Dealer: N Vul: N/S
NORTH
♠ 954
♥ KJ987643
♦ 4
♣ 10
WEST EAST
♠ J1062 ♠ AQ
♥ A102 ♥ —
♦ A1063 ♦ KQJ85
♣ 65 ♣ AKQJ43
SOUTH
♠ K873
♥ Q5
♦ 972
♣ 9872
Bold bidding by Angus Macdonald (East) reaped a reward on Board 5 last Friday. The decision by North not to bid a pre-emptive 3H allowed Angus to begin the auction with an opening bid of 4 no-trumps. Uncertain of the strength of Angus’s hand, his partner passed. As the cards lie, there is no killing lead available to South. The choice of the seven of spades did make it certain that thirteen tricks could be won by Angus. The lead was allowed to run around to East’s Queen.
Angus could then win five diamonds and six clubs to go with two spade tricks. Wining all thirteen tricks earned Angus 520 matchpoints.
On any other lead, declarer could win a heart lead with West’s Ace and discard East’s potential loser – the Queen of spades. On a club lead, declarer would need to use the Ace of diamonds as an entry to dummy in order to cash the Ace of hearts and get rid that useless Queen. At most other tables, East played in clubs, perhaps because some Norths did bid 3H, they failed even to reach a small slam. Angus’s score of 520 was the top score on this board.
Results, Monday, 04/05/26 (4 & 1/2-table Howelll): P. Campbell D. Moran (65.1) 1; Milne J. Sipple (54.6) 2: J. Nankervis P. Kelly (54.2)3; T. Hinde L. Don (516) 4. Handicap: S. Head J. Loy 1. Friday, 08/05/26, (5-table Mitchell): N/S P. Kelly L. Don (61.3) 1; N. Collins M. Simpson (55.9)2. E/W G. Schmidt I. House (57.0) 1; D. Moran N. McGinness (56.8) 2. Handicap: G. Schmidt I. House 1.
