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Hand played on |
12th May 2007 |
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Board number 48 |
Sussex Green-Pointed Swiss Pairs |
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Dealer |
North |
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Vulnerability |
EW Vulnerable |
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Submitted by |
John Williams |
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North ♠ K42 ♥ A8 ♦ AQ65 ♣ J653 |
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West ♠ AT73 ♥ KJ105 ♦ 84 ♣ K87 |
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East ♠ 965 ♥ 974 ♦ KJ3 ♣ T942 |
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North |
Bidding:
East |
South |
West |
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South ♠ QJ8 ♥ Q632 ♦ T972 ♣ AQ |
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1NT
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End |
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Playing in a one-day 'green pointed pairs' event we were doing quite well and playing two charming ladies in the last round. Our opponent sitting North had on successive hands gone down 3 in 3♠ for -300, gone down 2 in 3NT for -100 and gone down 3 in 3♥ for -300. Then came board 48, the penultimate hand...
North opened 1NT and after a short pause South passed. As she put down dummy she commented that she had 'taken a view' on the hand, no doubt partly because of her partner’s failure in the previous three hands and looking forward to a plus score. I led ♥7 to my partner's ten and declarer’s A. Declarer then played a spade to my partner's A and he returned a diamond ducked to my J. I continued with the ♥9 to dummy's Q and partner's K, who then returned another diamond ducked again to my K. I led my third heart and partner took his two heart tricks before getting off lead with a spade. Declarer now took her two spade tricks and two diamond tricks. Even before she took the losing club finesse to go one down she commented that 'it was certain to be wrong'. South was not at first amused especially when she discovered North was 'maximum' for her bid and even though we all agreed that North had done nothing really wrong. 1NT down one with balanced hands all round and a combined 25 high card point count. The hand caused a lot of humour at the table but we of course got a near bottom as most of the field were in 3NT normally going down 1 or 2 but seldom down 3. I complimented South on her fine judgement. Since my partner and I collected more tricks than the rest of the field in the same denomination (NT), it is us that should feel aggrieved. My partner did at least thank me for the lead but I was left wondering whether had partner dared bare his ♣K and kept his fourth spade it might not have been down 2.
It is on such occasions as this, which really make the game so enjoyable for me.
John C Williams May 14th 2007