Van Learners Bridge Results

October 7, 2024


Section X  North-South
VanLawn Bridge After Dark Monday Eve Session October 7, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   57.14   48.00   X-7   Ruth Castellino - Cathy Brown
  2   55.95   47.00   X-6   Brenda MacLean-Longpre - Cindy Chan
  3   54.17   45.50   X-1   Vicki Torbett - Myrna Halpenny
  4   53.57   45.00   X-5   Linda Collins - Donna Bridgeman
  5   52.98   44.50   X-3   Joan Christensen - Marlee Sheinin
  6   47.62   40.00   X-2   Pam Tomlins - Tim Tomlins
  7   28.57   24.00   X-4   Diane O'Connor - John Fraser

Section X  East-West
VanLawn Bridge After Dark Monday Eve Session October 7, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   64.29   54.00   X-2   Curtis Ballard - Elizabeth Ballard
  2   63.10   53.00   X-5   Scott Turner - Jill Price
  3   61.31   51.50   X-6   Ian Wong - Alex Douglas
  4   43.45   36.50   X-4   David Rosenberg - Alan Atkins
  5   42.26   35.50   X-1   Doug MacDougall - Jacquie Brown
  6   39.88   33.50   X-3   Cindy Grauer - Diane Hardouin
  7   35.71   30.00   X-7   Andrew Macneil - Joanne Kent

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 September 23'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:♠︎T9 Vulnerable:
North♥︎A63 None
♦︎KQ873
♣︎AQ9
WEST EAST
♠︎853 ♠︎AJ642
♥︎QJT2 ♥︎K97
♦︎T2 ♦︎A96
♣︎T543 ♣︎J2
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KQ7 Tricks:
15 ♥︎854 NSEW
3 13 ♦︎J54NT9944
9 ♣︎K876♠︎6666
♥︎7766
N-S have 24 combined points♦︎9933
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎8855
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3NsJ♣︎+2 460
2Nn4♠︎+3 210
2Nn4♠︎+2 180
1Ns3♠︎+3 180
3♠︎eJ♦︎-3 150
 
North opens 1NT, unafraid of the unstopped spade suit (if we wait for 15-17 point hands without small doubletons we will seldom get to open 1NT). East overcalls 2♠︎ and South has enough to invite with 2NT, but nobody is going any further. East leads a small spade and North counts tricks: three in clubs with a shot at four if they break, three or four diamonds once the ace is knocked out, one heart, and at least one spade, likely two since East probably has the ace. South wins the K♠︎ and plays a small diamond to the king. East wins the ace and plays another small spade, won by South's queen. North cashes the J♦︎, then the Q♦︎ and two more, and runs the clubs. West might even pitch a club or both defenders may shed enough hearts to allow extra tricks.
 
 
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Board 2
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AK75 Vulnerable:
East♥︎85 North-South
♦︎86
♣︎98642
WEST EAST
♠︎842 ♠︎63
♥︎T942 ♥︎KQJ3
♦︎7532 ♦︎KJT94
♣︎J3 ♣︎K5
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJT9 Tricks:
7 ♥︎A76 NSEW
1 13 ♦︎AQNT121211
19 ♣︎AQT7♠︎121211
♥︎7755
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎7755
Suitable Level: Game♣︎121211
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Ns2♦︎+3 690
3Ns7♦︎+3 690
4♠︎n9♦︎+2 680
4♠︎nK♥︎+2 680
3♠︎nK♥︎+3 230
 
East opens 1♦︎ and South, too strong for a 1NT overcall, should instead make a takeout double. If North bids 1♥︎ or 2♣︎, South will next bid notrump to promise a balanced hand of more than 17 with a diamond stopper. This is a feature of takeout doubles: when the doubler hears the response and then bids notrump or a new hand, this promises a strong hand which may not look like a normal takeout double at all. However, after West passes, North bids 1♠︎ and South knows that a fit is found. East passes and South raises to 3♠︎, since the response to the double may be on 0-8 points; with a clear maximum, North has no trouble bidding game, which makes easily. Slam on 26 combined is a stretch but makes on this layout.
 
 
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Board 3
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J9 Vulnerable:
South♥︎QJ43 East-West
♦︎9862
♣︎852
WEST EAST
♠︎KQT ♠︎A63
♥︎862 ♥︎A75
♦︎AQJ ♦︎T7
♣︎AK97 ♣︎QJT64
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎87542 Tricks:
4 ♥︎KT9 NSEW
19 11 ♦︎K543NT111212
6 ♣︎3♠︎331010
♥︎3399
E-W have 30 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Game♣︎111212
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2Nw3♥︎+4 240
3NeJ♠︎+3 690
3Ne4♠︎+3 690
6♣︎wQ♥︎= 1370
6Ne4♠︎= 1440
 
South passes and West opens 1♣︎. North passes and East responds 2NT. This shows 11-12 points, and no four-card major suit. West considers shooting for a slam but decides that 31 points among two balanced hands is probably not enough, and settles for 3NT. Two successful diamond finesses give East five club tricks, three diamonds, a heart, and three spades for an easy twelve tricks. What went wrong in the bidding? Nothing much: a heart lead against 6NT would knock out the only stopper and the slam would depend on the diamond finesse. 50% slams are not great propositions, especially when failure means down three or four.
 
 
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Board 4
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎7 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AT973 Both
♦︎97
♣︎AQ943
WEST EAST
♠︎JT654 ♠︎AK9
♥︎KJ8 ♥︎64
♦︎AK54 ♦︎T862
♣︎T ♣︎KJ86
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q832 Tricks:
10 ♥︎Q52 NSEW
12 11 ♦︎QJ3NT5578
7 ♣︎752♠︎4499
♥︎6677
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5578
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♠︎wA♣︎-1 100
4♠︎wA♥︎-1 100
3♠︎wA♥︎-1 100
4♠︎wA♥︎-1 100
4♠︎wA♣︎= 620
 
West opens 1♠︎ and North makes a Michaels cuebid of 2♠︎, showing 5-5 in hearts and one of the minors. East sees that there is an 8-card spade fit, but 11 points and that doubleton heart make game a bit of a gamble. I think 4♠︎ is the best bid, but if it fails I'm ready to apologize to partner. As it turns out, not much can prevent the defenders from taking one trick in each suit to beat 4♠︎ a trick, while North-South can't make much of anything. 3♠︎ even went down at some tables somehow.
 
 
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Board 5
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q5 Vulnerable:
North♥︎T75 North-South
♦︎T5
♣︎AKT962
WEST EAST
♠︎A9874 ♠︎K62
♥︎K863 ♥︎A42
♦︎A62 ♦︎J
♣︎5 ♣︎QJ8743
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎JT3 Tricks:
9 ♥︎QJ9 NSEW
11 11 ♦︎KQ98743NT5577
9 ♣︎-♠︎33109
♥︎4499
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎8855
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎4498
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♣︎e*K♦︎-1 100
4♠︎wT♦︎-1 50
3♠︎wT♦︎= 140
4♦︎s5♣︎-2 200
3♣︎nJ♦︎-5 500
 
North and East pass and South opens 3♦︎. West takes considerable advantage of the vulnerability advantage to get in a 3♠︎ call, and North passes. East with a near opener and a singleton diamond, re-evaluates and decides this is enough for game. Now it's up to West to make it; not easy. If North begins with the T♦︎ opening lead, West captures South's queen with the ace and ruffs a diamond in dummy. A heart to the king allows a second diamond ruff, but North ruffs in with the Q♠︎, forcing West to ruff in dummy with the K♠︎. South now has a trump winner, and the defenders should get a club and a heart as well, but the thirteenth heart may be West's crucial tenth trick, if trumps can be successfully pulled without losing control.
 
 
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Board 6
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KT865 Vulnerable:
East♥︎Q73 East-West
♦︎64
♣︎973
WEST EAST
♠︎74 ♠︎AQJ
♥︎962 ♥︎AJT85
♦︎QT92 ♦︎73
♣︎AK86 ♣︎T54
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎932 Tricks:
5 ♥︎K4 NSEW
9 12 ♦︎AKJ85NT331010
14 ♣︎QJ2♠︎6677
♥︎3399
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♥︎eA♦︎= 110
2♥︎eA♦︎+1 140
2♥︎e2♠︎+1 140
3♦︎s9♥︎-4 200
4♦︎s2♥︎-4 200
 
East opens 1♥︎ and South overcalls 2♦︎. West raises to 2♥︎ and North passes. East is happy in 2♥︎ and South decides wisely to defend rather than try another diamond bid. East should have little trouble in 2♥︎, starting with two diamond losers and eventually losing a heart and a club. South players who bid on to 3♦︎ are in for a world of hurt on this layout. Somehow East-West can manage ten tricks in notrump with perfect play, but it seems quite unlikely that anyone will end up there.
 
 
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Board 7
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K62 Vulnerable:
South♥︎87 Both
♦︎AT54
♣︎J765
WEST EAST
♠︎T95 ♠︎J743
♥︎QJ96 ♥︎A3
♦︎J ♦︎K763
♣︎KQT42 ♣︎A98
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQ8 Tricks:
8 ♥︎KT542 NSEW
9 12 ♦︎Q982NT6566
11 ♣︎3♠︎6666
♥︎7755
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎8844
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nw4♦︎-1 100
1Nn3♠︎= 90
1Nw4♦︎= 90
2♦︎sT♠︎-1 100
1Nw5♣︎+1 120
 
I'm not a fan of the 1♥︎ opener by South, but I guess most will do it. West passes and North responds 1NT. East can double 1NT (even the modern forcing-for-one-round kind) as a takeout of the opening bid suit, showing support for spades, diamonds, and clubs. If South passes, West bids 2♣︎ and may struggle home with eight tricks. South might try a 2♦︎ rebid, and play there where eight tricks are a little easier. If South does pass as dealer, so do West and North and East opens 1♦︎ in fourth seat; South overcalls 1♥︎, and West bids 1NT, which might struggle home on a heart lead. Hands where both sides have 18-22 points swing many matchpoints and getting on the right side of them is as important as bidding games and slams.
 
 
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Board 8
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A754 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AK8 None
♦︎Q532
♣︎KQ
WEST EAST
♠︎J862 ♠︎QT3
♥︎63 ♥︎JT4
♦︎J87 ♦︎964
♣︎9652 ♣︎8743
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K9 Tricks:
18 ♥︎Q9752 NSEW
2 3 ♦︎AKTNT131300
17 ♣︎AJT♠︎111122
♥︎131300
N-S have 35 combined points♦︎131300
Suitable Level: Small Slam♣︎111111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6NnJ♥︎+1 1020
6Nn8♣︎+1 1020
6♥︎s2♠︎+1 1010
4Ns2♣︎+3 520
3NnJ♥︎+4 520
 
West passes and North counts 18 points in a balanced hand, but is that doubleton KQ♣︎ really worth a full five? South needs to have the ace and two more for it to pull its full weight, so I would downgrade to 17 and open 1NT. This makes things easy: South bids 2♦︎, transferring to hearts, and then bids 4NT. This 4NT call is not ace-asking, it is like the 2NT continuation after a transfer, asking opener both what level and what denomination to play in. The 2NT continuation allows the 1NT opener to choose the major or notrump, at game level or partscore; the 4NT continuation is similar but the choice is between game (4NT or 5major) or slam (6major or 6NT). South's super-max suggests 6NT may outscore 6♥︎, and it does.
 
 
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Board 9
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K4 Vulnerable:
North♥︎Q6 East-West
♦︎AT96
♣︎AT942
WEST EAST
♠︎AJ75 ♠︎T9832
♥︎754 ♥︎AJ983
♦︎QJ ♦︎5
♣︎KJ86 ♣︎73
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q6 Tricks:
13 ♥︎KT2 NSEW
12 5 ♦︎K87432NT8833
10 ♣︎Q5♠︎5588
♥︎5588
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♦︎nT♠︎= 130
4♦︎sA♠︎= 130
4♦︎s2♠︎= 130
4♦︎nT♠︎= 130
3♠︎wT♦︎= 140
 
North opens 1♣︎, intending to rebid 1NT over a 1♥︎ or 1♠︎ response. East passes and South responds 1♦︎. West makes a takeout double, and North raises to 2♦︎. East bids 3♦︎ to let partner know that either major works, and South bids 4♦︎ before West can make a choice. West is not willing to play at the four level at this vulnerability, so 4♦︎ becomes the final contract, and the result is pretty much guaranteed since the defenders get two major suit aces and an eventual club trick.
 
 
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Board 10
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T Vulnerable:
East♥︎T9873 Both
♦︎9873
♣︎AJ4
WEST EAST
♠︎AKQ8 ♠︎97532
♥︎A64 ♥︎5
♦︎KQ ♦︎JT64
♣︎K873 ♣︎Q92
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J64 Tricks:
5 ♥︎KQJ2 NSEW
21 3 ♦︎A52NT4477
11 ♣︎T65♠︎221111
♥︎7766
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎5577
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎3399
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♠︎wT♥︎+2 200
3♠︎wA♣︎+2 200
2♠︎w7♥︎+3 200
4♠︎wT♥︎= 620
4♠︎w3♥︎+1 650
 
East passes and South should too; eleven counts need a little distributional spice to be first or second-seat openers and this one is flat. West has a big hand, but not quite enough for a 2♣︎ opener, a 2NT opener showing 20-21 balanced is perfect. North passes and East bids 3♥︎, a transfer to spades. South passes and West takes action: jumping to 4♠︎ with a maximum 21 and four good trumps. Do you think East is bidding again if West meekly bids 3♠︎? Certainly not, and eleven tricks are ridiculously easy, but frustrating if you are only in 3♠︎...
 
 
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Board 11
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J Vulnerable:
South♥︎QJ83 None
♦︎AQ32
♣︎JT74
WEST EAST
♠︎AQ6 ♠︎KT9743
♥︎AK7 ♥︎T65
♦︎KJ875 ♦︎964
♣︎82 ♣︎9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎852 Tricks:
11 ♥︎942 NSEW
17 3 ♦︎TNT5555
9 ♣︎AKQ653♠︎3399
♥︎8845
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎4488
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎101033
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♠︎eT♦︎-3 150
3♠︎wJ♣︎= 140
3♠︎eA♣︎+1 170
2♠︎wJ♠︎+2 170
4♠︎eA♣︎= 420
 
South might try a 3♣︎ preempt here under the idea that an excellent six card suit is almost as good as a decent seven card suit. West will double and North raises to 4♣︎. East and South pass and West doubles again, getting East to bid 4♠︎. The A♣︎ opening lead survives and South switches to the singleton diamond which kills the contract, North taking two diamonds and giving South a third-round ruff. If South passes, West opens 1NT and East transfers to spades: they might not get to 4♠︎ and settle in a makeable contract. See how well pre-empts work?
 
 
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Board 12
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎3 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AT653 North-South
♦︎JT83
♣︎KQ3
WEST EAST
♠︎52 ♠︎AJ97
♥︎KJ87 ♥︎Q9
♦︎AKQ74 ♦︎65
♣︎82 ♣︎AJT54
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KQT864 Tricks:
10 ♥︎42 NSEW
13 12 ♦︎92NT321010
5 ♣︎976♠︎6677
♥︎4499
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎331010
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎221010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3NeK♠︎-2 100
3NeK♠︎-1 50
3Nw5♥︎-1 50
2Nw5♥︎+1 150
3NeQ♠︎+1 430
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North should pass. North would have an ideal takeout double over a 1♠︎ opener, but bidding 1♥︎ over 1♦︎ on a very average five-card suit and just ten points is a bit much. East responds 1♠︎ and South passes. West rebids 1NT and East raises to 3NT. North's likely lead is a heart, which gives declarer three heart tricks when dummy's nine wins and two more are easily established. Two club finesses establish four tricks in that suit and diamonds are good for three more, so South should have little trouble getting to nine or even ten tricks. Not sure why the players two weeks ago had so much trouble.
 
 
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Board 13
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎64 Vulnerable:
North♥︎AT98 Both
♦︎JT92
♣︎JT5
WEST EAST
♠︎AJ973 ♠︎KT52
♥︎K ♥︎73
♦︎AKQ87 ♦︎643
♣︎94 ♣︎AK82
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q8 Tricks:
6 ♥︎QJ6542 NSEW
17 10 ♦︎5NT3377
7 ♣︎Q763♠︎111212
♥︎7755
E-W have 27 combined points♦︎221111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎wA♥︎+1 650
4♠︎e5♦︎+1 650
4♠︎wJ♦︎+1 650
4♠︎wJ♦︎+2 680
4♠︎wJ♦︎+2 680
 
North and East pass and South opens a pesky third-seat weak 2♥︎. West doubles, North raises to 3♥︎, East finds a 3♠︎ call, and South passes. Difficult for West to imagine East has perfect cards on this auction, so West will probably just bid 4♠︎. East should take one look at dummy and think about trying for 12 tricks. South leads a heart to North's ace and a diamond comes back. East wins in dummy, plays the percentages with a nine card fit and pulls trumps in two rounds, then ruffs the second heart in dummy. Two more high diamonds and two high clubs leave a simple crossruff of the rest. I wonder how three tables managed to take only eleven tricks. (Probably lost to the Q♠︎ trying to be clever.)
 
 
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Board 14
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎7 Vulnerable:
East♥︎T8 None
♦︎AKT86
♣︎QJT94
WEST EAST
♠︎KT96542 ♠︎A3
♥︎Q3 ♥︎K976542
♦︎3 ♦︎42
♣︎A73 ♣︎85
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ8 Tricks:
10 ♥︎AJ NSEW
9 7 ♦︎QJ975NT6633
14 ♣︎K62♠︎4499
♥︎4499
N-S have 24 combined points♦︎101022
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎101033
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♠︎w*A♦︎-3 500
5♦︎nA♠︎= 400
5♦︎n5♥︎-1 50
4♥︎eQ♦︎= 420
4♥︎e5♦︎+1 450
 
East opens 3♥︎ as dealer, taking advantage of the vulnerability: opening 3♥︎ vulnerable with this suit would be asking for trouble. South makes a takeout double, West passes, and North bids 4♦︎. East passes and South should as well. West pulls the trigger and tries 4♥︎. North and East pass and South gives 5♦︎ a try. All pass and East leads the A♠︎. West signals with the ten and East continues spades to the jack, king and North's 6♦︎. North pulls trumps and discards a heart on the Q♠︎ and makes 5♦︎! Bad move by West to signal with the T♠︎; a quick count of spades would reveal that if East has two spades and seven hearts, declarer has a singleton spade and two hearts, and the heart loser will disappear. As it did.
 
 
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Board 15
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A98654 Vulnerable:
South♥︎Q75 North-South
♦︎83
♣︎Q9
WEST EAST
♠︎KJ73 ♠︎-
♥︎K9 ♥︎T6432
♦︎J965 ♦︎KT4
♣︎T32 ♣︎KJ864
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QT2 Tricks:
8 ♥︎AJ8 NSEW
8 7 ♦︎AQ72NT8844
17 ♣︎A75♠︎101033
♥︎6666
N-S have 25 combined points♦︎7655
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎5587
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎s5♦︎= 620
4♠︎s9♥︎= 620
4♠︎s5♦︎= 620
4♠︎s5♦︎-2 200
4♠︎s5♦︎-2 200
 
South opens 1NT on a hand that might be too strong. The Canadian player who helped Charles Goren develop point count theory in the 1940s reccommended adding a point to a hand with three or four aces. Few remember this advice and South will play 4♠︎ after a 1NT opener and a transfer auction. West leads a fourth best diamond and the K♦︎ is taken by South's ace. How best to play spades? I have given away more matchpoints than I care to admit playing this combination the technically right way, but I would succeed here: missing the king and jack with the queen and ace in different hands, you play low to the queen first unless you have the nine behind the ten; leading the queen to run it is the right play, and here it holds the trump losers to one.
 
 
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Board 16
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎7 Vulnerable:
West♥︎832 East-West
♦︎843
♣︎KJT875
WEST EAST
♠︎T86532 ♠︎AK4
♥︎JT94 ♥︎AKQ5
♦︎6 ♦︎AKJ72
♣︎43 ♣︎A
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ9 Tricks:
4 ♥︎76 NSEW
1 28 ♦︎QT95NT1199
7 ♣︎Q962♠︎111212
♥︎111212
E-W have 29 combined points♦︎331010
Suitable Level: Game♣︎6677
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
7♥︎w7♠︎-1 100
4♠︎wJ♣︎+2 680
3NeQ♠︎+3 690
6♥︎eQ♠︎= 1430
6♠︎w7♠︎= 1430
 
The term used to describe the East hand in the old textbooks was ROCK-CRUSHER! East opens 2♣︎ after two passes and South also passes; West responds 2♦︎. North passes and East bids 3♦︎. South passes and West tries 3♠︎. In theory 4♣︎, the cheapest minor, should be West's second bid with a bad hand, but who wants to go that high with one point. East bids 4NT over 3♠︎, and settles in 6♠︎, somewhat to West's surprise. East checks the table legs for the required support before tabling a dummy this heavy, and West has no trouble pulling two trumps and then cashing winners until South ruffs in with the onlyt trick for the defense.
 
 
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Board 17
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ82 Vulnerable:
North♥︎KT6 None
♦︎J72
♣︎AQ8
WEST EAST
♠︎AT65 ♠︎J973
♥︎QJ93 ♥︎872
♦︎T85 ♦︎K
♣︎K6 ♣︎JT432
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎4 Tricks:
15 ♥︎A54 NSEW
10 5 ♦︎AQ9643NT121211
10 ♣︎975♠︎8845
♥︎101033
N-S have 25 combined points♦︎121211
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎8944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nn3♣︎+3 490
3NsJ♣︎+2 460
3Nn8♥︎+1 430
3Nn3♣︎= 400
3♦︎sQ♥︎+3 170
 
Quick auction: 1MT from North, 3NT from South, East leads a small club. North leads a diamond at trick two and up pops the K♦︎ and now there are tricks galore. Winning the A♦︎, North should next try the 4♠︎ to establish a spade winner to go with six diamonds, two clubs, and two hearts. If West takes the bait and wins the A♠︎, North has two spade tricks for a total of twelve. If not, five more diamond tricks follow and West has to find discards to get down to five cards. Keeping two spades and three hearts is what West will do, but now North cashes the last club. If West pitches a spade, North plays a low spade to the ace and wins the last three. If West pitches a heart, he is down to QJ♥︎ doubleton and North can cash the whole suit for twelve tricks!
 
 
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Board 18
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎9862 Vulnerable:
East♥︎KJT6 North-South
♦︎T85
♣︎75
WEST EAST
♠︎4 ♠︎AKQT7
♥︎9832 ♥︎A
♦︎Q9432 ♦︎A6
♣︎A63 ♣︎KQT92
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J53 Tricks:
4 ♥︎Q754 NSEW
6 22 ♦︎KJ7NT111212
8 ♣︎J84♠︎111212
♥︎5588
E-W have 28 combined points♦︎111111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎111212
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6♠︎e4♥︎-1 50
5♣︎e4♥︎+1 420
4♠︎e4♣︎+3 510
3Ne7♦︎+4 520
3Ne4♥︎+4 520
 
East opens 2♣︎ and South passes. West responds 2♦︎, and North passes. East rebids 2♠︎ and West rebids 3♦︎, promising some values since 3♣︎, the cheapest minor, is the bid that promises a bad hand. East bids 4♣︎ next, showing a strong two-suiter, and West has a tough call. 4♦︎ might give the idea that West has a control (ace or king), so likely the best bid is 5♣︎ to show support for East's second suit, which is almost certainly five cards long since East bypassed notrump. East takes a shot and bids 6♣︎ and is soon relieved at the sight of dummy, as 6♣︎ is easily made.