| The One That Got Away |
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The One That Got Away Weekly hand review
Wednesday · 30 September 2026 · Board 15
Twelve in sight.
Thirteen on the day.
All five pairs took every trick. None bid a slam. The useful lesson is how to count twelve without needing a finesse.
Reveal this week’s hand ▾
DealerSouth
VulnerabilityN/S
Suggested contract6♠ by East
Field5 tables
N♠ 9 7 5 2♥ 10 8 4♦ 2♣ K 10 8 6 3
W♠ Q 6 3♥ A♦ K Q 9 8 7♣ Q 9 5 2
E♠ A K J 10 8 4♥ J 2♦ A J 5♣ A 4
S♠ —♥ K Q 9 7 6 5 3♦ 10 6 4 3♣ J 7
15
Why this hand won
A count you can explain
East has 18 high-card points and West 13. Their nine-card spade fit contains A-K-Q-J-10, and the diamonds contain A-K-Q-J. Add the two side-suit aces and twelve tricks are available on the recorded heart lead.
3♠ +4 ×14♠ +3 ×25♠ +2 ×2
Every declarer was East. Four received the ♥K lead; one received ♦3. All made thirteen tricks. This is evidence of a missed opportunity, not a reconstruction of anyone’s auction.
A possible Acol-style auction
Show the fit, then count key cards
This example assumes South opens a weak 3♥ and East–West play 1430 Roman Key Card Blackwood.
SouthWestNorthEast3♥1Pass2Pass3♠3Pass4♠4Pass4NT5Pass5♣6Pass6♠7PassPassPass—
- 1
South: 3♥ — a weak pre-empt. Seven hearts headed by K-Q and six HCP make this a possible opening. Vulnerable against non-vulnerable opponents, some partnerships would require more playing strength and pass instead.
- 2
West: Pass — no comfortable immediate action. With 13 HCP, only three spades and a five-card diamond suit, West can reasonably pass rather than introduce diamonds at the four level. This is a judgement call, not a forced pass.
- 3
East: 3♠ — natural and strong enough to compete. East has 18 HCP and six spades headed by A-K-J-10. East is the first partner to bid spades and will be declarer.
- 4
West: 4♠ — a natural raise to game. West supports partner with three spades headed by the queen, 13 HCP and a singleton heart ace. No cue-bidding agreement is needed. The raise does not tell East the exact strength or location of West’s honours.
- 5
East: 4NT — a judgement call to investigate slam. With 18 HCP, six strong spades and four key cards, East can reasonably make another move after West raises to game. East holds ♠A-K, ♦A and ♣A; the missing key card is the ♥A. A natural 4♠ raise has a wide range, so continuing is a positive decision, not an automatic bid.
- 6
West: 5♣ — one or four key cards, playing 1430. East’s own holding makes four impossible, so West has exactly one: the ♥A. All five key cards are accounted for.
- 7
East: 6♠ — settle for the small slam. East takes the optimistic view of the strong trump suit, West’s game raise and the confirmed ♥A. Key cards check controls; they do not guarantee twelve tricks. West has not specifically shown the ♠Q or ♦K-Q, so this is a plausible route rather than a compulsory slam. On the actual combined hands, the twelve-trick plan below is straightforward.
This is an illustrative auction, not a recorded one. The travellers contain contracts and leads, but no bidding history. The weak 3♥ opening depends on partnership style, and 1430 responses must be agreed. West’s 4♠ is a natural raise; this sequence uses no cue-bid. If South passes initially, a different route is needed.
The representative start
South leads the ♥K
South is East’s left-hand opponent. Win with dummy’s singleton ♥A. Before playing another card, count your winners.
The play
Secure twelve first
No squeeze, endplay or diamond finesse is needed for the small slam on this layout.
- 1
Win the ♥A. Lead dummy’s ♠Q. South shows out, revealing North’s four trumps.
- 2
Draw North’s trumps. Continue a low spade to the ace, then cash the king and jack. East retains two winning trumps; keep four diamonds in dummy.
- 3
Take the four top diamonds. Cash ♦A and ♦J from East, then lead ♦5 to dummy’s king and cash ♦Q. Dummy follows small on the first two rounds. North’s singleton and South’s four diamonds cause no problem for these four winners.
- 4
Return with a club to the ace. Cash East’s two remaining spades. You have twelve tricks and can concede the last heart.
6 spades4 diamonds1 heart + 1 club12 tricks
For the curious
Where does the thirteenth come from?
Cash ♦A and ♦J, then finesse dummy’s ♦9. North shows out on the second round, so you know South holds the missing ♦10. Lead East’s ♦5 and, if South plays low, play dummy’s nine. It wins, leaving ♦K and ♦Q to cash: five diamond tricks.
If South plays ♦10 under the ace, it falls. If South plays it on either later lead, cover it with a higher diamond from dummy; no finesse is then needed.
The full count is six spades + five diamonds + the ♥A + the ♣A = thirteen tricks.
This is a layout-dependent overtrick line. It is not needed to make 6♠, and the traveller does not establish how the players actually took their thirteen tricks.
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| Match Report |
Latest Match Reports
📊 Evening Session - 05-10-2026 [LATEST]
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From the tables 5th October 2026The winners, the bold results and the partnerships whose boards helped shape the session. Session winnersPenny Houlden & Gabriel McCarthy58.00% · margin 0.00 The session at a glance25boards played 10pairs 2slams bid and made 750largest raw-score range Today’s talking pointsNamed performances from the traveller, reported without inventing what happened at the table. Killer leads · Board 1Hilary Rowland & James Jones led 10♠Hilary Rowland & James Jones recorded 4♣ by E, 1 down for North/South +50, earning a top on the board. The recorded opening lead was 10♠. One of the session’s standout results Slam spotlight · Board 10Penny Houlden & Gabriel McCarthy brought home the slamPenny Houlden & Gabriel McCarthy recorded 6NT by N, with 1 overtrick for North/South +1470, earning a top on the board. One of the session’s standout results One more for the road · Board 4Nigel Smith & Galina Piunovskaya found the extra trickNigel Smith & Galina Piunovskaya took 9 tricks in 2♥. Across 3 comparable results in the same denomination and direction, nobody else managed more than 8. One of the session’s standout results
SlamsBoard 10: 6NT by N, 13 tricks · Board 10: 6NT by S, 12 tricks
Personal recap How did your pair do?Choose a pair to see its strongest and costliest boards by matchpoint percentage.
Older posts
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📊 Afternoon Session - 01-10-2026
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The cards had their say 1st October 2026The winners, the adventures and the boards that developed ideas of their own. Session winnersJames Jones & Ted Hulme61.98% · margin 2.46 The session at a glance24boards played 11pairs 1slams bid and made 850largest raw-score range Where the cards got interestingThe players receive the credit; any mischief is attributed firmly to the cards. Killer leads · Board 1Steve Bamforth & Lesley Beilinsohn led A♠Steve Bamforth & Lesley Beilinsohn recorded 2♥ by E, 2 down for North/South +100, earning a top on the board. The recorded opening lead was A♠. The contract never quite recovered from the introduction. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed Slam spotlight · Board 24Nicola Walsh & Lianne French brought home the slamNicola Walsh & Lianne French recorded 6NT by E, with 1 overtrick for East/West +1020, earning a top on the board. For once, the six level was not merely decorative. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed One more for the road · Board 4Nicola Walsh & Lianne French found the extra trickNicola Walsh & Lianne French took 9 tricks in 2♥. Across 4 comparable results in the same denomination and direction, nobody else managed more than 8. Apparently the expected number of tricks was only a suggestion. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed
SlamsBoard 24: 6NT by E, 13 tricks
Personal recap How did your pair do?Choose a pair to see its strongest and costliest boards by matchpoint percentage.
📊 Evening Session - 30-09-2026
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The cards had their say 30th September 2026The winners, the adventures and the boards that developed ideas of their own. Session winnersHilary Rowland & James Jones61.90% · margin 1.78 The session at a glance24boards played 11pairs 4slams bid and made 1470largest raw-score range Where the cards got interestingThe players receive the credit; any mischief is attributed firmly to the cards. Killer leads · Board 2Thel Leith & Tony Desmond led 6♠Thel Leith & Tony Desmond recorded 1NT by S, 3 down for East/West +300, earning a top on the board. The recorded opening lead was 6♠. The contract never quite recovered from the introduction. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed One more for the road · Board 5Hilary Rowland & James Jones found the extra trickHilary Rowland & James Jones took 12 tricks in 3NT. Across 5 comparable results in the same denomination and direction, nobody else managed more than 11. Apparently the expected number of tricks was only a suggestion. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed Against the room · Board 1Miranda Threlfall-Holmes & Sally Nicholls went their own wayMiranda Threlfall-Holmes & Sally Nicholls recorded 3♥ by E, exactly for East/West +140, earning a top on the board. Following the crowd is not compulsory. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed
SlamsBoard 4: 6♣ by N, 12 tricks · Board 4: 6♣ by N, 12 tricks · Board 16: 6NT by S, 12 tricks · Board 16: 6NT by S, 12 tricks
Personal recap How did your pair do?Choose a pair to see its strongest and costliest boards by matchpoint percentage.
📊 Afternoon Session - 29-09-2026
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Inside the traveller 29th September 2026The contracts and comparisons that made the greatest difference to the final scores. North / South winnersTed Hulme & Alex Hurst61.90% · margin 7.61 East / West winnersAnthony Newstone & James Jones70.00% · margin 15.56 The session at a glance21boards played 13pairs 2slams bid and made 1280largest raw-score range The decisive boardsThe analysis stays with the evidence: contract, tricks, score and matchpoints. Killer leads · Board 1Debbie Rooney & Annette Haft led 9♥Debbie Rooney & Annette Haft recorded 2♦ by E, 1 down for North/South +50, earning a top on the board. The recorded opening lead was 9♥. A full matchpoint reward for the result Slam spotlight · Board 7Anthony Newstone & James Jones brought home the slamAnthony Newstone & James Jones recorded 6NT by W, with 1 overtrick for East/West +1470, earning a top on the board. A full matchpoint reward for the result One more for the road · Board 3Julia Burge & Pat Quinney found the extra trickJulia Burge & Pat Quinney took 8 tricks in 2♥. Across 3 comparable results in the same denomination and direction, nobody else managed more than 7. A full matchpoint reward for the result
SlamsBoard 7: 6NT by E, 12 tricks · Board 7: 6NT by W, 13 tricks
Personal recap How did your pair do?Choose a pair to see its strongest and costliest boards by matchpoint percentage.
📊 Evening Session - 28-09-2026
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This week’s guest: a Wild West sheriff 28th September 2026Every contract in town must eventually face the scorekeeper. Session winnersNigel Smith & Galina Piunovskaya61.67% · margin 5.42 The session at a glance24boards played 12pairs 4slams bid and made 950largest raw-score range Three episodes from the card roomThe character supplies the commentary; the traveller supplies the facts. Killer leads · Board 3The verdict is recorded: Penny Roberts & Judith SuttonPenny Roberts & Judith Sutton recorded 3♠ by S, 2 down for East/West +100, earning a top on the board. The recorded opening lead was K♣. The contract never quite recovered from the introduction. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed Slam spotlight · Board 23The verdict is recorded: Hilary Rowland & James JonesHilary Rowland & James Jones recorded 6NT by N, with 1 overtrick for North/South +1470, earning a top on the board. For once, the six level was not merely decorative. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed One more for the road · Board 5The verdict is recorded: Penny Roberts & Judith SuttonPenny Roberts & Judith Sutton took 12 tricks in 3NT. Across 4 comparable results in the same denomination and direction, nobody else managed more than 11. Apparently the expected number of tricks was only a suggestion. The traveller was unlikely to let that pass unnoticed
SlamsBoard 8: 6♠ by N, 12 tricks · Board 8: 6♠ by N, 12 tricks · Board 8: 6♠ by N, 12 tricks · Board 23: 6NT by N, 13 tricks
Personal recap How did your pair do?Choose a pair to see its strongest and costliest boards by matchpoint percentage.
Showing the last 5 reports. Click a results box for full detail
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| Deva Competition |
Chester Bowl 2026
Deva Bridge Club will hold its annual EBU‑licensed Blue Pointed charity pairs competition,
The Chester Bowl, on Sunday 18 October 2026.
For full details, entry and meal information, please see the
Deva Bridge Club website.
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| Nuance of the Day: Major First, But Not Blindly |
“Acol shows majors early” is true — but: showing a ragged major can distort later auctions, and rebidding NT can sometimes describe a hand better than rebidding a weak major. Experienced Acol players know when not to insist on a major.
..... see less
“Acol shows majors early” is true — but: showing a ragged major can distort later auctions, and rebidding NT can sometimes describe a hand better than rebidding a weak major. Experienced Acol players know when not to insist on a major. ..........
..... see more |
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