Van Learners Bridge Results

June 24, 2024



Section X
VanLearners Monday Eve Session June 24, 2024
Leaders after  5 rounds  Average:   30.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   62.50   37.50   X-6   Marion George - Peter George
  2   59.17   35.50   X-9   Barbara Spitz - Marlee Sheinin
  3   55.00   33.00   X-1   Vicki Torbett - Jacquie Brown
  4   55.00   33.00   X-5   Cindy Chan - Brenda MacLean-Longpre
  5   49.17   29.50   X-2   Joan Christensen - Linda Collins
  6   48.33   29.00   X-4   Ian Wong - Donna Bridgeman
  7   45.83   27.50   X-8   Doug MacDougall - Tim Tomlins
  8   45.83   27.50   X-10  David Hsu - Barry Segal
  9   42.50   25.50   X-3   Cathy Brown - John Fraser
 10   36.67   22.00   X-7   Diane Hardouin - Ian Humphreys

Congrats to the winners!

Didn't do as well as you hoped? Don't worry; there is a large luck factor in short sessions, so there are increased chances of scores outside the normal range of about 35-65%. Things tend to even out over time, but less time means less even-ing out! The important thing is to have fun and let the learning happen by gaining experience as declarer, defender, and even as dummy, and perhaps by reading a little about the hands below!

Our game results are posted online here at ACBL Live For Clubs, shortly after the main game ends.

The deals tonight are from June 3's open game.

Below is a full-colour screen version of the comments for each hand. This works best if you have kept score and brought your scorecard home with you so you can check your results against the hand records and see where there is room for improvement. You will find that the simple act of writing down the score on each hand (good or bad) serves as a sort of marker inside your memory that helps you recall later what the issues you thought about while playing that hand were. It's much easier to remember if you have taken the few seconds to write in the contract and the score than to rely on getting your results off the internet. Something happens in those few seconds inside our brains and you'll be surprised at how much you can remember later with the help of a well-filled scoresheet. More on this here.

 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 1
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J854 Vulnerable:
North♥︎T9 None
♦︎9843
♣︎T87
WEST EAST
♠︎K73 ♠︎AQ6
♥︎A86 ♥︎J5432
♦︎76 ♦︎AKJ
♣︎KQJ65 ♣︎43
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T92 Tricks:
1 ♥︎KQ7 NSEW
13 15 ♦︎QT52NT221111
11 ♣︎A92♠︎33109
♥︎331010
E-W have 28 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Game♣︎221010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎eT♠︎= 420
4♥︎e5♦︎= 420
4♥︎eT♠︎= 420
4♥︎e2♦︎= 420
4♥︎eA♣︎= 420
 
North passes and East opens either 1♥︎ or 1NT. The weakness of 1NT is the unstopped club suit; the weakness of 1♥︎ is the difficulty in describing a hand of this type later on in the auction. After 1♥︎ - 1♠︎, what's the best rebid? 2♥︎ shows about 12-15 and this hand is probably beyond that, but 3♥︎ shows 16+ with a good six-card suit. A 2NT rebid shows 18 or more. Not opening 1NT when it is an option leads to trouble later in the auction, and although 4♥︎ is easily made, 3NT is the better contract, and a 1NT opener is probably the only route to get there. Modern bidding does away with the notion that a small doubleton precludes a 1NT opener; we've learned that the potential positives outweigh the negatives!
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 2
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A Vulnerable:
East♥︎J875 North-South
♦︎QT976
♣︎K54
WEST EAST
♠︎J93 ♠︎KQ8
♥︎KT32 ♥︎Q9
♦︎AK2 ♦︎854
♣︎AQ3 ♣︎J9876
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T76542 Tricks:
10 ♥︎A64 NSEW
17 8 ♦︎J3NT3388
5 ♣︎T2♠︎5588
♥︎6677
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎6677
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎3399
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nw7♦︎-2 100
3Nw7♦︎-2 100
3Nw7♦︎-2 100
3Nw5♥︎+1 430
3Ne7♠︎+1 430
 
East and South pass and West opens 1NT. North passes and East has just enough for a 2NT invite, which West accepts with a maximum 17 points. 25 combined is usually enough to make 3NT, but this time it's not easy. The diamond lead is won by West, who counts two diamonds and four or five club tricks depending on the club finesse, leaving two or three tricks needed from the major suits. To even take the club finesse West needs to be in dummy, so a trick two a spade is led and North wins the ace and leads a second diamond. This leaves declarer no option but to hope the club finesse works and it doesn't: down one. Those who made 3NT got a non-diamond lead and were able to do the work of knocking out North's entries before diamonds were set to run.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 3
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T754 Vulnerable:
South♥︎QT9652 East-West
♦︎4
♣︎A6
WEST EAST
♠︎Q832 ♠︎K9
♥︎K ♥︎J873
♦︎K963 ♦︎T2
♣︎QT84 ♣︎KJ975
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AJ6 Tricks:
6 ♥︎A4 NSEW
10 8 ♦︎AQJ875NT7755
16 ♣︎32♠︎8844
♥︎9933
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎nT♦︎= 420
2♥︎s2♠︎+1 140
3♦︎sK♥︎= 110
3♦︎s2♠︎= 110
4♥︎nT♦︎-3 150
 
Again South has a choice of openers, 1♦︎ or 1NT. 1NT seems a little weird, but it works: West will pass, North will bid a Stayman 2♣︎ and East doubles as a lead director. South bids 2♦︎ denying a four-card major and West competes to 3♣︎, and North passes, correcting to 3♥︎ if South competes to 3♦︎. (An immediate bid of 3♥︎ by North over 3♣︎ would likely get raised to 4♥︎ by South, likely down one or more.) If South opens 1♦︎, the likely end spot is 3♦︎, which makes for 110, but 3♥︎ is worth 140. Another victory for 1NT openers with a weak doubleton! Stop letting these small doubletons dissuade you from opening 1NT.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 4
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T854 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AKQ5 Both
♦︎54
♣︎Q62
WEST EAST
♠︎92 ♠︎Q
♥︎T6432 ♥︎98
♦︎K6 ♦︎AQJT32
♣︎9754 ♣︎AK83
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AKJ763 Tricks:
11 ♥︎J7 NSEW
3 16 ♦︎987NT5533
10 ♣︎JT♠︎9922
♥︎6677
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎4477
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎sK♦︎= 620
4♣︎eA♠︎-2 200
4♦︎wA♠︎-1 100
4♠︎sK♦︎-1 100
4♠︎sK♦︎-1 100
 
West and North pass and East opens 1♦︎; South overcalls 1♠︎. West passes and North should raise to 4♠︎. Points-wise this may be a bit short but it is a good fit and one opponent has opened the bidding, which usually makes the play a little easier. West leads the K♦︎ and continues with a second diamond to East's ace. East cashes the A♣︎ and South should be ready for this and drop the jack with supreme confidence. If South winces at the club switch, or drops the jack after some thought, East will cash the other one; but if South can convince East that the J♣︎ is singleton, East may switch back to diamonds, hoping that West can overruff dummy. You'd be surprised at how often this works if declarer doesn't give it away by overacting or hitching before playing the J♣︎.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 5
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QJ4 Vulnerable:
North♥︎Q2 North-South
♦︎K532
♣︎J965
WEST EAST
♠︎KT76 ♠︎A32
♥︎JT87 ♥︎A943
♦︎QT ♦︎A98
♣︎A32 ♣︎QT8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎985 Tricks:
9 ♥︎K65 NSEW
10 14 ♦︎J764NT3399
7 ♣︎K74♠︎331010
♥︎331010
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nw9♠︎-1 50
2♥︎wQ♠︎+1 140
2♥︎e4♦︎+2 170
4♥︎w2♦︎= 420
4♥︎eQ♠︎= 420
 
North and South pass throughout and after East opens a three-card minor (either one is fine, most will start with 1♣︎, but 1♦︎ is a reasonable choice in case partner ends up on lead), West responds 1♥︎. Now it is only a question of how high to go. East rebids 2♥︎, West should raise to 3♥︎ to invite game, and East has a tough call with 14: three aces is worth a point extra but 4-3-3-3 distribution is a downer. Most decide these 50-50 shots in favour of game, so the question is whether 4♥︎ will be made. Declarer starts with a loser in each suit and maybe a second in trunmps so there is work to do. As long as the defenders stay safe in their leads when in, 4♥︎ should go down one, but pitfalls that cost tricks are plentiful and ten tricks might magically appear.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 6
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AK32 Vulnerable:
East♥︎Q7 East-West
♦︎J92
♣︎AT95
WEST EAST
♠︎965 ♠︎QJ8
♥︎AJ954 ♥︎K86
♦︎K85 ♦︎A4
♣︎KJ ♣︎Q8432
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T74 Tricks:
14 ♥︎T32 NSEW
12 12 ♦︎QT763NT3399
2 ♣︎76♠︎5577
♥︎331010
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎7666
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎wA♠︎-1 100
4♥︎eT♦︎-1 100
3Ne6♦︎-1 100
4♥︎wA♠︎-1 100
2Nw4♠︎= 120
 
East opens 1♣︎, South passes, and West responds 1♥︎. North makes a takeout double or maybe makes a four-card 1♠︎ overcall, and East is presented with a problem: no easy way to show three-card support for hearts without risking getting too high if West has only four. The modern solution is called the Support Double: opener doubles (or redoubles) the bid made by RHO to show three-card support for responder's major suit response. It's quite useful, but applies only to this situation: a response in a major and an overcall or double by opener's RHO. The bid allows E-W to find their eight-card heart fit and with two 12-counts they should get to 4♥︎. Sadly, 4♥︎ fails unless declarer plays North for the Q♥︎ doubleton from the bidding rather than taking the normal finesse.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 7
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T64 Vulnerable:
South♥︎632 Both
♦︎AJT6
♣︎AJ6
WEST EAST
♠︎QJ8 ♠︎AK9752
♥︎Q4 ♥︎AT75
♦︎K97 ♦︎Q83
♣︎KQT93 ♣︎-
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎3 Tricks:
10 ♥︎KJ98 NSEW
13 13 ♦︎542NT3499
4 ♣︎87542♠︎221111
♥︎4588
E-W have 26 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Game♣︎6666
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6♠︎wA♦︎-1 100
4♠︎eJ♥︎-1 100
4♠︎e8♥︎-1 100
3♠︎w4♠︎+2 200
4♠︎e5♦︎= 620
 
South passes and West has just enough to open 1♣︎. North passes and East responds 1♠︎. South passes and West rebids 1NT. North passes and East realizes that West may have four hearts on this auction, but 2♥︎ might be passed, so East jumps to 3♥︎. West corrects to 3♠︎ and East raises to 4♠︎. The success of this contract depends upon how East plays it. Attempting to set up hearts will fail, but playing clubs from the top and ruffing whatever appears from the North hand works well. East has three entries to dummy (the QJ♠︎ and a third-round heart ruff) to set up the clubs. On a spade lead, won in dummy, East leads the K♣︎ at trick two, covered and ruffed in hand. The A♥︎ and another sets up a third entry to dummy even if South can play a second trump after winning the K♥︎.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 8
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KT43 Vulnerable:
West♥︎- None
♦︎KQ8
♣︎AJ7632
WEST EAST
♠︎96 ♠︎AQJ2
♥︎A52 ♥︎T764
♦︎A9532 ♦︎J764
♣︎KQ5 ♣︎8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎875 Tricks:
13 ♥︎KQJ983 NSEW
13 8 ♦︎TNT4478
6 ♣︎T94♠︎6566
♥︎6666
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎43910
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♣︎n6♦︎= 110
3♣︎n4♦︎-1 50
4♣︎n4♦︎-2 100
4♣︎nJ♦︎-2 100
3♦︎wA♣︎= 110
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North has no good options. A takeout double with a void in hearts is off the rails crazy. A 2♣︎ overcall might lose a potential spade fit. 1♠︎ on four to the king could be a disaster. Sometimes it is best to pass and await developments. East responds 1♥︎ and South passes. West rebids 1NT, and now, with South not able to overcall 1♠︎, it is probably safe enough for North to venture a 2♣︎ overcall. East bids 2♦︎ and South should resist the urge to try 2♥︎: East has four and West has at least two for the 1NT rebid, leaving partner with one at most. Instead, South should bid 3♣︎, which might buy the contract since E-W cannot know for sure that they have a nine-card fit. Down one in 3♣︎ beats letting 3♦︎ make!
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 9
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T765 Vulnerable:
North♥︎J832 East-West
♦︎962
♣︎T6
WEST EAST
♠︎AKQ8 ♠︎432
♥︎AQ6 ♥︎K74
♦︎874 ♦︎QJT
♣︎Q93 ♣︎KJ54
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J9 Tricks:
1 ♥︎T95 NSEW
17 10 ♦︎AK53NT3399
12 ♣︎A872♠︎4499
♥︎5588
E-W have 27 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Game♣︎3399
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♣︎eA♦︎= 110
1♠︎w9♦︎+2 140
2NeK♦︎+1 150
3Nw2♥︎= 600
3Nw6♦︎= 600
 
South opens 1♦︎ in third seat after two passes, and West has enough for 1NT but no diamond stopper. Double or 1♠︎ seem to be the alternatives, and after North passes, East will bid 1NT whatever West chooses, and West will raise to game. Nine tricks are easy with three winnersm in each major and three more in clubs once the A♣︎ is forced out and the T♣︎ drops from the North hand. I note with surprise that two pairs played 3NT from the West hand, which may mean they were able to overcall 1NT after South chose 1♣︎ as the opening bid rather than 1♦︎.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 10
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KT9632 Vulnerable:
East♥︎86 Both
♦︎T8
♣︎754
WEST EAST
♠︎J ♠︎854
♥︎QJ743 ♥︎AKT
♦︎A2 ♦︎KQ73
♣︎JT832 ♣︎AQ9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQ7 Tricks:
3 ♥︎952 NSEW
9 18 ♦︎J9654NT4477
10 ♣︎K6♠︎7755
♥︎111111
E-W have 27 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Game♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2Ne4♦︎+2 180
3Ne5♦︎= 600
4♥︎w3♠︎= 620
4♥︎e6♦︎= 620
4♥︎wT♦︎+1 650
 
East is too strong for 1NT and opens 1♦︎ as dealer. South passes and West responds 1♥︎. North passes and East completes the picture by rebidding 2NT, showing a balanced 18-19, and West's main interest is whether or not East has two hearts only, or three or more. To find out West bids 3♣︎, a convention called New Minor Forcing that is more commonly used over a 1NT rebid, but also applies to 2NT rebids like this one. 3♣︎ says nothing about clubs, it asks East to bid 3♥︎ with three or more hearts, or, with a doubleton heart, make some other descriptive call: 3♠︎ with four spades, or 3NT without. East bids 3♥︎ and West raises to 4♥︎, which makes easily while 3NT goes down two if the defenders cash out their spades. Look up New Minor Forcing on Wikipedia: it is very useful!
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 11
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎4 Vulnerable:
South♥︎T74 None
♦︎JT987
♣︎JT52
WEST EAST
♠︎KQJ2 ♠︎A963
♥︎A8532 ♥︎6
♦︎632 ♦︎K5
♣︎9 ♣︎AKQ743
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T875 Tricks:
2 ♥︎KQJ9 NSEW
10 16 ♦︎AQ4NT4488
12 ♣︎86♠︎221110
♥︎5577
E-W have 26 combined points♦︎7765
Suitable Level: Game♣︎331010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎eK♥︎-2 100
5♣︎eK♥︎-1 50
4♣︎eK♥︎= 130
3♣︎eK♥︎+1 130
4♠︎e4♦︎+2 480
 
South opens 1♦︎ and West has options. Either major suit risks losing the other as a potential fit, a takeout double without support for an unbid suit is a no-no, and a Michaels 2♦︎ showing both majors normally promises 5-5, and passing this hand might be a little too wimpy. I like 2♦︎: KQJ2 is no five-card suit but it is a rather good 4-card suit. North passes and East bids 4♠︎ expecting it to be easy. South leads the K♥︎ and West wins in dummy, ruffs a heart and plays two top clubs pitching a diamond from dummy. The third high club is ruffed and overruffed, and a pure crossruff begins, which nets declarer two high clubs, the A♥︎, and eight ruffs, four in each hand, for eleven tricks!
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 12
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎4 Vulnerable:
West♥︎A972 North-South
♦︎AQ8763
♣︎92
WEST EAST
♠︎AKT76 ♠︎QJ82
♥︎KQ53 ♥︎864
♦︎9 ♦︎JT5
♣︎JT6 ♣︎874
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎953 Tricks:
10 ♥︎JT NSEW
13 4 ♦︎K42NT8811
13 ♣︎AKQ53♠︎6677
♥︎8844
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎121211
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎121211
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♦︎nQ♠︎+2 170
3♦︎nQ♠︎+2 150
4♠︎w9♣︎-3 150
3♦︎nQ♠︎+2 150
4♦︎nQ♠︎+1 150
 
West opens 1♠︎ and North overcalls 2♦︎. East bids a preemptive 3♠︎, knowing that E-W is not vulnerable and their side has at least a nine-card fit. South is surpised to find an opening bid left after the auction has already gotten so high, but can find easily a 4♣︎ bid with diamonds as a safety net. West bids 4♠︎, and North continues on to 5♦︎. East passes and South can see that North must be short in spades, but there is no way to tell if hearts are stopped, so there is no reason to bid on and take that risk. 5♦︎ is worth 620 with the overtrick, far more than doubling 4♠︎ and setting it three would be at this vulnerability (only 500). Not sure how one pair allowed 4♠︎ to be played undoubled with all those defensive tricks.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 13
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QJ2 Vulnerable:
North♥︎Q87 Both
♦︎QT2
♣︎KQ54
WEST EAST
♠︎T ♠︎K9876
♥︎AK632 ♥︎T5
♦︎93 ♦︎AK85
♣︎AT763 ♣︎J8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A543 Tricks:
12 ♥︎J94 NSEW
11 11 ♦︎J764NT5577
6 ♣︎92♠︎4488
♥︎4499
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎33910
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎w2♦︎-1 100
3NwK♣︎-1 100
1♠︎e9♣︎+1 110
2♥︎wK♣︎+1 140
3NwK♣︎= 600
 
North passes (12 points, but no aces and no distributional features), and so do East and South. West opens 1♥︎ and North is wise to pass again, having heard partner pass in third seat, denying even a sub-minimum opener. East responds 1♠︎, and West rebids 2♣︎. East bids 2♦︎ and West rebids 3♣︎. East should pass and hope that this misfit survives and makes a plus score in 3♣︎, but some will take an ill-advised shot at 3NT. 3NT makes at one table on the K♣︎ lead, which allows West to win and return a club toward the jack, setting up four tricks in the suit, and ducking a heart sets up four more there. 3♣︎ is untouchable and loses only the two trumps, the A♠︎ and a heart.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 14
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ Vulnerable:
East♥︎Q987 None
♦︎J54
♣︎KJ63
WEST EAST
♠︎T982 ♠︎AJ5
♥︎KJT53 ♥︎A
♦︎Q93 ♦︎K762
♣︎8 ♣︎AQT97
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎7643 Tricks:
12 ♥︎642 NSEW
6 18 ♦︎AT8NT4499
4 ♣︎542♠︎221010
♥︎4499
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎331010
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎wK♠︎-2 100
3Ne6♠︎= 400
3Ne3♠︎= 400
3Ne2♥︎+1 430
3Ne7♠︎+1 430
 
East opens 1♣︎ and South passes; West responds 1♥︎. North passes and East rebids 2♦︎, a higher suit than the one opened. This 'reverse' shows 1) more (not equal) cards in the first suit opened than the second, and 2) about an ace more than a minimum opener. West bids 2♠︎ to cater for the unlikely possibility of 4=0=4=5 in the East hand, and East bids 3NT. This makes fairly easily with the club honours all onside, and might even make an overtrick. Reverses by opener are another difficult but useful situation to know and once again, the Wikipedia article on them is good reading.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 15
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎864 Vulnerable:
South♥︎43 North-South
♦︎6
♣︎QJ87543
WEST EAST
♠︎AKQ3 ♠︎J9
♥︎K72 ♥︎JT5
♦︎K985 ♦︎JT742
♣︎T6 ♣︎A92
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T752 Tricks:
3 ♥︎AQ986 NSEW
15 7 ♦︎AQ3NT331010
15 ♣︎K♠︎3399
♥︎5577
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎221110
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7755
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♠︎s4♦︎-1 100
2♦︎e2♠︎+1 110
3♦︎eK♣︎= 110
2♦︎eK♣︎+3 150
1Nw4♥︎+4 210
 
South opens 1♥︎ and West overcalls 1NT. North can bid 2♣︎ here (3♣︎ would be a good hand, not a pre-empt) fairly safely, and East passes. South, knowing that West has a good hand, has no option but to pass 2♣︎ and hope North can survive. West doubles 2♣︎ and is it takeout or penalty? Don't ask me; I have no idea. Probably it is for penalty, but if East takes it out to 2♦︎ that will be fine. Even better is 2NT, which makes a lot of tricks when North has no entry to cash the set up club suit.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 16
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AKJ732 Vulnerable:
West♥︎JT9 East-West
♦︎7
♣︎AT3
WEST EAST
♠︎QT ♠︎86
♥︎64 ♥︎K52
♦︎T942 ♦︎AK853
♣︎J9842 ♣︎Q75
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎954 Tricks:
13 ♥︎AQ873 NSEW
3 12 ♦︎QJ6NT111100
12 ♣︎K6♠︎121200
♥︎121200
N-S have 25 combined points♦︎7766
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎7755
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎sT♦︎+2 480
4♠︎nK♦︎+2 480
4♠︎nA♦︎+2 480
4♠︎nA♦︎+2 480
4♠︎nA♦︎+2 480
 
West passes and North opens 1♠︎. East overcalls 2♦︎ and South bids 2♥︎, knowing that with a hand this strong another bidding opportunity will surely come later. West passes and North rebids 2♠︎. South raises to 4♠︎ and North suspects there may be a shot at slam, but on a bad day 5♠︎ might be too high, so passes. North's suspicions turn out to be correct, but the slam does depend on the location of two cards, the K♥︎ and the Q♠︎, both of which are favourable, so probably not a great slam to be in, even though on this layout it makes.
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 17
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AQ8 Vulnerable:
North♥︎A543 None
♦︎7
♣︎JT532
WEST EAST
♠︎J952 ♠︎T743
♥︎972 ♥︎T
♦︎98 ♦︎AKQT532
♣︎AK87 ♣︎9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K6 Tricks:
11 ♥︎KQJ86 NSEW
8 9 ♦︎J64NT4455
12 ♣︎Q64♠︎4488
♥︎9933
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎3399
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎101033
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♦︎e*2♣︎-1 100
4♠︎eK♥︎-1 50
4♠︎eK♥︎-1 50
4♥︎s9♦︎-1 50
4♥︎sA♣︎-1 50
 
North opens 1♣︎ (most hands with an ace-queen and a side ace are worth an opener based on their two and a half defensive tricks), and East overcalls some number of diamonds: 1♦︎ maybe, or even 3♦︎. South has an easy heart bid at any level with a hand of opening strength, and 4♥︎ should be the final contract, down one on this simple defense: diamond to the queen, club to the king, A♣︎, and a club ruff. Nothing poor South can do about it, and even worse news is that some E-W pairs managed to uncover their spade fit and went down one in 4♠︎. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and go to the next board....
 
 
Jump to Board # ...  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  
 
Board 18
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QT752 Vulnerable:
East♥︎A9 North-South
♦︎KJ8
♣︎972
WEST EAST
♠︎K84 ♠︎93
♥︎KT7 ♥︎QJ83
♦︎6 ♦︎AQT54
♣︎AKJT64 ♣︎Q8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AJ6 Tricks:
10 ♥︎6542 NSEW
14 11 ♦︎9732NT221010
5 ♣︎53♠︎5588
♥︎221111
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎331010
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nw5♠︎-1 50
4♣︎wA♥︎+1 150
3Nw5♠︎= 400
3Nw5♠︎= 400
3Nw5♠︎= 400
 
East is just short of an opener so after South also passes, West gets to open 1♣︎. North overcalls 1♠︎ and East makes a Negative Double, showing four hearts and support for diamonds, the other unbid suit. South passes and West rebids 1NT, East invites with 2NT, and West bids 3NT with the maximum for the 1NT rebid. North leads a spade and South wins and continues the suit. West ducks the second round and wins the third round with the K♠︎, and it is clear that North has five spades for the overcall. The A♥︎, if North has it, will give the defenders five tricks, four spades and the A♥︎. If North also has the K♦︎, declarer can prevail by leading a diamond to the queen and winning the K♠︎, two diamonds and six club tricks. It's a better chance than hoping South has the A♥︎.