Friday evening April 4, 2008
Board 19
South Deals E-W Vul | ♠ 9 ♥ A K J ♦ K Q J 10 8 2 ♣ 9 7 5 | ||||||||||
♠ J 8 6
♥ 8 3 ♦ 9 7 6 5 3 ♣ Q J 4 |
| ♠ A K Q 5 2
♥ 9 4 2 ♦ 4 ♣ 8 6 3 2 | |||||||||
| ♠ 10 7 4 3 ♥ Q 10 7 6 5 ♦ A ♣ A K 10 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♥ | |||
| Pass | 2 ♦ | 2 ♠ | 2 NT |
| Pass | 3 ♥ | Pass | 4 ♣ |
| Pass | 4 NT | Pass | 5 ♥ |
| Pass | 6 ♥ | All pass |
| 6 ♥ by South |
| Down 3 — -300 |
Lead: six of spades
Oh, my. South saw an easy slam after East takes the ace and returns a club (not the singleton diamond!). Three rounds of trumps clear the suit and...oh, $*&%. She was blocked. Declarer lost three spades and a club in the end because she didn't unblock the ace of diamonds!
Saturday morning April 5, 2008
Board 4
West Deals Both Vul | ♠ J 2 ♥ K J 8 4 2 ♦ 10 8 5 3 ♣ A 9 | ||||||||||
♠ 7 5
♥ 10 7 3 ♦ A Q 6 2 ♣ J 8 7 3 |
| ♠ Q 9 8 3
♥ 5 ♦ K J 7 ♣ K Q 6 4 2 | |||||||||
| ♠ A K 10 6 4 ♥ A Q 9 6 ♦ 9 4 ♣ 10 5 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | Pass | 1 ♠ |
| Pass | 2 ♥ | Pass | 4 ♥ |
| All pass |
| 4 ♥ by North |
| Made 4 — +620 |
Lead: king of clubs
North was caught in a conundrum; (ask John Lusco what that means, he teaches Latin) 9 HCP, can't bid 1NT because of the hearts; what the heck, bid 2H. Ooops. Partner! I was just throwing a bid in there. Don't need to get so excited. Declarer can't ruff the spades out and make the contract, so he leads the jack from the board and East covers. Declarer plays the top spade, then ruffs a low spade high on the board, draws trumps and comes home with five spades, four hearts and the ace of clubs.
By the way, both spades and hearts make some number as does 4C on the EW side if the defense doesn't find a spade lead.
Saturday morning April 5, 2008
Board 14
East Deals None Vul | ♠ Q J 10 8 6 5 4 ♥ 10 9 4 ♦ 3 ♣ A 8 | ||||||||||
♠ A K 7 3
♥ A K 8 ♦ Q 10 7 6 ♣ 10 7 |
| ♠ 2
♥ J 2 ♦ A 9 5 4 ♣ K Q J 9 5 4 | |||||||||
| ♠ 9 ♥ Q 7 6 5 3 ♦ K J 8 2 ♣ 6 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♣ | Pass | ||
| 3 NT | All pass |
| 3 NT by West |
| Made 5 — +460 |
Lead: queen of spades
"Trust your partner" is an oft-used phrase. It's hard for East not to continue in clubs with that nice holding. The problem is, East needs to think past the clubs. He has that wonderful outside entry in the ace of diamonds. The queen of spades is taken in hand, then declarer attacks the club ace, losing on the second round. A spade or heart continuation holds the contract to making four (five clubs and the top aces/kings), however this North shifted to a diamond which declarer finessed, getting the king out. Now it was easy to make the rest of the tricks for a top board.