After the first weekend Wales were lying second in the table with 83 VPs, just 3 VPs behind the EBU team and ahead of the srong England and Ireland squads. This wasn't the highest score Wales had produced but it was the closest to the leaders we had been since this format was introduced. The draw meant that the ordering of the matches for this weekend was
Matches : Ireland, Scotland, EBU, Northern Ireland, England,
IRELAND. Wales does not have a good record against Ireland, with the last match in Cardiff being its first win in 5 meetings. Ireland however had only half its usual squad, so we went in hopeful. The first half match (16 boards) was remarkably flat - with only one board giving a swing of more than 3 imps. It's funny to compare that to the England-EBU match where 102 imps changed hands on the same boards with 6 double figure swings! The big swing came on board two| A876 AT76 AK85 J |
Apart
from the one East dealer who treated his hand as a weak two bid (!) all
tables
started P-P and West opened 5C twice and 1C three times. In
all
cases North doubled. Over 5C this was passed out
once, and
removed to 5D once (doubled). Over 1C-X our man
could not
resist showing his hearts, after which our West hoped there was enough
defence and gave up against 4S. With a silent East at the
other
tables, West continued with 5C at his second go and this resulted once
in 5C-X and once in 5D. Both 5D and 4S were easy makes but 5C was much more interesting. After the diamond lead was ruffed and trumps drawn, John Carroll for Ireland recognised that only a singleton HQ could help him and he led out the HK. There is no defence after this. If North ducks (he didn't) declarer runs all but one of his trumps, bringing North down to A8-AT-A and leads a second heart. North has to duck again and now declarer ruffs a diamond with his last trump before exiting in hearts to end play North. This hand cost Wales 15 imps. |
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| K9 K32 --- AK987542 |
J32 J9854 T73 T3 |
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| QT54 Q QJ9642 Q6 |
There was more interest in other matches in this hand (Wales &
Ireland both played 3N)
| A7 KJ95 AJ A9765 |
KQJT9 A Q987 Q82 |
Two declarers got to 6C and both had a diamond lead into the AJ. Now it all depends on the trump suit. One declarer took the best odds line and played CA and another. The second started with a small club first to CT, CQ and CK. This declarer now took the view that the CT was a singleton and ran the C8 next, losing to the JT doubleton. The first declarer scooped all the points. |
On the last board of this segment Andy Robson earned 10 imps for his
team by choosing a unique action over their third in hand 1S opener.
He held J-9842-AKQJ43-84 and overcalled 1N and over
this
the opponents failed to find their game. This
contributed to
the 102 imps which swung in that match. From the 30 which
changed
hand in our match, Wales went into the second half of the
match 14 imps down
(losing 8-22).
The most interesting bidding problem in the second half was only solved at one table. The deal was
| 62 KQ54 AT97 KQ5 |
The
vulnerable against not North opened in second seat. The opening was 1N
three times, but also 1C, 1D and 1H. Where North opened 1D
or
South showed diamonds over 1N-X, it was very easy
for East
to bid 3N but only Rex Anderson for Northern Ireland found this bid. Of the other Easts, all but one took his first opportunity to show strong spades and was duly supported. The exception was when the Jones were sitting East-West for Wales. They were in the unfortunate position of hearing a 1H opener, and over East's double, what was West to do? It was at this table, uniquely, where West got to bid spades first (1S) and after that it was just about impossible for East to be such a hog as to insist on play in the hand in no trumps! And it was impossible to stop out of game. Which is how Ireland came to gain 6 imps on this board by stopping in 3S. |
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| J75 T8763 82 JT7 |
AKQ843 A92 KJ A6 |
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| T9 J Q6543 98432 |
Despite
only one big swing, we lost a dribble of imps over this set, pulling
back 7 imps on the last board to hold the loss to 26
imps
which combined with the first half meant -40 imps overall and only 9
VPs against a 15 average. Tha was disappointing, but Ireland had
paid Wales the complement of playing their top two pairs throughout -
which they did against no other team.
SCOTLAND : we had lost 2 places overnight, being overtaken by England and Ireland, but were still only 7 VPs behind the leaders. There were two major slam hands in the first half of this match - flat because both teams failed !
| K983 J3 AKQJ852 --- |
Q652 AKQ2 76 QT8 |
After upgrading the West hand to a 1C opener, Shields & Denning found the spade fit but stopped in 4S. The Scots played in 3N, a rather more risky spot after South had bid clubs in response to a takeout double of 1D. The club lead went to the CK and the man rose with the CQ at trick two to make 12 tricks (one declarer without the double went off in 3N). Only one table bid the 6D slam - when Pat Walsh for Ireland chose to rebid 3D and not show his spades. |
| KJ964 KQ4 K4 AK7 |
--
AJ9762 AQ73 Q98 |
This is an easy 7H but was bid at only 2/6 tables. It is natural for East to bid hearts and West either supports or bids NT. Now if East takes charge it can be difficult to identify that the missing ace is in the suit partner has opened. The successes were where West asked for aces and East responded 5N showing a void. Shields & Denning had the means to get there but a system mixup intervened. In Wales' other room a psychic lead directing double with a diamond suit of J86 discouraged the Scots from investigating seven. |
| KJ5 82 KT4 T9432 |
All
tables started with a pass from North at green, and then a pass from
East, but then the variations kicked in. Three tables opened
1S,
one 2S, one 4S and an Irish pair wheeled out their "brown sticker"
(only allowed with notice and a supplied defence) gadget where a 2H
opening shows at least 5-5 major-minor but any of four combinations.
The winners were 2S and 4S as those auctions continued
X-4S-end and X-end and both resulted in
10 tricks. Over 1S two tables immediately showed a two suiter while the other overcalled in hearts. In the case of the 3C Ghestem over what was usually a 4cd major, North didn't show support and East-West were allowed to play in 4H. Otherwise East West had to go to 5H over 4S and then doubled 5S. This is what happened in Wales-Scotland. - and achieved the par result. Over the 2H opening the auction took forever and reached 6H, which was making without an out-of-the-blue diamond lead, but caution led to a 6S sacrifice for -300. |
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| A K9653 32 AKQ75 |
983 AQJ74 987 J8 |
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| QT7642 T AQJ65 6 |
| 5432 Q62 Q65 954 |
Q AKJ93 AJT8 AK3 |
After P-P what is East to open? Of the three pairs not playing a strong club at this point, two (including Filip Kurbalija) opened 1H and would have played there except South produced a takeout double and now over P-1S, Filip could double to show a good hand and then make a game try when Tim Rees showed heart support. The man who opened 2C had no problem but one of the strong 1C pairs stumbled and missed game. |
| J4 KT AT652 KJ53 |
All
tables played in 3N from South, with the lead of a small heart.
Declarer
can see the need to lose a club and potentially a diamond. He
had
no sense of where these defensive winners might be but there was a
clear line to follow. (S)he ducked the first heart and won
the
second heart and now tackled clubs first. East won the CA (usually on the first round in case declarer was just sneaking his ninth trick) and cleared the hearts. Declarer took the diamond finesse into the "safe" hand and when it lost East had only a spade to return. No declarer took the finesse but someone had thrown a diamond from dummy - which is why this wasn't a totally flat board! |
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| K753 J8764 8 942 |
T86 Q52 Q743 A87 |
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| AQ92 A93 KJ9 QT6 |
| A873 9 AQ93 AKQ2 |
It
was North dealer at both vul, and two North's had a 2D gadget to pull
out. One was a balanced hand or any 4441 with 18-20 hcp, and the other
was a
weak two in a major or a 17-22 4441 hand. Opposite the first
of
these the South hand gambled on a pass (hoping partner was not exactly
4414) and West judged it too dangerous to come in.
The other one got to 5D; looking just at the NS hands, 5D looks like
the place to be but today it
was two down. Where the opening was 1C or 1D, East was able to overcall in hearts at the 1-level, and in response 3 of the 4 Wests raised immediately to game. Over this two chose to defend with quite different results; they both led spades but in one case North did not recognise the singleton and played clubs after which 4H made for -790. The other delivered ruffs and collected 800 as a result! [For Wales this was a part score swing - defending 2D and defending 3H] |
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| KJT6 AJ75 T JT96 |
Q952 KT864 K85 5 |
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| 4 Q32 J7642 8743 |
| 2 AT65 KQJ7642 7 |
At
both vul, East opened with a nebulous (Precision) 1D and South jumped
immediately to 4C. Thinking partner might well be short in clubs, and
so have some spades, Patrick Shields tried 4S as West and there it
ended. North led a club to his partner's CJ and then came CA.
North could see that he wanted a diamond switch now and he
signalled very strongly by discarding the DK. But to to avail! South continued with a third club. Declarer was able to ruff this, and then draw trumps before leading a heart. If North rose wit the ace the KQ would take care of the losing diamonds, so he ducked this and now running the D9 to the DJ left North end-played. He could set up a heart or lead into the AT of diamonds to give declarer the contract. The best defence is not to discard the DK but to ruff partner's CA and lead the DK now. [Alternatively a heart from SOuth after CA works] In practice partner doesn't know where the HA is, and at other tables ruffed this, but then the contract did go off. |
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| AT9643 2 AT5 T94 |
KQJ5 KQ73 983 K2 |
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| 87 J984 -- AQJ8653 |
| Q7652 AT 43 J876 |
West
opened 1C in the first room. When North passed, East-West sailed into
4H. The system - whereby East responded 1D to show hearts - meant that
West was declarer and so North was on lead. Tim Rees found the
devastating lead of the D4, after which there was no way of stopping a
diamond ruff and that was the crucial fourth trick for the defence. At the other table North bid, and East decided on multiple takeout doubles over 1S and again after South showed a strong raise - the result of which was that West played 3N and got a spade lead.. This contract is shaky but by guessing which entry North has (South's bidding suggests it is only one entry) - and removing it first - declarer has a chance. So it went spade ducked, spade won, heart, heart and a third spade. With the DK and CA well placed, declarer was now home. Somewhat luckily. they had reached and made a game to which there was no defence! |
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| AT4 K32 Q65 KQT9 |
K3 QJ976 A9872 4 |
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| J98 854 KJT A532 |
| AQ75 T5 542 AK65 |
KT43 AQJ82 A QJ4 |
This was bid at all six tables to 6S - and that is usually high enough since making the grand slam depends on the heart finesse and the spades breaking. But today, the spades were 5-0 offside and despite the heart finesse working everyone went negative. It was disappointing that no one could work out that 6H was a much better contract which will only fail on an opening ruff and a HK loser - and this time would have been worth a lot of imps! |
| K963 AJ2 QJT5 75 |
The
contract was 2S at five of the six tables, always played by West and
the DQ was the obvious lead, continued at trick two and ruffed.
The first choice was whether to go after trumps first or clubs; in
fact it doesn't affect the outcome but two declarers started the side
suit first. South won and played through a heart but only one
North continued correctly with a diamond (the other, offering a gift of
S3, was declined by declarer who proceeded to rise with the ace). Both tables went one down. The other three declarers ran SJ, cashed the SA and then played on clubs. The curious feature of this sequence is that North has to discard on the third club (in a position where it is not clear whether declarer has 4 or 5 to start with). Two Norths threw a diamond to preserve their heart holding, but this proved fatal when they won the heart and could force again but West was eventually put in with the second heart to cash the long club. Wales missed chances in both rooms and lost 4 imps here. |
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| QJ742 KQ 2 AJ983 |
A8 9764 K863 Q42 |
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| T5 T853 A974 KT6 |
| AK53 K96 Q52 J52 |
72 AQJT2 AKT76 9 |
Paul Denning opened as East with 1H and over 1S rebid 3D. Playing a strong club system, with the 1H opener limited to 15 hcp, means the 3D jump has to show a good 5-5 hand. With 5 points in the red suits, opposite a likely 14 there there were 12 tricks as long as the opposition couldn't cash two clubs. So Patrick Shields found the good bid of 5H showing slam interest but two club losers, and Paul was able to bid 6H confidently. |
| QJ9 K2 KJT32 A95 |
The
auction was (from North) 1D-1S-end and was unique across the six tables.
Most others (including the Joneses) played a part score in hearts,
making. Declarer looks like he has only six losers in one spade,
but the defenders managed to make a trick from the HK and this was
vital. Paul Denning, sitting South, started with the CJ to the CA and back came another club. Declarer tried D9 to the DT but North pushed out the SQ, ducked and then continued diamonds. These were won by the DQ and then then DA. South is looking at T87-876-none-T and recognised the danger of a heart, and - a more difficult task - realised that he would want the CT for a later exit. So he played a spade and declarer had to go one off. See what happens if he plays the CT at trick seven. Decalrer ruffs and draws trumps and can do nothing then but exit in trumps and oops - South is on lead and has to lead hearts. Well done, Paul. |
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| 5 QJT95 74 86432 |
AK432 A43 985 KQ |
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| T876 876 AQ6 JT7 |
| 97654 KQ853 -- QJ3 |
This
was EW vul and dealer East. All tables started 1D-P-P. At this
point three Norths bid 2D to show both majors, another overcalled 1H,
another 1S, and the last table doubled. After a fourth seat double Filip
Kurbalija naturally bid 2D as East and South declared that was high
enough, with a double. What's more he led the SK at trick one,
and twice later led clubs into the AKT - so Filip notched up 10 tricks
for a score of +580. Not bad ! After 1D-P-P-2D it was normal to double and over that Dafydd Jones bid 4H with the South hand. He then heard P-P-X and West led a diamond, ruffed. Next came a spade and when this was ducked and the SK scored, Dafydd was able to cross ruff to make nine trumps tricks and his contract. His score of +590 just beat that of his team-mates. Wales gained 15 imps. |
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| QJT2 T62 95 9742 |
A83 9 AK8632 AKT |
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| K AJ74 QJT74 865 |
| 93 J8 AKQ9 AQJ82 |
-- AQT52 7532 KT95 |
Dafydd Jones opened 1C and after a 1S overcall his father Gary bid 3H as a fit jump, showing hearts and clubs. The opposition continued in spades but a cue bid in diamonds was enough to let Gary leap to 6C on the next round. A flat board in this match but only 3/6 tables found the 6C contract. |
| --- AQ73 T75 AQJT85 |
KJT943 KT2 --- K432 |
The most common start (5 times out of 6) here was 1C-<1S> -P-P but Filip Kurbalija re-opened with 2C and over a <2D> overcall now, Tim bid 5C. The opposition continued with 5D which told Filip that his partner was very short in diamonds, so he bid on and the good slam was reached. A small gain for Wales here as the Jones sacrificed in 6D over 6C and escaped for -800. |
| KJT8643 Q9 842 J |
Over
the inevitable 1C opener, 5 out of 6 Norths bid 3S. At love all
very reasonable. All but one of the Easts passed - Norman Selway
for England made a takeout double. Over this, Paul Denning forced
them into a guess by raising to 5S but it was clear to West that a slam
was on - so he bid 5N to ask his partner to choose the suit. And
then he raised 6D to 7D.. After the spade lead declarer drew two trumps, cashed the CA, and then drew the last one. He led a second club to the C9 and the crucial moment was reached. But he guessed right and put in the CT to make his grand slam. In the other room it had gone 1C-3S-P-4S and our man doubled (same at 3 other tables) and East bid 4N showing two places to play. John Holland made a good move here by bidding 5S and he bought the contract (doubled). England had good results in both rooms and gained 15 imps. |
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| -- A85 AQT6 AKT543 |
A T642 KJ973 862 |
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| Q9752 KJ73 5 Q97 |
| AT9 JT532 K82 85 |
It
is love all and 4 out of 6 tables saw West open as dealer. In the
Wales-England both tables proceeded to 3N and both got the lead of the
H5 after which declarer had his 9 tricks. Flat board. The other tables all played the hand in clubs - at different levels. The Scots played in 2C after a tame P-1C-1H-2C auction. One overtrick after a spade lead and a diamond misguess. Next up were the Irish who started the same way but then tried 2N and retreated back to 3C. He made 10 tricks after the DJ was led. More adventurous now was the EBU team who opened 1C as West (clubs or balanced) and partner settled for 5C two rounds of bidding later. North led a heart to HA, SK cashed and a diamond through avoided any misguess for 10 tricks. The last table saw Northern Ireland at the wheel - and you might say the wheel came off - for after a confused sequence which involved a heart cue bid, they ended in 6C by East and South led the HA. That solved the problem with the spade losers and declarer wasted no time in guessing the diamonds right to make his slam. |
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| Q542 KQ97 A43 92 |
73 -- QT975 AKQT73 |
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| KJ86 A864 J6 J64 |