By Neil Bonnell, Warwick Bridge Club
At most tables last Friday a bidding frenzy broke out when Board 26 arrived at each table. Final bids ranged from 4S North making eleven tricks for 450 to N/S to 6D doubled by East making twelve tricks for a score of 1540 for E/W. There was a different contract and a different score at each of the six tables. The most unfortunate bid turned out to be 1C from East. After two passes this was followed by the most audacious bid – that of 4S by North. East was unwilling to bid any higher with no information about partner’s hand. It would have been better for East to open in diamonds, the shorter suit. Then a bid of 5C over 4S would have given partner a choice without raising the bidding further. The most optimistic bid was South’s double of 6D. South then led the doomed Ace of spades, which was promptly trumped in dummy (West). Sue Goddard and Nea McGinness were happy to accept 1540, the best score for E/W. The most fortunate bid was 6C by East. Whereas 6D is unbeatable, 6C could fail. If S leads the Ace of hearts and sees all those diamonds in dummy and the void in spades, a switch to diamond is not hard to make. North can trump with the lonely Jack of clubs and defeat 6C by one trick. The Lightner double could have struck again. North’s double would have discouraged the lead of a spade and suggested that North had a void elsewhere. The bravest bid over East’s 6C or 6D was Barbara Reid’s overcall of 6S. This failed by one trick but cost only 200 instead of a possible 1370.
Results: Monday, 11/07/22 ( 5 & ½-table Howell): N. Collins D. Moran (68.5) 1; J. Nankervis M. Simpson (66.2) 2; S. Head L. James 59.6) 3; R. Hart N. McGinness (53.2) 4. Friday, 15/07/22 (6-table Mitchell): N/S N. Collins M. Simpson (63.9) 1; N. Bonnell B. Bonnell (54.1) 2; M. Warren B. Warren (51.5) 3. E/W J. Mobbs T. Hinde (64.7) 1; A. Macdonald J. Nankervis (58.3) 2; C. Duggan L.Munson (53.5) 3.
