Play Problem 020 contributed by Graham Broadbent |
The Final of the Pottage Cup was played at Basingstoke on Sunday 13 May. This was Board 33 (hands rotated). It’s not a test of play, but an interesting bidding problem.
You are the dealer, South. No-one is vulnerable. You pick up ♠ J10432 ♥ Q85 ♦ A10432 ♣ none. You pass, as does your left-hand opponent and partner opens 2 Clubs (23 plus points or game forcing in an undisclosed suit).
Any response you make is potentially flawed, can you make the right bid to steer the partnership towards the best spot? Decide before reading on.
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Partner held ♠ AKQ9 ♥ none ♦ K5 ♣ AKQJ987 and thirteen tricks in either black suit are trivial, but how do you get to the Grand Slam?
SolutionTo Play Problem 020
Board 33 (Hands Rotated)Dealer South, None vulnerable
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The full deal.
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Show Answer |
The board was played eight times and it is interesting to look at the spread of results in a strong field. No-one found the optimum spot of 7 spades, three pairs got to 7 clubs (although one doesn’t know if this was by scientific means or by“blasting it”!). However only one of them got a top, the lucky pair who were doubled!
Contract
+ Result |
Score |
Match Points |
My Notes |
N/S . |
E/W |
4S + 3 |
510 |
0 |
14 |
E/W do nothing and collect a top! |
6C + 1 |
940 |
2 |
12 |
South didn’t bid his spades? |
6S +1 |
1010 |
6 |
8 |
Right strain, difficult to find the Grand. |
6S +1 |
1010 |
6 |
8 |
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6S +1 |
1010 |
6 |
8 |
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7 C = |
1440 |
11 |
3 |
Well bid, deserve a joint top! |
7 C = |
1440 |
11 |
3 |
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7 C* = |
1630 |
14 |
0 |
Silly double, if its going off E/W will
collect at least a joint top anyway! |
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