Ace and in due course won a second spade after Tony had won ten tricks. 620 was a top score for East/West. So, the weakest hand you could imagine bid twice and actually won a trick. The nine of hearts was the important card which allowed a spade to be led from the right direction.
Results, Monday, 26/02/24 (5 & ½-table Howell): T. Hinde N. Bonnell (67.0) 1; P. Kelly J. Nankervis (62.3) 2; N. Collins D. Moran (59.6) 3; R. Hart N. McGinness (51.2) 4. Friday, 01/03/24 (6 & ½-table Mitchell) N/S N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (62.5) 1; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (62.1) 2; N. Collins M. Simpson (58.7) 3. E/W H. Price C. Duggan (59.3) 1 eq; P. Kelly D. Moran (59.3) 1 eq. S. Goddard N. McGinness (58.1) 3.
