Van Learners Bridge Results

November 25, 2024


Section X  North-South
VanLawn Bridge After Dark Monday Eve Session November 25, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   59.52   50.00   X-1   Joan Christensen - Carol Ward
  2   59.52   50.00   X-3   Jill Price - Scott Turner
  3   52.38   44.00   X-7   Ian Wong - Donna Bridgeman
  4   48.21   40.50   X-4   Brenda MacLean-Longpre - Cindy Chan
  5   48.21   40.50   X-6   Kelly Anderson - Mike Bow
  6   42.26   35.50   X-2   Alexa Allen - Cindy Grauer
  7   39.88   33.50   X-5   Vicki Torbett - Myrna Halpenny

Section X  East-West
VanLawn Bridge After Dark Monday Eve Session November 25, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   60.71   51.00   X-1   Jacquie Brown - John Fraser
  2   59.52   50.00   X-2   Curtis Ballard - Elizabeth Ballard
  3   52.98   44.50   X-6   Faye Wightman - Diane O'Connor
  4   45.83   38.50   X-7   Doug MacDougall - Ruth Castellino
  5   44.64   37.50   X-4   Marion George - Peter George
  6   43.45   36.50   X-3   Patsy Thorpe - Ron Rogers
  7   42.86   36.00   X-5   Bob Matthews - Judy Day

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 November 11'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:♠︎KQT9 Vulnerable:
North♥︎K8 None
♦︎J9543
♣︎Q3
WEST EAST
♠︎832 ♠︎J765
♥︎J96 ♥︎AQT5
♦︎KT ♦︎A86
♣︎T9872 ♣︎K6
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A4 Tricks:
11 ♥︎7432 NSEW
4 14 ♦︎Q72NT7666
11 ♣︎AJ54♠︎6677
♥︎6577
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1♦︎eA♠︎-2 100
1♦︎e4♣︎-2 100
1♣︎e2♥︎= 70
1Ne4♣︎= 90
 
Some might open the North hand 1♦︎ or 2♦︎, but I would pass. Not quite strong enough to open as dealer, and 2♦︎ has several flaws, the side four-card major and the weakness of the suit. If North does pass, East opens 1♦︎ and South and West pass, South with more reluctance but no convenient call to make. North reopens with 1NT, which shows a diamond stopper, near-opener values, and unsuitable distribution for a takeout double. Everyone passes and it is up to North to try to find seven tricks. The only safe lead is a diamond to West's king, and the J♥︎ return at trick two gives the defenders four hearts. But it's difficult to find two more without giving declarer a seventh trick!
 
 
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Board 2
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AK9852 Vulnerable:
East♥︎A North-South
♦︎T63
♣︎AT5
WEST EAST
♠︎Q43 ♠︎T76
♥︎72 ♥︎954
♦︎QJ854 ♦︎A72
♣︎J73 ♣︎K842
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J Tricks:
15 ♥︎KQJT863 NSEW
6 7 ♦︎K9NT8822
12 ♣︎Q96♠︎101023
♥︎121100
N-S have 27 combined points♦︎7755
Suitable Level: Game♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎sQ♦︎+3 710
4♥︎s5♦︎+1 650
4♠︎n2♣︎+1 650
4♥︎sQ♦︎+1 650
 
East passes and South opens some number of hearts. The aceless hand isn't quite strong enough for 1♥︎ and the vulnerability indicates than 4♥︎ may be risky, and 2♥︎ is supposed to show six, not seven, so 3♥︎ it is. West passes and North bids 3♠︎, which by an unpassed hand is 100% forcing. East passes and South, with no fit for spades, tries 3NT. North bids 4♥︎ and that's an easy contract, with a possibility to make all the tricks if declarer can ruff away the third round of spades, pull trumps, and cash the rest of the spades for discards.
 
 
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Board 3
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T9873 Vulnerable:
South♥︎KQ762 East-West
♦︎J3
♣︎Q
WEST EAST
♠︎Q5 ♠︎A6
♥︎AJ983 ♥︎-
♦︎986 ♦︎AT75
♣︎A92 ♣︎KT87654
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KJ42 Tricks:
8 ♥︎T54 NSEW
11 11 ♦︎KQ42NT221010
10 ♣︎J3♠︎8755
♥︎7766
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎3399
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♣︎e4♥︎+1 130
4♠︎n8♣︎-3 150
4♣︎eK♦︎+2 170
3NwT♠︎+1 630
 
South passes and West has a borderline opener; most would open 1♥︎ but lacking 2.5 quick tricks I would pass. After 1♥︎ North may decide to bid 1♠︎ and South will stay in to the end with a known nine-card spade fit. If North passes 1♥︎, East responds 2♣︎ and South passes; West is forced to bid something and will probably choose to raise clubs; East might pass or bid 4♣︎ and West will pass. But if West begins with a pass, North opens a light third-seat 1♥︎ and East overcalls 2♣︎. South raises to 2♥︎ and West might bid clubs or even hit the jackpot with a speculative 3NT, which works brilliantly for a great score!
 
 
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Board 4
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J765 Vulnerable:
West♥︎KQ74 Both
♦︎Q
♣︎AQ85
WEST EAST
♠︎KT3 ♠︎AQ94
♥︎52 ♥︎T98
♦︎AJ973 ♦︎K65
♣︎K76 ♣︎J92
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎82 Tricks:
14 ♥︎AJ63 NSEW
11 10 ♦︎T842NT4477
5 ♣︎T43♠︎4499
♥︎8844
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7766
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♥︎sA♦︎+1 140
1♥︎nK♦︎+1 110
2♦︎wK♥︎-1 100
2♥︎n5♦︎-1 100
 
West is just short of an opener and should pass, and North opens 1♣︎. East passes and South scrapes up a 1♥︎ response. West overcalls 2♦︎ and North raises to 2♥︎. East raises to 3♦︎ and this buys it; North would like to bid on but the vulnerability makes that dangerous. In 3♦︎, West may learn an elementary lesson in card combinations: if your plan is to finesse the J♦︎, it costs nothing to play the K♦︎ first and gains when the Q♦︎ is offside and singleton. North leads a heart and West ruffs the third round in hand, plays a diamond to the king, noting the Q♦︎ from North, and leads a low diamond from dummy, playing the nine when South plays low. Success!!
 
 
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Board 5
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ973 Vulnerable:
North♥︎K75 North-South
♦︎43
♣︎QT8
WEST EAST
♠︎865 ♠︎J
♥︎QT ♥︎A6432
♦︎A652 ♦︎Q9
♣︎9753 ♣︎AKJ42
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AT42 Tricks:
10 ♥︎J98 NSEW
6 15 ♦︎KJT87NT6677
9 ♣︎6♠︎91033
♥︎4488
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎9744
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎221010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♣︎eA♠︎-2 100
2♣︎e7♦︎= 90
3♠︎nA♣︎-1 100
1NwK♠︎+1 120
 
North passes and East opens 1♥︎. South passes and West responds 1NT. North gets in with a 2♠︎ call and East rebids 3♣︎. South raises to 3♠︎ and that ends the auction. East cashes a high club and seeing dummy's singleton looks at West's play for guidance. West realizes that partner will be switching at trick two and plays the 3♣︎, a low card, to indicate the lowest of the two non-trump suits, diamonds, as the best switch. The suit preference signal works like a charm: East switches to the 9♦︎ and North must guess who has the Q♦︎. North should still prevail and make the contract, but this signal is useful when it comes up and sometimes a great help!
 
 
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Board 6
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q64 Vulnerable:
East♥︎AQ9 East-West
♦︎QT65
♣︎KJ7
WEST EAST
♠︎2 ♠︎AJT97
♥︎754 ♥︎KT862
♦︎K9872 ♦︎AJ
♣︎8532 ♣︎T
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K853 Tricks:
14 ♥︎J3 NSEW
3 13 ♦︎43NT8844
10 ♣︎AQ964♠︎7666
♥︎4488
N-S have 24 combined points♦︎6677
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎7744
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎eA♣︎-1 100
3♣︎s2♠︎-1 50
2♥︎e4♦︎+1 140
3♥︎e*4♦︎= 730
 
East opens 1♠︎ and South overcalls 2♣︎ with favourable vulnerability. West passes and North takes a reasonable shot at 3NT, which requires less than the usual 25 combined points when one opponent opens and most of the missing honours can be easily placed. In 3NT, North begins with five clubs, a spade and the A♥︎ and needs two more. Leading the 9♥︎ from hand will set up a second heart trick, and a spade or diamond lead from East might allow a ninth to sneak through for a good score. Once North sees the K♦︎ in the West hand, all the rest of the high cards can be placed with East based on the opening bid.
 
 
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Board 7
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AQJT32 Vulnerable:
South♥︎K Both
♦︎653
♣︎432
WEST EAST
♠︎864 ♠︎K97
♥︎T973 ♥︎J842
♦︎KT942 ♦︎QJ8
♣︎7 ♣︎T98
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎5 Tricks:
10 ♥︎AQ65 NSEW
3 7 ♦︎A7NT111111
20 ♣︎AKQJ65♠︎111111
♥︎9922
N-S have 30 combined points♦︎9944
Suitable Level: Game♣︎131300
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6♣︎s3♥︎= 1370
3Ns4♦︎+3 690
3Ns4♦︎+2 660
6Ns4♦︎-4 400
 
South hasn't quite enough for a 2♣︎ opener and opens a massively heavy 1♣︎. West passes and North responds 1♠︎. South rebids 2♥︎, which is risky and not quite forcing, but does show a strong hand of at least an ace more than an opener. North will raise hearts with four or more even with a weak hand, so when North instead bids 2♠︎, this shows long spades and denies a complete minumum response. This is useful information for South, who now launches into 4NT, discovers that North has the A♠︎, and bids a confident 6♣︎. North does indeed have useful extras, the K♥︎ and three trumps, and South pitches diamonds on hearts and makes seven!
 
 
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Board 8
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AJ9852 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AQ84 None
♦︎A4
♣︎5
WEST EAST
♠︎K63 ♠︎T
♥︎9632 ♥︎K7
♦︎8 ♦︎QT762
♣︎T9876 ♣︎KQJ43
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q74 Tricks:
15 ♥︎JT5 NSEW
3 11 ♦︎KJ953NT121211
11 ♣︎A2♠︎121211
♥︎111111
N-S have 26 combined points♦︎10933
Suitable Level: Game♣︎4499
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎nK♣︎+2 480
4♠︎nK♣︎+2 480
4♠︎nK♣︎+1 450
4♠︎nK♣︎+1 450
 
North opens 1♠︎ and East overcalls 2NT, showing 5-5 in the minors. South doubles to show a hand ready to double at least one of their two suits, and West bids 3♣︎. North rebids 3♥︎ and East passes since West has promised nothing more than a preference for clubs. South sees potential and tries 4NT, and the 5♠︎ response (three aces) is enough to consider 6♠︎: even if North has no kings, the missing K♠︎ and K♥︎ are likely with West on this auction. 6♠︎ is easy, with only the K♥︎ to lose once the trump finesse succeeds and trumps are safely pulled.
 
 
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Board 9
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎732 Vulnerable:
North♥︎Q96 East-West
♦︎K73
♣︎Q865
WEST EAST
♠︎954 ♠︎AKQJ86
♥︎7 ♥︎KT3
♦︎AJT982 ♦︎5
♣︎JT7 ♣︎K94
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T Tricks:
7 ♥︎AJ8542 NSEW
6 16 ♦︎Q64NT4487
11 ♣︎A32♠︎221111
♥︎7765
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎6676
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎sA♦︎= 140
4♥︎sA♦︎-3 150
3♠︎eA♥︎+1 170
4♠︎e4♦︎= 620
 
North passes and East opens 1♠︎. South overcalls 2♥︎ and West raises to 2♠︎. North knows that South can have at most two spades and that vulnerability is favourable and convinces himself that a raise to 3♥︎ is safe, or at least safe-ish... East bids 4♠︎, ending the auction. The defenders can only get the A♥︎ and the A♣︎; if declarer leads the J♣︎ from dummy this fetches out the entire royal family of clubs on one trick, leaving declarer with the T♣︎ and 9♣︎ for the rest!
 
 
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Board 10
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J864 Vulnerable:
East♥︎9865 Both
♦︎J84
♣︎AQ
WEST EAST
♠︎A9 ♠︎QT752
♥︎K7432 ♥︎T
♦︎AT92 ♦︎Q53
♣︎K9 ♣︎JT74
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K3 Tricks:
8 ♥︎AQJ NSEW
14 5 ♦︎K76NT6677
13 ♣︎86532♠︎5588
♥︎6766
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎5678
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7766
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2Ns3♥︎= 120
2♠︎eA♦︎-1 100
1Ns2♦︎-1 100
1Ns9♦︎-2 200
 
East passes and South opens 1♣︎. West overcalls 1♥︎ and North makes a negative double to ensure no 4-4 spade fit goes undetected by North-South. East knows that the negative double shows four spades, but spades must be better than hearts, especially if South can leave the double in for penalties, so East bids 1♠︎. South takes the opportunity to pass, showing no fit for spades and a minimum opener. West bids 1NT and North has an impossible opening lead: any suit costs a trick! Spades is probably the least worst, and West takes South's K♠︎ with the ace and returns the 9♠︎ to the jack and queen. Seven tricks are a struggle, but West should prevail in the end.
 
 
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Board 11
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AT765 Vulnerable:
South♥︎JT973 None
♦︎92
♣︎K
WEST EAST
♠︎QJ92 ♠︎K83
♥︎K84 ♥︎AQ5
♦︎QT ♦︎AK854
♣︎A982 ♣︎64
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎4 Tricks:
8 ♥︎62 NSEW
12 16 ♦︎J763NT111212
4 ♣︎QJT753♠︎221010
♥︎3499
E-W have 28 combined points♦︎111111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♦︎e4♠︎+3 150
3NeQ♣︎= 400
3Ne3♥︎+1 430
3NwJ♥︎+1 430
 
South passes and West opens 1♣︎. Again a light opener without 2.5 quick tricks: the A♣︎ is one, K♥︎ a half, QJ♠︎ another half, and the middling cards in suits make up the deficit somewhat. North overcalls 2♣︎, showing both majors, but East has an easy counter: 3NT. South leads the Q♣︎ and East ducks the first one, forcing North to win and switch to a heart. The key to making lots of tricks is in seeing the distribution through the bidding and early play, and finessing the T♦︎ on the first round of diamonds. East thus wins one club, five diamonds, three hearts, and three spades: twelve tricks.
 
 
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Board 12
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎9 Vulnerable:
West♥︎A52 North-South
♦︎AJT8
♣︎A6432
WEST EAST
♠︎A5 ♠︎KJT872
♥︎Q87 ♥︎9643
♦︎KQ743 ♦︎2
♣︎Q98 ♣︎J7
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q643 Tricks:
13 ♥︎KJT NSEW
13 5 ♦︎965NT9944
9 ♣︎KT5♠︎7766
♥︎7756
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎8844
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎101033
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♣︎n2♦︎+2 130
3♠︎e5♣︎-2 100
2♠︎e6♦︎-2 100
3♠︎eK♣︎-2 100
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North overcalls 2♣︎. East would like to bid spades but 2♠︎ sounds like a much stronger hand, so East wisely passes. South bids an invitational 2NT, happy to play 3NT if North has a strong overcall, but 2NT is passed around to East, and the temptation is still there. East tries 3♠︎ and if North-South pass, even down two is a poor result for them. Sometimes in matchpoints you need to realize that if the opponents make their unusually-bid contract it will be a bad score anyhow, so doubling cannot cost much. North-South make 2♣︎ or 2NT easily and getting 100 against 2♠︎ is not a good enough return, but 300 doubled is a likely top!
 
 
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Board 13
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K9 Vulnerable:
North♥︎A943 Both
♦︎AK743
♣︎KT
WEST EAST
♠︎QJ7632 ♠︎5
♥︎865 ♥︎Q7
♦︎- ♦︎Q98652
♣︎Q862 ♣︎J953
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AT84 Tricks:
17 ♥︎KJT2 NSEW
5 5 ♦︎JTNT111122
13 ♣︎A74♠︎9933
♥︎121211
N-S have 30 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Game♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎s6♠︎+2 680
4♥︎n5♠︎+2 680
3Nn6♦︎+1 630
3Nn3♣︎+1 630
 
North opens 1♦︎, South responds 1♥︎, and North raises to 4♥︎. South could have a minimum 6 count for the 1♥︎ response, so the 4♥︎ rebid shows a hand of about 19 or more in support of hearts, and South has a full opener, so Blackwood is clearly the next step. North shows the missing two aces and South needs to be careful: 5NT will get the pair too high if South has three kings and responds 6♠︎. 6♥︎ is the only safe contract and is a struggle: South pulls trumps and leads a low diamond from the North hand, allowing East's Q♦︎ to win, but ensuring two pitches later on the AK♦︎, leaving only one black card loser to ruff in the North hand.
 
 
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Board 14
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎K982 Vulnerable:
East♥︎T864 None
♦︎Q7
♣︎KJ3
WEST EAST
♠︎AQJ ♠︎7
♥︎AJ ♥︎932
♦︎AT86 ♦︎J9532
♣︎T652 ♣︎AQ84
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T6543 Tricks:
9 ♥︎KQ75 NSEW
16 7 ♦︎K4NT4488
8 ♣︎97♠︎7766
♥︎6677
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎221010
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎331010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nw4♥︎-1 50
3Nw2♠︎-1 50
2Nw2♠︎= 120
1Nw2♠︎+2 150
 
West opens 1NT in third seat and plays it there. North leads the 2♠︎ and West wins the first trick with the jack. The ace and a small diamond reveal the favourable 2-2 break and West has four diamonds, two spades, the A♥︎ and the A♣︎, so it is a contest of overtricks. South returns the K♥︎ and West wins the ace, but is now unable to take the club finesse, not knowing how many hearts South can cash if it fails. Eight tricks should therefore be the normal result, unless West takes a big chance and finesses in clubs for more.
 
 
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Board 15
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQJT Vulnerable:
South♥︎K4 North-South
♦︎KQ7
♣︎8643
WEST EAST
♠︎3 ♠︎98654
♥︎QJ853 ♥︎T762
♦︎AJ852 ♦︎T3
♣︎Q5 ♣︎J9
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A72 Tricks:
14 ♥︎A9 NSEW
10 1 ♦︎964NT121211
15 ♣︎AKT72♠︎111122
♥︎6677
N-S have 29 combined points♦︎9933
Suitable Level: Game♣︎121211
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
6NnT♦︎= 1440
3NnJ♣︎+3 690
4♠︎nT♦︎= 620
5♣︎s3♥︎+1 620
 
South opens 1♣︎ and West overcalls 2NT, showing the two lowest unbid suits, in this case diamonds and hearts. North doubles and East bids 3♥︎. South bids 4♣︎ and West passes. Time for North to act! 4NT is safe: if South has three aces North can bid 6♣︎; if South has only one (unlikely on this auction) or two aces North can continue with the next highest suit, which asks the Blackwood responder to bail out in 5NT (which of course cannot be bid by the Blackwood bidder since this would be a king-ask). South does, in fact, have three aces and 6♣︎ is easy when clubs break 2-2. 6NT makes as well, but it is difficult to get there.
 
 
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Board 16
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎QJ5 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AKJ9 East-West
♦︎T83
♣︎QJ6
WEST EAST
♠︎3 ♠︎A9762
♥︎QT542 ♥︎873
♦︎654 ♦︎KQ
♣︎AKT9 ♣︎852
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KT84 Tricks:
14 ♥︎6 NSEW
9 9 ♦︎AJ972NT8844
8 ♣︎743♠︎8855
♥︎6666
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎8844
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎6677
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nn6♠︎+2 150
2♦︎s3♠︎+1 110
2♠︎s2♥︎= 110
2♠︎s2♥︎= 110
 
West passes and North opens 1♣︎. East's spades are not quite good enough for a vulnerable overcall with only nine poinrs, so East passes and South gets to respond 1♠︎. West passes and North rebids 1NT, ending the auction. East leads a spade and North wins in hand and attacks diamonds right away. This sets up four diamond tricks to go with three spades and the AK♥︎ for nine tricks, the defenders winning only the A♠︎, a diamond, and two clubs. 3NT on 22 combined points: who knew?
 
 
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Board 17
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T643 Vulnerable:
North♥︎5 None
♦︎AQ96
♣︎JT76
WEST EAST
♠︎A2 ♠︎K987
♥︎9843 ♥︎A62
♦︎T7 ♦︎KJ3
♣︎KQ953 ♣︎A84
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎QJ5 Tricks:
7 ♥︎KQJT7 NSEW
9 15 ♦︎8542NT4499
9 ♣︎2♠︎5588
♥︎5588
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎6677
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎331010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3NeK♥︎-1 50
2♣︎eK♥︎+1 110
2NeK♥︎= 120
2NeK♥︎+1 150
 
North pases and East opens 1NT. South overcalls 2♥︎ and West has a difficult spot. Against natural overcalls of 1NT, Lebensohl is a popular convention, using a 2NT response and a forced 3♣︎ rebid to distinguish between different types of responding hands. Here, West would bid 3♣︎ to show an invitational or better hand with a club suit. East has a minimum 15 but support for clubs and can try 3NT. South leads a heart and East sees that North cannot have more than one, since South should have five. Taking the ace, South leads clubs but has to lose one to North. Luckily, the AQ♦︎ are both in the North hand and there are nine tricks.
 
 
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Board 18
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q5 Vulnerable:
East♥︎9742 North-South
♦︎876
♣︎8764
WEST EAST
♠︎J86 ♠︎AT97
♥︎JT8 ♥︎KQ65
♦︎T53 ♦︎J9
♣︎AQT5 ♣︎KJ3
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎K432 Tricks:
2 ♥︎A3 NSEW
8 14 ♦︎AKQ42NT6666
16 ♣︎92♠︎6677
♥︎5588
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎8855
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎4488
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2Nw8♦︎-2 100
3♣︎eA♦︎-1 50
1Nw5♦︎= 90
2♥︎eA♦︎= 110
 
East opens 1♣︎ and South overcalls 1♦︎. West raises to 2♣︎ and North passes; so does East with a little trepidation, holding only three clubs. South doubles, intending to bid spades if partner bids hearts. West passes and North does bid 2♥︎. East passes and South continues to 2♠︎. West passes and East retreats back to 3♦︎, and South has a difficult task: ruffing the third round of clubs, South hopes for a spade ruff in dummy and leads a spade to the queen and ace. East is out of clubs and returns the K♥︎. South wins, cashes the K♠︎ and ruffs a spade in dummy, but returning to hand with the A♦︎, a second attempt to ruff is thwarted by West's T♦︎: down one!