NICK PERCEVAL-PRICE. 19/9/99.

There were a lot of interesting hands, and the spots often mattered.

Board 3.

Partner bids a very strong 2NT, and you hold (as South):

Two Gloucestershire pairs passed - I think that it is unlikely that you will make exactly 8 tricks, so you should try for a poor percentage game. Diana Lintott had made a good devaluation to 22-23 balanced, and Andrew lintott (and Sandra Claridge opposite 23-24) looked for 5 and then 4 spades before passing 3NT, after partner denied 5 hearts. Stuart McPhee opposite 23-24 was worried that partner might hold 3 club honours, or that the opposition could hold up their club winner to the third round, so he bid 5C. A first sight 5C looks a better contract, as opposite (North) holds:

and you have chances of a singleton CJ. The full hand is:

Against Steve Noble and Keith Bennett the bidding started 2C (N) 2D (S) and West doubled. Against good opposition they might play 2D redoubled with overtricks. Despite South's unsuitable hand you must lead DA and a small diamond to defeat 2D. The double is not as free as it looks. This was one of 4 tables to reach 5C.

Against Lynne Hayes and Nick Perceval-Price, the auction was:

Lynne Hayes naturally led DA.

At all 4 tables diamonds were led and five clubs made. However, it is very interesting on SQ lead (not easy as South shows 4 spades). Declarer wins, plays HA and ruffs a heart. If West ducks declarer must not try to cash HK to discard his second diamond, but has to play CK. East wins but cannot get both a diamond and a spade trick. However, if West takes the first diamond to play a second spade then declarer must play DK, DQ and HK to pitch 2 spades, and now plays CK. East wins and plays a fourth round of hearts so that West wins the jack of clubs.

My view is that you would have to randomly deal hands to work out if 3NT or 5C is better, and it is possible that both Andrew Lintott and Stuart McPhee made the right decision opposite different strength 2NTs.

Board 7.

At 3 tables [N/S: Rob Procter & Sandra Claridge; Diana and Andrew Lintott. E/W: James and Shirley Dutton] the bidding was:

with DQ lead.

Shirley Dutton won DA and continued, but didn't duck the diamond at trick two, ending up one trick short, South playing S10 at trick 4.

The Oxford Norths signalled for a heart, after the second diamond was ducked. South exited with HQ, so declarer made 3 spades, 2 hearts, 3 diamonds and 1 club. While North is worried that he (she) has to play partner for three hearts, it is wrong to take a unilateral decision. You are marked with 5 or 6 hearts, and partner should be able to know if it is vital to play you for 6 hearts. This is particularly true with Q 10 x, when partner needs to unblock the suit. In practice harder if you signalled for a heart switch.

East showed 5 spades, and deservedly went down.

DQ lead, A won and a diamond ducked. S10 switch, run to A, to play another diamond. Diamond was set up, but losing heart finesse and only 3 spades to go one down.

DQ lead, won by A and a diamond ducked. North signalled a neutral heart, and South continued diamonds. East took a losing heart finesse, but got only 3 spades, 1 heart, 3 diamonds and 1 club.

At the final two tables, John Williams and Nick Perceval-Price, with the auction before, tried ducking the first diamond. Nick got a diamond continued - didn't wake up: failed to set up the third diamond, finessed hearts and clubs but not spades for 7 tricks - BAD. There is a subtle inference that North has not signalled for hearts (likely with AQxxxx) nor clubs, so that there is a clue that HQ and CK are wrong. Against John Williams, S10 was led at trick 2, losing heart finesse and second spade run to the ace (South believed North might have a weak 2ª). North ducked the second heart to allow John to take 4 spades, 1 heart, 2 diamonds and 2 clubs, as he threw South in with a diamond. Strangely, if South plays diamonds for all first 5 tricks he is likely to discard a club and a spade.

Board 19.

9 tricks made.

(1) East should show his second suit, as his hand is very good.

(1) As above, I think East should make a stronger bid, I suggest 4©.

(2) James was worried that he wouldn't get enough from 5§ - I think he was likely also worried that there is 10 tricks in one black suit and 11 in the other (either way) with his double fit.

These two pairs had the best chance of reaching the good slam.

This scored -500. E/W never discovered their diamond fit, so couldn't bid 6ª.

At all the other tables, South had an opening 2©.

 12 tricks made.

With 2 suiters opposite, you need either to show your values or ask opener for his second suit.

Nine tricks for +300. Their methods, like Lynne Hayes' and Nick Perceval-Price's, lack sophistication.

Board 29.

Fourth heart was led to K. SQ was led to K. DQ, South played small. Now a small diamond to 9 and K. SA, S10 were cashed. North made the error of discarding a diamond on the third spade - Richard Lonsdale believed that everyone bids 1¨ on 4-1-4-4, so that declarer had only 3 diamonds. He wished to keep a heart exit. However, if you are thrown in the diamond is either a winner or an exit. He also failed to realise that he had to assume partner has the king of clubs and East opened his rubbish.

All other tables reached 3NT by West.

Either 3NT opposite 15-16 at the Duttons' table, or 2NT then 3NT opposite 12-16.

Two Oxford Souths played D9 at trick one - effectively you are playing partner for QJ108 of diamonds. Declarer set up extra diamond to get 3 spades, 2 hearts, 3 diamonds and 1 club for 9 tricks.

James Dutton won the first diamond, heart to the king, small spade to the 10 and K. North continued with D10, small, 9, 8 unblocked and again 9 tricks.

Against Rob Procter and Sandra Claridge, first 3 tricks as above won by DK, HK, spade to 10 and K, Dx to A and 9, 3 spades cashed, North throwing one heart and one club. North was thrown in with a diamond, South discarding a club. North wasn't sure if declarer had AJ hearts and K of clubs, or partner had Kx of clubs and QJ of hearts. It looks as if he would need to guess right. On the fourth round of diamonds South bared the king of clubs, and club to K and A, ace of hearts followed by another club set the jack of clubs up as the ninth trick. I believe the 10 of clubs instead of the fourth diamond stops declarer from making a ninth trick in both cases.

Finally, at the other three tables, Brian Claridge/Steve Noble/Lynne Hayes went for 4 spade tricks, running the queen of spades at trick 3, they tried for QJx of hearts for ninth trick.

Against Lynne Hayes, North made the killing switch of the ten of clubs. Covering with the jack, king and ace left her no play. Ducking and taking the ace is better, hoping for 4 clubs to an honour on left and three to an honour on right means they have only 2 club tricks, but the defence will always have 5 tricks.

 Final Comments

Lynne Hayes and Nick Perceval-Price didn't think that they played well. Their cross-imping was helped by some luck on boards 1 and 23. Andrew and Diana Lintott helped by board 25 (I don't know if luck or skill - no details).

There were five uncontested goodish slams for EW. However, luck seems to have evened out for the North-Souths.