| May 19th Board 4. 1NT but who by? |
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The bidding should be simple, after 2 Passes East will open 1NT which will be the final contract. South will lead a Heart to North's King and declarers Ace who returns a Spade. With the Ace of Spades in South's hand East should make 3 Spades, 2 Hearts, 2 Diamonds and 1 Club for +120. However 2 Eaast's must have passed that hand allowing South to open 1NT which would be passed out. On a probable low Spade lead if Jack of Spades is played from dummy this will win and a small Club led to the King, West can take the Ace whenever but South will make 4 Clubs, 1 Diamond 1 Heart & 2 Spades 8 tricks, -120 to North/South. Funny game.
On the night the board wasa played 7 times, No Trumps by East/West made 7 to 9 tricks 5 times, and No Trumps by North/South made 8 or 9 tricks twice!
Lesson: Always open 1NT with balanced 12-14 points.
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| May 19th Board 15 How high in Diamonds |
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South has a good 1D opening bid, West with 6 Spades & 9 points overcalls 1S, North has 7 points, though Queen of Diamonds is wasted, will raise to 2 Diamonds and East will raise the overcall to 2 Spades. Where to now South? South now knows that North has 4 Diamonds, no losers in that suit and no more than 2 spades. South should jump raise to 4 Diamonds which will probably be passed out. Should South bid only 3 Diamonds West will raise to 3 Spades! This may force North to bid 4 Diamonds, at this point South could bid 5 Diamonds, a brave bid.
5 Diamonds makes with ease losing 1 Spade & 1 Heart whilst East/West can make only 8 tricks in Spades. On the night the Board was played 7 times, 5 times by East/West in Spades 7, 8 or 9 tricks. Only 2 North/ South pairs were in Diamonds making 11 or 12 tricks.
Lesson: Bid up South with a good hand and a known 6:4 trump fit.
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| Board 9 May 12th A variety of contracts played |
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West has a good 5:5 hand in Hearts & Clubs but void in Diamonds. 3NT by East should show a Diamond guard. On the likely lead of a Diamond North will take the Ace and return the Jack taken by East's King. Declarer will now make 10 tricks, 1 Spade, 3 Hearts, 1 Diamond & 5 Clubs for 630.
On the night the hand was played 11 times with 3 pairs bidding and making 3 No Trumps. Those in Hearts usually went down. 5 Clubs will also make comfortably and will make 12 tricks if North leads the Ace of Diamonds at trick 1.
Lesson: West by your jump to 3 Clubs your partner should know that you have a good hand, probably 5:5, so let him play in No trumps.
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| Board 22 May 12th Believe your partner |
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When South opens 1Heart, North with an opening hand should be looking for game and by the bidding shows his Spades, Clubs & by inference bidding 3NT something in Diamonds. South should just insist on his Heart suit and so 4 Hearts should be the final contract. West will probably lead a Club or Diamond. This should immediatly be taken by whichever Ace, and Ace & King of Clubs played discarding a Diamond. Next lead 8 of Spades to the Jack to loose to West's Ace. The defenders are now powerless and should now only take Ace of Spades, Ace of Hearts and 1 Diamond making 10 tricks for South.
On the night the hand was played 11 times and nobody bid and made 4 Hearts! Those who bid part score in Hearts, 4 pairs, made between 6 and 11 tricks. The remainder were in either Spades or No Trumps both doomed to failure.
Lesson: 1H, 2H, 3H by South shows a weak hand with at least 6, hopefully good, Hearts. Let South play in the major.
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| Board 11 May 5th Overcall their 1NT |
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South as Dealer has an unexiting 13 points so will open 1NT. West can use the Landy Conventionand bid 2 Clubs. This promises at least 10 points & 9 cards in the majors. It asks partner to bid their best major and East duly obliges with 2 Spades passed out. (Should East have had same number in Hearts & Spades East would bid 2 Diamonds saying "you choose".) With careful play West should make 8 tricks in Spades.
On the night this board was played 6 times with only 1 East/West in 2 Spades. 1NT usually made 8 or 9 tricks for 120/150 (as long as South leads a Club at trick 2 to set up a further 3 tricks in that suit). So 2 Spades, even 1 off for 100, was a good score for East/West.
Lesson: Always try to overcall their 1NT opening bid with an unbalanced hand.
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| Board 14 May 5 Why you should bid 3NT |
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East with 12 points opens 1NT, South has 6 Spades but only 3 points so passes, West also has12 points and a 5 card (Club) suit so with a known combined point count of 24 should bid 3NT. South will lead 5 Spades taken with the Ace in East's hand and King of Clubs is played and when North is in with Ace of Clubs he cannot lead a Spade, a Heart does not look good so tries a Diamond which runs to West's Queen so East/West make 4 Clubs, 2 Diamonds, 2 Spades and 1 Hea rt = 9 tricks. After an invitational raise to 2NT by West one bold North bid 3Diamonds, passed out, and made 9 tricks for an outstanding top.
On the night the Board was played 7 times, 1 pair bid 3NT making 400, 5 other pairs were in 2NT making 9 or 10 tricks and as explained above 1 North/South made 9 tricks in Diamonds.
Lesson: Bid 3NT with a known 24 count and a 5 card suit.
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