Van Learners Bridge Results

October 21, 2024



Section X  North-South
VanLearners Monday Eve Session October 21, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   61.31   51.50   X-2   Joan Christensen - Carol Ward
  2   54.76   46.00   X-5   Brenda MacLean-Longpre - Cindy Chan
  3   53.57   45.00   X-3   Ian Wong - Alex Douglas
  4   48.81   41.00   X-8   Diane O'Connor - Vicki Torbett
  5   48.21   40.50   X-4   Pam Tomlins - Tim Tomlins
  6   46.43   39.00   X-6   Donna Bridgeman - Linda Collins
  7   45.24   38.00   X-1   Zdenka Buric - Marcia Smith
  8   41.67   35.00   X-7   Cathy Brown - Ruth Castellino

Section X  East-West
VanLearners Monday Eve Session October 21, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   64.29   54.00   X-7   Doug MacDougall - Scott Turner
  2   57.74   48.50   X-8   Kelly Anderson - Mike Bow
  3   53.57   45.00   X-3   David Hsu - David Rosenberg
  4   52.38   44.00   X-6   Kathy Armstrong - Joyce Statton
  5   50.60   42.50   X-5   Cindy Grauer - John Fraser
  6   49.40   41.50   X-4   Curtis Ballard - Elizabeth Ballard
  7   37.50   31.50   X-1   Andrew Macneil - Joanne Kent
  8   34.52   29.00   X-2   Marion George - Peter George


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 October 7'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:♠︎843 Vulnerable:
North♥︎J532 None
♦︎J732
♣︎J3
WEST EAST
♠︎K ♠︎J92
♥︎T764 ♥︎Q9
♦︎K8654 ♦︎AQ
♣︎982 ♣︎AKQT65
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQT765 Tricks:
3 ♥︎AK8 NSEW
6 18 ♦︎T9NT5544
13 ♣︎74♠︎8855
♥︎6677
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎331010
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♠︎s2♣︎-1 50
3♠︎s8♣︎-2 100
3♣︎eA♥︎= 110
3♣︎eA♥︎+1 130
North passes and East opens 1♣︎. South overcalls 1♠︎ and West should pass: the modern idea is 6 or more for a negative double, but three points for a singleton king is quite optimistic. North passes as well and East, who was wondering whether to treat the hand as unbalanced and rebid 3♣︎, or semi-balanced and rebid 2NT, has a new option: 1NT! When LHO overcalls at the 1-level and the next two players pass, opener can rebid 1NT to show a hand too strong for a 1NT opener (if opener had 15-17 1NT would be the opening bid). So East bids 1NT and all pass. South starts with the A♠︎ and switches to the A-K♥︎ and a third puts North in with the J♥︎ for a spade lead and down three!
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Board 2
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AK98 Vulnerable:
East♥︎QT85 North-South
♦︎K94
♣︎96
WEST EAST
♠︎T6 ♠︎72
♥︎AJ3 ♥︎972
♦︎AJ5 ♦︎QT87
♣︎K8742 ♣︎JT53
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ543 Tricks:
12 ♥︎K64 NSEW
13 3 ♦︎632NT7933
12 ♣︎AQ♠︎101033
♥︎9933
N-S have 24 combined points♦︎6666
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎6677
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎s4♣︎+1 650
4♠︎sA♥︎= 620
4♠︎sT♠︎-1 100
4♠︎s4♣︎-1 100
East passes, South opens 1♠︎, and West overcalls 2♣︎. North has a full opener and knows the pair has a spade fit. 2♠︎ and 3♠︎ are non-forcing and would miss a likely game if South passes. 4♠︎ will usually work, but if South has a strong hand, might discourage South from trying for slam. The solution is to cuebid 3♣︎; the only forcing call in this spot. This almost always promises spade support and a good hand. East passes, South bids 4♠︎ (3♠︎ would show a non-minimum, preserving space to examine slam possibilities) and that ends the auction. The defense will get two diamonds and the A♥︎, but if South finesses against the J♥︎ a club pitch on the fourth heart is the key to making this difficult contract.
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Board 3
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎2 Vulnerable:
South♥︎AKJ984 East-West
♦︎Q97
♣︎Q97
WEST EAST
♠︎AQ74 ♠︎T986
♥︎Q32 ♥︎5
♦︎5 ♦︎AKT64
♣︎AKJT4 ♣︎532
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KJ53 Tricks:
12 ♥︎T76 NSEW
16 7 ♦︎J832NT3567
5 ♣︎86♠︎331010
♥︎7756
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎3399
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎221111
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎wA♥︎-1 100
3♠︎e7♥︎= 140
4♥︎nA♦︎-3 150
4♠︎wA♥︎+1 650
South passes and West opens 1♣︎. North overcalls 1♥︎, and East makes a negative double (a 1♠︎ bid in this sequence would promise five spades). South raises to 2♥︎ and West bids 2♠︎. North's six hearts are enough to compete to 3♥︎ and East and South pass. West bids 3♠︎ and North passes. East shouldn't pass without thinking, since West has shown a good hand with a fit in spades: seven points and a singleton in the opponent's suit is probably worth a shot at game. Good decision: 4♠︎ is not easy but can be made with a heart ruff, three trump tricks, two diamonds, and four clubs, losing only a heart, a club, and maybe a trump.
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Board 4
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K632 Vulnerable:
West♥︎JT2 Both
♦︎J4
♣︎KJ92
WEST EAST
♠︎T95 ♠︎A
♥︎Q5 ♥︎AK8643
♦︎AKT92 ♦︎8
♣︎863 ♣︎AQT74
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ874 Tricks:
9 ♥︎97 NSEW
9 17 ♦︎Q7653NT101212
5 ♣︎5♠︎6677
♥︎101212
E-W have 26 combined points♦︎221010
Suitable Level: Game♣︎101212
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♣︎e7♦︎+1 150
2♥︎e5♣︎+2 170
4♥︎eQ♠︎= 620
4♥︎e5♣︎+1 650
West and North pass and East has a strong distributional hand, stong enough for a 2♣︎ opener. South passes and West's 2♦︎ is the best choice: in theory West has enough for a positive response, but that would be 3♦︎, the one that takes up the most bidding space. Instead, West bids 2♦︎, East rebids 2♥︎, and now West rebids 3♦︎ to promise some values and a diamond suit. East continues with 4♣︎, and West has more choices: 5♣︎, 4♥︎, and my preference 4♦︎: clearly forcing (on this auction we are not stopping in a partscore) and awaits East's next call, which is 4♥︎. West takes this to show a six card suit and 4NT paves the way to an easy 6♥︎ slam.
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Board 5
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K93 Vulnerable:
North♥︎AQ86 North-South
♦︎AQ96
♣︎83
WEST EAST
♠︎J5 ♠︎A842
♥︎94 ♥︎KJ73
♦︎K732 ♦︎T85
♣︎AQJ52 ♣︎76
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QT76 Tricks:
15 ♥︎T52 NSEW
11 8 ♦︎J4NT7766
6 ♣︎KT94♠︎7766
♥︎7766
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎5577
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5577
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nn4♠︎+2 150
1Nn2♠︎= 90
2Nn6♣︎-1 100
1Nn3♥︎-3 300
North has enough to open 1NT: the small doubleton in clubs is no bar to opening 1NT. This should be the only bid in the auction, which also seems to scare a lot of new players: bidding 1NT and being left there. Even if partner tables a zero point dummy and the opponents beat 1NT a few tricks, this is bound to happen at most tables, and might even be a good score since the opponents have 25 points between them. Step up! Be confident. Grab those reins and make an overtrick in 1NT and a good score rather than moping about impending disaster! (But if West bids 2♣︎, let him have it: pass and take your plus.)
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Board 6
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q864 Vulnerable:
East♥︎AJ72 East-West
♦︎J4
♣︎T92
WEST EAST
♠︎KT32 ♠︎J9
♥︎KQ5 ♥︎9
♦︎QT532 ♦︎K876
♣︎Q ♣︎K87653
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A75 Tricks:
8 ♥︎T8643 NSEW
12 7 ♦︎A9NT7766
13 ♣︎AJ4♠︎7755
♥︎9944
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5588
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nw2♥︎-2 200
3♥︎sQ♦︎= 140
2♠︎n6♣︎-1 50
4♥︎s3♦︎-2 100
East passes and South opens 1♥︎. When I first learned 5-card majors, I thought this was a weakness, that one day I would be raised to 4♥︎ on a 12 count with three small hearts opposite a suit like this. Then one day it happened and by leading trumps every time I was in, I lost three trump tricks and won the rest! West on this hand is a bit too vulnerable and aceless to venture an overcall, so passes, and North raises to 2♥︎, which should become the final contract, easily made with an overtrick. If West does find a 2♦︎ overcall, North-South should compete to 3♥︎, but no further.
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Board 7
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AQ Vulnerable:
South♥︎J54 Both
♦︎A842
♣︎AQ85
WEST EAST
♠︎2 ♠︎KJ9753
♥︎KT987 ♥︎32
♦︎3 ♦︎KJT9
♣︎KT9742 ♣︎6
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T864 Tricks:
17 ♥︎AQ6 NSEW
6 8 ♦︎Q765NT8855
9 ♣︎J3♠︎6677
♥︎7766
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Game♣︎7766
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nn7♠︎= 600
4♣︎w*A♠︎-2 500
2Nn7♠︎+1 150
2NnJ♦︎+1 150
South and West pass and North opens 1NT. East overcalls 2♠︎ and suddenly it is all about North-South's methods for countering notrump interference. Without agreements, South may be best to double and let North decide what to do: the double shows some strength, three or less hearts (with four, a cuebid of 3♠︎ would be a Stayman-type bid), and no clear bid. North might pass, or try 2NT or even 3NT, which is best. Most experts these days play a convention called Lebensohl and South would bid 3NT (values for 3NT without a spade stopper), or 3♦︎ (a diamond suit and some values); neither is perfect, that's why overcalling works well!
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Board 8
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T954 Vulnerable:
West♥︎KJ9 None
♦︎A4
♣︎AT85
WEST EAST
♠︎Q876 ♠︎AKJ3
♥︎T86542 ♥︎AQ3
♦︎7 ♦︎K952
♣︎J6 ♣︎Q7
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎2 Tricks:
12 ♥︎7 NSEW
3 19 ♦︎QJT863NT7666
6 ♣︎K9432♠︎5488
♥︎4499
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎101033
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♦︎s5♥︎-1 50
5♣︎n*A♠︎-1 100
1♠︎eQ♦︎+1 110
5♦︎s5♥︎-3 150
West passes and North opens 1♣︎. East makes a takeout double and South raises pre-emptively to 3♣︎. West and North pass and East doubles again. South passes and West bids 3♥︎, and at this point everyone has been their hands to the hilt, so 3♥︎ should be it, but it looks like the open players two weeks ago felt differently! The distribution in the South hand allows for 10 tricks in either minor, and if left to play in hearts, West should find a way to nine tricks. How two pairs got all the way to 5♦︎ is beyond me!
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Board 9
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎6 Vulnerable:
North♥︎964 East-West
♦︎QT54
♣︎KQ953
WEST EAST
♠︎A742 ♠︎KQ83
♥︎5 ♥︎KT8732
♦︎KJ632 ♦︎A
♣︎T84 ♣︎72
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎JT95 Tricks:
7 ♥︎AQJ NSEW
8 12 ♦︎987NT8855
13 ♣︎AJ6♠︎4488
♥︎6666
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎7766
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9933
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎wK♣︎-2 200
2♥︎e8♦︎-1 100
2♠︎wK♣︎+1 140
3♠︎w*K♣︎= 730
North passes and East opens 1♥︎. South passes and West responds 1♠︎. North passes and East raises to 2♠︎. This gets a somewhat happier pass from South, and West and North also pass, leaving West to try to make eight tricks. North makes the best lead of a club and the defenders get two clubs before one can be discarded on the K♦︎. A diamond continuation leaves West to contend with the trump break, but eight tricks should be made in the end.
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Board 10
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J9 Vulnerable:
East♥︎983 Both
♦︎QT8642
♣︎K5
WEST EAST
♠︎AT62 ♠︎Q8754
♥︎K74 ♥︎JT
♦︎J93 ♦︎A
♣︎A96 ♣︎QT842
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K3 Tricks:
6 ♥︎AQ652 NSEW
12 9 ♦︎K75NT7766
13 ♣︎J73♠︎331010
♥︎7755
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎8844
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎331010
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♠︎e7♣︎+1 140
2♠︎w9♥︎+2 170
2♠︎eA♥︎+2 170
3♥︎s2♠︎-2 200
East passes and South opens 1♥︎. West makes a takeout double and North raises to 2♥︎. East's nine-point first chair pass is worth considerably more after partner's takeout double, which reveals a spade fit, and shows that all of East's points except the J♥︎ will be useful. Nine points expands to 12 or 13 or 14 in support of the spades partner has promised, so the best call is a jump to 4♠︎, which makes easily, with only one club, one heart, and one spade to lose. Distributional hands with strong support for partner's known suits are often a lot stronger than their mere high-card count.
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Board 11
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J Vulnerable:
South♥︎J543 None
♦︎JT4
♣︎A9853
WEST EAST
♠︎985 ♠︎Q62
♥︎AT8 ♥︎96
♦︎Q63 ♦︎K9752
♣︎KQJ6 ♣︎742
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AKT743 Tricks:
7 ♥︎KQ72 NSEW
12 5 ♦︎A8NT81022
16 ♣︎T♠︎111122
♥︎111111
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎6766
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♥︎sK♣︎+3 200
3♠︎sK♣︎+2 200
1Nn5♦︎+2 150
2♥︎sK♣︎= 110
South opens 1♠︎ and West has just enough for a takeout double, although with only three card support for two of the three other suits West will want to be careful later. A 2♣︎ overcall with only four cards is judgmentally worse and can lead to bigger potential trouble, and passing a near-opener is worse than making a slightly off-shape double. North pases and East responds 2♦︎. South bids 2♠︎ and West passes, and so does everyone else. The takeout double has convinced South to rebid spades rather than rebid 2♥︎ and the result is a missed game, for either major makes an easy 11 tricks despite only 23 combined points!
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Board 12
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QJT7 Vulnerable:
West♥︎QT98752 North-South
♦︎Q
♣︎A
WEST EAST
♠︎82 ♠︎K964
♥︎J43 ♥︎A6
♦︎A4 ♦︎962
♣︎KQT972 ♣︎8653
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A53 Tricks:
11 ♥︎K NSEW
10 7 ♦︎KJT8753NT6633
12 ♣︎J4♠︎8855
♥︎10933
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎9922
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5577
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎n3♣︎= 620
3♥︎nA♥︎+1 170
4♦︎sK♣︎+1 150
5♥︎n6♣︎-1 100
West has a perfect weak two opening bid, but the suit is clubs, so the choices are pass, 1, or a 3 preempt. I would choose 1 and be very careful in the rest of the auction. North overcalls 1 and East makes a negative double. South bids 2, and West passes. North rebids 2 and East bids 3. South and West pass and North's 3 ends the auction. A club lead eventually gets the defenders two hearts, a spade, and a diamond.
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Board 13
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎654 Vulnerable:
North♥︎A973 Both
♦︎A875
♣︎Q7
WEST EAST
♠︎KT832 ♠︎QJ
♥︎4 ♥︎JT62
♦︎K43 ♦︎QJ2
♣︎KT93 ♣︎8652
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A97 Tricks:
10 ♥︎KQ85 NSEW
9 7 ♦︎T96NT8855
14 ♣︎AJ4♠︎6677
♥︎8844
N-S have 24 combined points♦︎8855
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎5577
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎sT♣︎= 140
2NnQ♠︎= 120
1♠︎w3♥︎+1 110
3♥︎nQ♠︎-2 200
North and East pass and South opens 1♣︎. West overcalls 1♠︎ and North makes a negative double to show four hearts. East passes and South rebids 2♥︎. West passes and North raises to 3♥︎ and South might be tempted but should probably pass. 24 combined points with a 4-4 fit is usually enough to make nine or even ten tricks, but on this hand even eight is a struggle, as a spade lead sets up two winners, and the defenders also have the offside K♣︎ and two diamonds to come, plus the 4-1 trump break for poor declarer to deal with. Sometimes it's not what you have, it's the way the opponents cards are distributed that is the key factor!
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Board 14
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎975 Vulnerable:
East♥︎T4 None
♦︎J
♣︎AK95432
WEST EAST
♠︎Q6 ♠︎KJT8432
♥︎J8752 ♥︎K63
♦︎Q7543 ♦︎2
♣︎T ♣︎76
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A Tricks:
8 ♥︎AQ9 NSEW
5 7 ♦︎AKT986NT121211
20 ♣︎QJ8♠︎6677
♥︎7755
N-S have 28 combined points♦︎121211
Suitable Level: Game♣︎131300
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♣︎n2♦︎+2 440
5♣︎n2♦︎+2 440
5♣︎n2♦︎+2 440
3♦︎sQ♠︎+3 170
East opens 3♠︎ and catches South with a big hand. South's options are 4♦︎, 5♦︎, and a takeout double. 4♦︎ is asking for trouble; North will pass with a lot of hands that might make game opposite South's colossus. 5♦︎ has the same problem; North will pass with many hands (such as this one) when there is something better. So South makes a takeout double, West passes, and North jumps to 5♣︎. South should raise to 6♣︎, of course, but there is an old, seldom used convention that applies here. A 5NT bid out of the blue is called Grand Slam Force and says "bid the grand with two of the top three in the trump suit." Seldom comes up, but works perfectly here.
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Board 15
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AQ Vulnerable:
South♥︎KJ432 North-South
♦︎KJ76
♣︎JT
WEST EAST
♠︎3 ♠︎97654
♥︎AQT75 ♥︎98
♦︎Q543 ♦︎A8
♣︎K53 ♣︎Q872
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KJT82 Tricks:
15 ♥︎6 NSEW
11 6 ♦︎T92NT9944
8 ♣︎A964♠︎9944
♥︎7766
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nw6♦︎-3 150
2♠︎s3♣︎+1 140
3♠︎s3♦︎= 140
2♥︎wJ♣︎-2 100
South passes and West opens 1♥︎. My rule is to pass when they open the suit you were going to open on your right, but North has enough here for a 1NT overcall, so that's the best call here. East passes and South bids 2♥︎, a transfer to spades. West passes and North bids 2♠︎. East passes and South bids 2NT, the four-way invite, with 2NT, 3♠︎, 3NT, and 4♠︎ the possible drop-off points. North has only two spades and a minimum hand, so passing 2NT is the best move. Unlucky: the defenders' cards are all well-placed, especially in the red suits, and at least nine tricks are quite easy.
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Board 16
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AKT95 Vulnerable:
West♥︎863 East-West
♦︎AJ
♣︎AJ7
WEST EAST
♠︎63 ♠︎Q42
♥︎AT5 ♥︎KJ7
♦︎K962 ♦︎QT84
♣︎Q864 ♣︎T53
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J87 Tricks:
17 ♥︎Q942 NSEW
9 8 ♦︎753NT6655
6 ♣︎K92♠︎8855
♥︎7766
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎6677
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7766
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♠︎n7♥︎+1 170
2♠︎n8♦︎= 110
2♠︎n4♦︎= 110
3♠︎n8♦︎-2 100
West passes and North opens 1♠︎ (a bit strong for 1NT with 17 and three aces, which is normally worth a point in itself). East passes and South makes a simple raise to 2♠︎ to show the important 8-card major suit fit. West passes and North invites with 3♠︎ but South isn't biting. The defenders need to get three heart tricks to beat 3♠︎, for they have natural tricks coming in spades and diamonds but with the Q♣︎ onside, nothing in clubs. If East leads a heart at any point, West needs to resist the urge to go up with the ace, unless declarer calls for the queen from dummy.
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Board 17
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎732 Vulnerable:
North♥︎K52 None
♦︎J652
♣︎974
WEST EAST
♠︎Q ♠︎AJ94
♥︎QJT ♥︎A843
♦︎AQ873 ♦︎T9
♣︎AJ53 ♣︎T62
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KT865 Tricks:
4 ♥︎976 NSEW
16 9 ♦︎K4NT221110
11 ♣︎KQ8♠︎331010
♥︎111211
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎221111
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎221111
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♥︎e6♥︎= 110
2♦︎w3♠︎+1 110
3♥︎eK♣︎= 140
3♥︎e6♠︎= 140
North and East pass and South, in third seat and not vulnerable, opens a light 1♠︎. West doubles, North passes, and East has two possible calls: a jump to 3♥︎, or a 1NT response. Responding 1NT to a takeout double is not what partner wants to hear, so it should show at least 8 points and a good stopper in the enemy suit. A simple 2♥︎ call is an underbid with nine points opposite a takeout double, so 3♥︎ is the call to show a decent hand with a heart suit. Here, 1NT works very well; West will raise to 3NT and the tricks will come rolling in. 3♥︎ as a response stymies West and the game in hearts (that the open players failed to make!) will be missed.
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Board 18
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q653 Vulnerable:
East♥︎K North-South
♦︎Q875
♣︎JT65
WEST EAST
♠︎K9 ♠︎A874
♥︎J96 ♥︎AQT853
♦︎AKJ92 ♦︎T
♣︎K84 ♣︎93
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎JT2 Tricks:
8 ♥︎742 NSEW
15 10 ♦︎643NT221111
7 ♣︎AQ72♠︎3399
♥︎111212
E-W have 25 combined points♦︎221010
Suitable Level: Likely Game♣︎5577
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎e2♠︎-1 50
4♥︎e4♦︎+1 450
4♥︎eJ♠︎+2 480
6♥︎eJ♠︎= 980
East has only ten points but 2.5 quick tricks and the best part is that the 1♥︎ opener will get the answer East wants right away if South passes: the question being "does partner have four spades?" South does pass and West bids 2♦︎. With a weaker hand West would want to support hearts, but here West expects to bid more than once and can make the forcing but natural 2♦︎ call. North passes and East rebids 2♠︎: the two-over-one bid by West allows East to make this rebid, which would show extras over a one-level response. West bids 4♥︎ and with the K♥︎ and A♣︎ both onside it is an easy twelve tricks.