Dealer: S Vul: N/S
NORTH
♠ J76
♥ K1083
♦ 43
♣ AKJ6
WEST EAST
♠ Q ♠ AK10542
♥ AQJ4 ♥ 72
♦ AKJ76 ♦ Q2
♣ Q43 ♣ 1085
SOUTH
♠ 983
♥ 965
♦ 10985
♣ 972
In last Friday’s game Angus Macdonald and Barbara Reid scored their first outright win as a pair. Board 1 (above) gave them one of their best scores. Barbara was the only declarer both to reach the par contract of 3NT and to win eleven tricks. North chose the best lead of the Ace of clubs, followed by the King and an optimistic low club. An opening lead of any other suit would have allowed declarer to make twelve tricks; a heart would have opened the way for thirteen tricks.
The bidding was straightforward, but not found by everyone. A strong 2C by Barbara (West) was followed by 2D (a waiting bid) by Angus and 3D by Barbara. Angus then showed spades, which is what Barbara wanted to hear. On lead after having lost two club tricks Barbara identified East’s Queen of diamonds as a vital entry to East’s hand. This allowed her to cash the Queen of spades and to play low in dummy (East). A diamond was then led to the Queen and while Barbara held her breath, the Ace and King of spades were played. To her great relief, this cleared spades from the North/South hands. This gave Barbara six spade tricks from dummy and allowed her to discard losing cards from her hand. All she had left in hand after the spade landslide were winning cards. Eleven tricks gave Barbara and Angus plus 460 and an outright top.
The leaders in the Monday teams event are the Price team (Hilary Price, Ros Hart, Beverly Bonnell, Neil Bonnell) 40 IMPs, 1; Collins Team (Noela Collins, Mavis Simpson, Pat Kelly, David Moran) 36 IMPs 2.
Results, Monday. 18/03/24 (5-table teams Rd 1): Price team (Hilary Price, Ros Hart, Beverly Bonnell, Neil Bonnell) 40 IMPs 1; Collins team (Noela Collins, Mavis Simpson, Pat Kelly, David Moran) 36 IMPs 2. Friday, 22/03/24 (5-table Mitchell): N/S R. Hart J. Smith (57.9) 1; T. Hinde J. Mobbs (54.6) 2. E/W A. Macdonald B. Reid (52.9) 1; H. Price C. Hall (51.7) 2. Handicap E/W: A. Macdonald B. Reid 1; J. Hegarty D. Dawes 2.
