HAND OF THE MONTH from Colin Juneman

This contribution from Colin Juneman occurred in the recent Lundy Rees event held at Langport Bridge Club. The commentary is Colin’s.

“There is one board that I think is worth a wider circulation (please amuse your mailing list with this analysis) and that is Board 25 (EW Vul).

North

S ATxxxxx

H A

D x

C QJxx

West East

S J S xx

H Kxx H QJxxx

D KJxx D AQxxx

C Txxxx C A

South

S KQx

H Txxx

D Txx

C Kx

At our table, the bidding went N (Sheena) 1S, E (John) 2S Wemble, S (Pearl) pass, W (me) 3D, N 3S, E 4D, S 4S, W 5D, N 5S, E and S pass, W (to my chagrin!) double.

Sheena, of course made the 'cold' 11 tricks, which but for my double would have meant a flat board around the room (twice in 5S and 4 times in 4S+1). However, notice that the word 'cold' is in inverted commas. If John imaginatively (no reason why he should) leads his AC and underleads his AD, he can get a club ruff to defeat the contract.

But what makes the hand unique in my experience is that, if you consider an EW diamond contract, it appears that I should have bid 6D, because with a 'cold' 11 tricks, 1 down doubled is good for us even at unfavourable vulnerability. However, 'cold' is again in inverted commas because North can lead her singleton AH, underlead AS and get a heart ruff!!

Hence both sides can make 11 tricks unless the opening leader finds a singleton A lead and then underleads the A of their long suit - is that worth a bit of amusement for everybody? And but for my double it would have been a boring flat board!”