Van Learners Bridge Results

July 8, 2024



Section X  North-South
VanLearners Monday Eve Session July 8, 2024
Leaders after  5 rounds  Average:   30.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   61.67   37.00   X-4   Brenda MacLean-Longpre - Cindy Chan
  2   55.83   33.50   X-6   Alexa Allen - Lesley MacKay
  3   55.00   33.00   X-1   Joan Christensen - Carol Ward
  4   47.50   28.50   X-5   Vicki Torbett - Myrna Halpenny
  5   45.00   27.00   X-2   Barbara Spitz - Linda Collins
  6   35.00   21.00   X-3   Pam Tomlins - Tim Tomlins

Section X  East-West
VanLearners Monday Eve Session July 8, 2024
Leaders after  5 rounds  Average:   30.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   69.17   41.50   X-3   Doug MacDougall - Donna Bridgeman
  2   50.83   30.50   X-2   John Fraser - Diane O'Connor
  3   47.50   28.50   X-5   Niamh Kelly - Jacquie Brown
  4   45.00   27.00   X-1   Marion George - Peter George
  5   44.17   26.50   X-6   Cathy Brown - Ruth Castellino
  6   43.33   26.00   X-4   Doug Stewart - Louise Forsythe

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 24'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.

 
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Board 1
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T4 Vulnerable:
North♥︎J72 None
♦︎AK97
♣︎9542
WEST EAST
♠︎KQ ♠︎AJ6
♥︎QT95 ♥︎AK843
♦︎J65 ♦︎QT83
♣︎AKJ3 ♣︎Q
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎987532 Tricks:
8 ♥︎6 NSEW
16 16 ♦︎42NT111111
0 ♣︎T876♠︎5588
♥︎111010
E-W have 32 combined points♦︎221010
Suitable Level: Possible Slam♣︎111010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♥︎e4♦︎-1 50
4♥︎e4♦︎= 420
4♥︎e2♠︎+2 480
6♥︎eT♠︎= 980
6♥︎wA♦︎= 980
 
North passes and East opens 1♥︎. South passes and West responds 2NT, a conventional call showing a game forcing raise with at least four hearts (don't ever do this on three-card support). North passes and East continues with 3♣︎, which in the 1Major-2NT world shows a singleton club. This actually is bad news for West, for West's ♣︎AKJ is mostly wasted. A few Wests bid the slam and made it when South chose a non diamond lead, but switch East's minors and the slam is cold. Shortness opposite several small cards is one known loser and the rest of the points working; shortness opposite strength usually means weakness elsewhere.
 
 
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Board 2
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K63 Vulnerable:
East♥︎7652 North-South
♦︎A53
♣︎AKT
WEST EAST
♠︎QJT9742 ♠︎5
♥︎4 ♥︎AKJT83
♦︎JT4 ♦︎86
♣︎32 ♣︎J986
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A8 Tricks:
14 ♥︎Q9 NSEW
4 9 ♦︎KQ972NT7722
13 ♣︎Q754♠︎6666
♥︎7766
N-S have 27 combined points♦︎101022
Suitable Level: Game♣︎9933
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎eK♦︎-3 150
4♦︎s4♥︎= 130
2♠︎wA♣︎-1 50
4♦︎s4♥︎-1 100
5♦︎s4♥︎-2 200
 
East opens 2♥︎ and South overcalls 3♦︎. West passes and North raises to 4♦︎. South passes 4♦︎ and West leads a heart. East wins the king and the ace, noting West's singleton, and continues with a third heart. This leaves South with problems: ruffing low will allow West to overruff, and further traps abound: if South tries to ruff the third spade in hand before pulling trumps, East ruffs the second spade winner; if South tries to set up the fourth club, West ruffs the third round winner. The solution: ruff high; pull only two rounds of trumps, and then cash winners until West grabs the last trump winner. The fourth club can still be ruffed in dummy!
 
 
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Board 3
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AJ94 Vulnerable:
South♥︎5 East-West
♦︎AK7
♣︎KQJ93
WEST EAST
♠︎K53 ♠︎T862
♥︎QJT987 ♥︎AK2
♦︎84 ♦︎J53
♣︎65 ♣︎874
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q7 Tricks:
18 ♥︎643 NSEW
6 8 ♦︎QT962NT7711
8 ♣︎AT2♠︎9944
♥︎7766
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎121211
Suitable Level: Game♣︎121200
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6♦︎s*4♥︎= 1090
3Nn2♠︎+4 520
4♣︎nA♥︎+2 170
3♦︎sQ♥︎+2 150
3♦︎sQ♥︎+2 150
 
South passes and West, vulnerable vs not and in second seat, should too: this is the worst spot to open a bare minimum weak two, you often pre-empt partner more than the opponents. In this case, passing gives North-South an uncontested ride: 1♣︎ - 1♦︎, 1♠︎ - 2♦︎, 2♥︎ - 3♦︎. North's 2♥︎ call shows a strong hand and after South bids diamonds again North knows 3NT is not in the picture, and should bid 4NT, asking for aces. South shows one ace and that's enough to try a slam. With the K♠︎ onside, this is easy, and it is a mystery how pairs both missed game and got only 11 tricks.
 
 
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Board 4
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A53 Vulnerable:
West♥︎QJ93 Both
♦︎972
♣︎T76
WEST EAST
♠︎Q2 ♠︎KT9864
♥︎A7 ♥︎K52
♦︎AKQJ8 ♦︎543
♣︎KJ52 ♣︎9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J7 Tricks:
7 ♥︎T864 NSEW
20 6 ♦︎T6NT221111
7 ♣︎AQ843♠︎221111
♥︎6677
E-W have 26 combined points♦︎221111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♦︎w3♥︎+2 150
5♦︎wQ♥︎+1 620
4♠︎eA♣︎+1 650
3Nw3♥︎+2 660
4♠︎eT♦︎+2 680
 
West opens 2NT (20-21 balanced). Don't worry about the possibility of the opponents runniung the spade suit: if that happens, you will not be alone! East transfers to spades and then bids 4♠︎ and West gets to play it. This is good because North's natural lead is the Q♥︎, and West wins in hand and continues with the Q♠︎. North wins the ace on this or the next spade trick, and has one final chance to switch to clubs before dummy's 9♣︎ disappears in an avalanche of diamonds for a killer score of 680. If West opens 1♦︎. good luck getting this result! Do not be afraid of even small doubletons when considering a notrump opener!
 
 
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Board 5
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K764 Vulnerable:
North♥︎K North-South
♦︎AQT
♣︎AT863
WEST EAST
♠︎QT52 ♠︎3
♥︎QJT865 ♥︎A73
♦︎7 ♦︎K953
♣︎KJ ♣︎Q9754
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AJ98 Tricks:
16 ♥︎942 NSEW
9 9 ♦︎J8642NT5577
6 ♣︎2♠︎9944
♥︎4499
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎8844
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7766
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎wA♣︎-2 100
1Ns5♣︎-1 100
3♠︎s7♦︎-1 100
4♠︎sQ♥︎-2 200
4♠︎s7♦︎-2 200
 
North opens 1♣︎ and East passes. South responds 1♠︎, not 1♦︎: four-card major responses take precedence over longer diamonds unless you have a strong enough hand to ensure you will get another chance to bid the major. Even if West comes in with a heart bid, the 1♠︎ response should propel North-South to 3♠︎ or maybe even 4♠︎. On this occasion, disaster! The 7♦︎ lead induces North to try the queen, hoping to set up an entry to hand later, but East wins the K♦︎ and gives partner a ruff, and a heart return to East's ace fetches a second diamond ruff, leaving more work for poor South just to scramble home with nine tricks.
 
 
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Board 6
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AJT72 Vulnerable:
East♥︎J753 East-West
♦︎3
♣︎K87
WEST EAST
♠︎K98 ♠︎543
♥︎T4 ♥︎862
♦︎AK762 ♦︎JT954
♣︎QJT ♣︎95
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q6 Tricks:
9 ♥︎AKQ9 NSEW
13 1 ♦︎Q8NT8811
17 ♣︎A6432♠︎111111
♥︎121211
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎7766
Suitable Level: Game♣︎111111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎sA♦︎+1 450
5♣︎sA♦︎= 400
3♥︎sQ♣︎+3 230
3♥︎sA♦︎+3 230
3♥︎sQ♣︎+2 200
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North has several choices: pass, double, or 1♠︎? Vulnerability-wise, it is a green light so North disregards pass and with South not having bid yet, double is probably best. East passes and South has only one option with such a strong hand opposite a takeout double: a cuebid of 2♦︎. West passes and North bids 2♠︎. East passes and South needs to be careful: 3♥︎ might be passed. Better is a SECOND cuebid: 3♦︎, which carries the unmistakeable message that this is a really strong hand. North now bids 3♥︎ and South can raise to 4♥︎ or even try for 6♥︎, which makes with the K♠︎ onside.
 
 
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Board 7
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T7 Vulnerable:
South♥︎QJ42 Both
♦︎A7
♣︎KQ987
WEST EAST
♠︎Q53 ♠︎AJ92
♥︎AT87 ♥︎K6
♦︎QJ642 ♦︎K9853
♣︎2 ♣︎T3
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K864 Tricks:
12 ♥︎953 NSEW
9 11 ♦︎TNT6666
8 ♣︎AJ654♠︎4488
♥︎7766
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎33109
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9933
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♣︎n8♦︎+1 150
1Nn5♦︎= 90
4♣︎n3♦︎-1 100
3♦︎e4♠︎= 110
3♦︎eA♣︎+1 130
 
South and West pass and North opens 1♣︎, East overcalls 1♦︎. South raises to 2♣︎, West to 3♦︎, and this ends the auction. South starts with the A♣︎ and a second club, ruffed by East in dummy. East plays the king and ace of hearts, ruffs a heart in hand, and leads a trump. North wins the A♦︎ and leads a fourth heart. East has seen South's T♦︎ on the previous trick and ruffs with the 8♦︎, but has to lose a spade as well for ten tricks and 130. 4♣︎ is down only one, but East-West might double 4♣︎ and get 200 under the theory that if 4♣︎ makes it is a bad score for us anyhow, so doubling risks little.
 
 
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Board 8
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AT Vulnerable:
West♥︎JT None
♦︎KT94
♣︎QJ932
WEST EAST
♠︎76 ♠︎9842
♥︎AK64 ♥︎Q9732
♦︎AQ2 ♦︎65
♣︎KT85 ♣︎64
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KQJ53 Tricks:
11 ♥︎85 NSEW
16 2 ♦︎J873NT6666
11 ♣︎A7♠︎9944
♥︎4499
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8844
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♠︎sA♥︎+1 140
3♠︎sK♥︎= 140
2♠︎sA♥︎= 110
2♥︎wA♠︎-1 50
3♥︎w3♣︎= 140
 
West opens 1NT and North passes; East bids 2♦︎, a transfer to hearts. South bids 2♠︎ and West has no trouble accepting the push to 3♥︎ with a good hand and four-card support. North bids 3♠︎, surprised that there are 11 points left over for his hand in this auction, and this is passed around to West, who will likely give in and pass. 3♠︎ makes easily as long as declarer plays West for the Q♦︎, losing two hearts, the A♦︎, and the K♣︎. 4♥︎ is down only one and maybe West should have tried it, but it seems five tricks in spades and more likely than ten in hearts.
 
 
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Board 9
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AJT742 Vulnerable:
North♥︎8 East-West
♦︎954
♣︎974
WEST EAST
♠︎96 ♠︎K85
♥︎QJ5432 ♥︎K97
♦︎AKQ ♦︎J863
♣︎J8 ♣︎QT5
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q3 Tricks:
5 ♥︎AT6 NSEW
13 9 ♦︎T72NT4466
13 ♣︎AK632♠︎8855
♥︎4499
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎5577
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎w4♦︎-1 100
4♥︎e7♣︎-1 100
4♥︎w4♣︎-1 100
2♥︎wA♠︎+1 140
4♠︎n*7♥︎-2 300
 
North decides not to open an ultralight 2♠︎ in first seat and as a result South opens 1♣︎ after two passes. West overcalls 1♥︎ and North bids 1♠︎. East raises to 2♥︎ and South passes. West also passes and North bids 2♠︎. This is passed around to West, who competes to 3♥︎, and I don't think anyone should bid further, even though few took my advice when these hands were played. West makes nine easy tricks in 3♥︎, losing two clubs, the A♥︎ and the A♠︎. Going on past 3♥︎ might be costly for North-South, good defense holds spades to eight tricks only.
 
 
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Board 10
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QJ63 Vulnerable:
East♥︎KJ73 Both
♦︎Q3
♣︎K52
WEST EAST
♠︎AT754 ♠︎9
♥︎5 ♥︎AQT8
♦︎76 ♦︎AKT4
♣︎AJT64 ♣︎9873
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K82 Tricks:
12 ♥︎9642 NSEW
9 13 ♦︎J9852NT4499
6 ♣︎Q♠︎4499
♥︎5588
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎3399
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎111212
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♣︎w3♥︎+2 150
3NeQ♣︎= 600
3Ne5♦︎= 600
3Ne9♥︎+1 630
3Ne5♦︎+2 660
 
East opens 1♦︎, South passes, and West responds 1♠︎. North's aceless 12-count is not quite enough to get into the auction and after North's reluctant pass, East must resist the urge to rebid 1NT: partner will expect a balanced hand without singletons. 2♥︎, a higher suit than the opened 1♦︎, would show a much bigger hand, so the correct rebid is 2♣︎. South passes and West raises to 3♣︎. Now East can bid 3NT, but passing 3♣︎ is reasonable with only 13 points. This time, 3NT makes easily with the missing hearts onside and a club suit that is good for four winners. 22 combined points, though: a bit lucky for E-W.
 
 
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Board 11
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T543 Vulnerable:
South♥︎Q3 None
♦︎K8
♣︎K8643
WEST EAST
♠︎86 ♠︎AJ92
♥︎JT9542 ♥︎AK76
♦︎95 ♦︎32
♣︎AJ7 ♣︎QT9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KQ7 Tricks:
8 ♥︎8 NSEW
6 14 ♦︎AQJT764NT5566
12 ♣︎52♠︎6666
♥︎4499
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7755
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♦︎nJ♥︎+2 130
4♦︎sJ♥︎= 130
4♥︎wK♦︎-1 50
4♦︎n8♥︎-1 50
4♠︎nA♥︎-3 150
 
South opens 1♦︎ and West passes; North responds 1♠︎. East is too good to pass and makes a takeout double, secretly hoping that West doesn't choose to bid clubs. South rebids 2♦︎ and West bids 2♥︎. North and East pass and South takes one more shot with 3♦︎. Two passes follow and East takes the plunge to 3♥︎. Should South try 4♦︎? The downside would be if 4♦︎ forces E-W into 4♥︎ and it makes somehow, but in this case 4♦︎ actually makes as long as South leads spades twice from dummy. 4♥︎ is down one: two diamonds, a spade, and a club to lose.
 
 
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Board 12
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ6 Vulnerable:
West♥︎KT5 North-South
♦︎KQ5
♣︎KJT8
WEST EAST
♠︎953 ♠︎JT
♥︎A98432 ♥︎Q6
♦︎T63 ♦︎AJ984
♣︎4 ♣︎Q965
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A8742 Tricks:
17 ♥︎J7 NSEW
4 10 ♦︎72NT101022
9 ♣︎A732♠︎111022
♥︎7766
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎7655
Suitable Level: Game♣︎101033
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nn8♦︎+1 630
3Nn8♦︎+1 630
4♠︎nT♠︎= 620
4♠︎sA♥︎= 620
3Ns8♦︎= 600
 
North-South enjoy an uncontested auction: 1NT - 2♥︎, 2♠︎ - 2NT. 2♥︎ is a transfer to spades, and 2NT is the intersection bid, showing 8-9 points and exactly five spades. Opener North is expected to choose game or partscore depending on the strength of the 1NT opener, and spades or notrump to play in depending on how many spades North has: I call this the intersection bid because there are four choices: pass 2NT, 3♠︎, 3NT, or 4♠︎. Normally with a known eight-card fit spades is best, but here North has no aces and strength elsewhere. An 11th trick in spades for a top is possible but difficult; 3NT+1 is best!
 
 
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Board 13
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K64 Vulnerable:
North♥︎AJ96 Both
♦︎QT8
♣︎543
WEST EAST
♠︎AQ7 ♠︎T982
♥︎T32 ♥︎Q4
♦︎65 ♦︎AKJ72
♣︎KT862 ♣︎AJ
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J53 Tricks:
10 ♥︎K875 NSEW
9 15 ♦︎943NT2288
6 ♣︎Q97♠︎221010
♥︎5588
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎211010
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎111010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♦︎e5♥︎-2 200
2♦︎w5♥︎+1 110
1Ne5♥︎+1 120
1Nw6♥︎+1 120
1Nw6♥︎+2 150
 
North passes and East opens 1NT. West raises to 2NT and this is the final ... okay, yes, I know, you were East and TWO doubletons seemed a little too much, so you opened 1♦︎. South passed and West bid 1NT, and this was the final contract. I might be concerned if both doubletons were weak, but with a sure trick in clubs I would open 1NT with the East hand, doubletons and all. Eight tricks are easy once diamonds break with the queen onside, declarer gets five diamonds, two clubs and the A♠︎ even if the defenders start with four heart tricks. If declarer can also get the clubs established, overtricks abound!
 
 
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Board 14
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T2 Vulnerable:
East♥︎9852 None
♦︎K
♣︎KJT863
WEST EAST
♠︎A93 ♠︎K8764
♥︎K63 ♥︎T
♦︎T9752 ♦︎J863
♣︎A4 ♣︎Q97
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ5 Tricks:
7 ♥︎AQJ74 NSEW
11 6 ♦︎AQ4NT7755
16 ♣︎52♠︎6677
♥︎9933
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8833
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♥︎sA♣︎+3 200
1Nn5♦︎+3 180
2♥︎s5♦︎+1 140
3NsT♦︎-1 50
4♥︎sA♣︎-1 50
 
Just as I do not avoid 1NT with a small doubleton, I also do not avoid 1NT with a five-card major, with one exception. With 5-2 in the majors, sometimes partner transfers you to the doubleton and drops you there, then tables a hand with five-three in the majors and you're in the wrong suit! But 5-3 in the majors eliminates this potential problem, so 1NT it is for South after East passes. 1NT might be the final contract, others playing in hearts. The defenders have to eliminate the K♦︎ entry before the clubs are set up, or 1NT makes many, many overtricks. Hearts should make nine tricks most of the time.
 
 
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Board 15
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ75 Vulnerable:
South♥︎AQJ2 North-South
♦︎743
♣︎73
WEST EAST
♠︎J9643 ♠︎T82
♥︎- ♥︎T97
♦︎JT9 ♦︎Q85
♣︎AKT95 ♣︎QJ62
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A Tricks:
12 ♥︎K86543 NSEW
9 5 ♦︎AK62NT8822
14 ♣︎84♠︎7766
♥︎111111
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎7833
Suitable Level: Game♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎sA♣︎+1 650
4♥︎sA♣︎+1 650
4♥︎nA♣︎+1 650
4♥︎sA♣︎+1 650
4♠︎e*A♦︎-3 500
 
South opens 1♥︎ and West passes; North has just enough for a game-forcing raise of 2NT: 12 points with a short suit and four-card support. East passes and South bids 3♠︎ to show a singleton. North's KQxx opposite the singleton means five points that would be better placed elsewhere, so North signs off in 4♥︎. Two clubs are all E-W can get. If West doubles the 1♥︎ opener, North redoubles (2NT no longer shows the forcing raise) and East will bid 2♣︎, leading to a possible 5♣︎ sacrifice, which goes for only down three and 500. (The pair in 4♠︎* should have gone for 800!)
 
 
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Board 16
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AQJT Vulnerable:
West♥︎A82 East-West
♦︎K7
♣︎T876
WEST EAST
♠︎965 ♠︎K3
♥︎J6 ♥︎KT953
♦︎642 ♦︎AQ8
♣︎AKQ42 ♣︎J95
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎8742 Tricks:
14 ♥︎Q74 NSEW
10 13 ♦︎JT953NT4499
3 ♣︎3♠︎7766
♥︎4399
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎6666
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎e7♠︎-2 200
1♠︎n5♣︎= 80
1NwT♠︎= 90
2♥︎e3♣︎= 110
2♥︎e3♣︎+2 170
 
West passes and North opens 1♣︎. East overcalls 1♥︎ and South passes. West would bid 2♣︎ normally, but that's the suit opened by North and East may take it as a cuebid showing heart support, so instead, West bids 1NT. Everyone passes and North starts with the A♠︎ and a spade to dummy's king. West leads a small club off dummy at trick two: if South is void, West will win and finesse the 9♣︎ next! When South follows, West has five club winners, and after taking them, a diamond to the queen sets up an eighth winner for a good score. East-West make 5♣︎, but only because the A♠︎, A♥︎, and K♦︎ are all onside, a 7-1 shot.
 
 
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Board 17
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎4 Vulnerable:
North♥︎AJ5 None
♦︎432
♣︎AKJ942
WEST EAST
♠︎QJ7 ♠︎AT98652
♥︎T874 ♥︎KQ96
♦︎A965 ♦︎-
♣︎T8 ♣︎Q7
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K3 Tricks:
13 ♥︎32 NSEW
7 11 ♦︎KQJT87NT8833
9 ♣︎653♠︎4399
♥︎4488
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎10922
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♦︎sQ♠︎= 400
3♣︎nT♠︎+3 170
4♥︎wK♣︎-2 100
4♠︎eK♦︎-1 50
4♠︎eK♦︎= 420
 
North opens 1♣︎ and East overcalls 1♠︎. South bids 2♦︎, which looks like a bit of an overbid, but the well-placed K♠︎ and the three-card support for clubs are plus factors. West raises to 2♠︎ and North passes. East bumps it up to 3♠︎, and this is passed around to North, who competes to 4♦︎. This will get East to bid on to 4♠︎, and it all depends on the opening lead: a diamond from KQJT87 is normally safe, but here it allows East to win in dummy and pitch a losing club, making four! A club lead wraps up two club tricks and the A♥︎ and K♠︎ await for down one. Unlucky for N-S!
 
 
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Board 18
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T42 Vulnerable:
East♥︎A62 North-South
♦︎73
♣︎QT876
WEST EAST
♠︎A95 ♠︎QJ3
♥︎KT953 ♥︎J4
♦︎A54 ♦︎Q862
♣︎AK ♣︎J942
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K876 Tricks:
6 ♥︎Q87 NSEW
18 7 ♦︎KJT9NT4588
9 ♣︎53♠︎4587
♥︎4498
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎4498
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Ne9♦︎-2 100
1Nw7♣︎-1 50
2Ne6♠︎+2 180
3Ne9♦︎+1 430
3Ne9♦︎+1 430
 
West opens 1♥︎, North passes, and East bids 1NT. West raises to 3NT and again it depends on the lead: fourth-best from longest and strongest actually costs a trick, allowing declarer to win the Q♦︎ at trick one, fire back the J♥︎ and eventually make four hearts, two diamonds, two clubs and two spades. A non-diamond lead may not be much better though, if North leads a diamond when in with the A♥︎, the queen is trapped but South has no easy entry to get in and run the suit.