S Vul: E/W
NORTH
♠ J5
♥ AKQJ3
♦ J9654
♣ K
WEST EAST
♠ AKQ986 ♠ 10542
♥ 76 ♥ —
♦ A ♦ KQ10873
♣ J876 ♣ A54
SOUTH
♠ 7
♥ 1098542
♦ 2
♣ Q10952
Bridge columnists prefer commenting on distributional hands, as there is always something to write about. So, today’s featured hand is Board 3 from last Monday. While East may have ventured a diamond opening bid, at most tables West opened the auction with 1S. North held a good enough hand to overcall 2H, but 4S by East was an irresistible response. Then the fun started on a board where 6S worth 1430 was the par bid.
The only declarer who was allowed to play in 4S won an uneventful twelve tricks for only 680 points. Another was pushed to 5S and won the same twelve tricks. It is unusual to come across any pair making a sacrifice bid at the six level, but two North/South pairs bid as high as 6H and achieved good results. The risk that they ran is that East may have realized how strong the East hand was and pushed on to 6S. The eleven cards in hearts held by North/South were rendered useless because of the trumping power possessed by East. The two 6H bidders could have suffered poor results if East had been prepared to have a shot at 6S. The top score overall was achieved by a West player who was also pushed to 5S and was left there by partner. Because of making an error in handling the diamonds, this declarer won only eleven tricks, but was rescued from a bottom score by North, who doubled the contract, giving declarer the top score of 850.
The weakness in North’s choice of double is the lack of a trick or two in trumps. The key to winning twelve tricks in spades is cashing the Ace of diamonds early, thus unblocking East’s King and Queen, and so allowing the discard of two losing clubs from West’s hand. It would have been cruel to mention any names.
Results, Monday, 20/04/26 (5-table Mitchell): N/S J. Nankervis P. Kelly (62.2); J. Smith L. Munson (55.0) 2. E/W P. Campbell (66.7) 1; N. Bonnell D. Dawes (51.5) 2. Friday, 24/04/26 (5-table Mitchell): N/S P. Kelly M. Simpson (62.9) 1; N. Collins N. Bonnell (58.2) 2. E/W N. McGinness D. Moran (62.5) 1; T. Hinde L. Don (59.3) 2.
